Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

62 reviews

ruthlessreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is one of the most powerful books I’ve ever read. It was scary how accurate Butler’s interpretation of the future is and makes me worry for what comes next in this country. It’s intense & I highly recommend looking for trigger warnings before reading because some of the events that take place are extremely traumatic. If you want a sci-fi that will make you think deeply about the state of the world, you should read this book. But start with Parable of the Sower!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Violence, Slavery, Murder, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Racism, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, and Child abuse

Moderate: War, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy

greymalkin's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I didn't find this book quite as upsetting as the first one but it also wasn't as compelling.  There was no propulsion to the narrative and the main characters mostly just wandered around, at mercy to authorial whim.  Finding that Lauren is just as dangerously self-righteous and blind as I'd suspected in Parable of the Sower wasn't really an enjoyable experience.  I had hoped she would learn more I had hoped for more "there" there but I didn't find it. 

Asha Vere's voice got tiresome after the third repeat, it would have been more impactful to have her sections at the start and end of the book, with Marcus' lone PoV moment in the middle.  Lauren's hypocrisy and (literally) deadly emotional manipulations of others got very difficult to take after a while, especially when other characters pointed out the flaws with her reasoning and projects, and yet because she had to be "right" they were simply pushed aside.  She got people killed, enslaved, and tortured and chalked it up to "a mistake".

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Racism, and Sexism

Minor: Sexual violence and War

simonemaybe's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Slavery, Trafficking, and Violence

meetyouineveryplace's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, and Rape

chilicrispy's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Violence, Trafficking, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, War, Xenophobia, Vomit, Slavery, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, and Kidnapping

larbster90's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Slavery

Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Trafficking, and Violence

Minor: Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, and War

alandry2015's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and Racism

opheliabedelia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Hate crime, Incest, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence

Minor: Pregnancy

astridrv's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I almost gave up halfway through because of how horrific and depressing it got - much more so than the first book, which is really saying something. But I loved the complexity of that too, where I am used to saga's going "upwards", Butler made the brave choice of having someone who's arc is to build see everything destroyed and go through worse than ever before. I'm not sold on the second perspective we get in the book, and I would have loved the last chapters to last way longer (there is a slight pacing problem between micro and macro story there) but otherwise this is definitely the most remarkable work of fiction I read this year. I will never forget Earthseed, and the claustrophobic,terrifying, hopeful, strong, heart wrenching, generous, crushing journey it was to share this story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Sexual violence, Violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Murder, and Homophobia

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Racism, and Misogyny

awsams's review against another edition

dark hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Sexual violence, and Murder