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stephanieridiculous's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
While I did not care for the new format of this book, I think it's better than Parable of the Sower. Or maybe more accurately, it's more relevant to America in 2022, and for my particular context, is more relevant to what American Christianity is becoming (has been for a long time.)
Some bullet point lists:
Things I didn't care for:
-As mentioned, I didn't really enjoy the new format. Having commentary on the journal entries didn't really work for me, even if I was very interested in the information they provided. I'm a stickler for consistent POV's, so in particular I didn't care for adding new ones in the 2nd book.
-I feel like the editing was a little less tight on this one. There were a couple of small inconsistencies that I feel like should have been caught (mostly having to do with how Sharing worked)
-I'm not sure if the characters just didn't pull me, or if the amount of violence in general made it hard to feel any particular loss, but lots of bad things happen to important characters and I didn't really feel the weight of it. I cry while reading books all. the. time. and I didn't shed a single tear, despite from significant blows. I am unsure if that's a reflection of me or the writing.
Things I did care for/or got to me:
-There is still the pure shock factor that I didn't much care for in book one, but it's used much more effectively here. While I felt Parable was making a point, it felt like a vague general one, where Talents is making a very specific, and very relevant, point about America, the government, zealous religion, and particularly violent Christianity. Butler gut punches you with the reality of violence in a way that really drives home how close we are to it in the real world.
-The world felt more balanced here than it did in Parable; more tangible and believable.
-As a Christian in America in 2022; the Crusader's are a harrowing potential - that I 100% believe could actually happen/is already happening to some extent. Butler's writing of a Christian fanatic running for president is horrifying in it's accuracy & I am much more haunted now by the phrase "Make America great again." In particular, I think the way the Crusaders are depicted is so accurate it hurts. The hypocrisy, the blind faith, the stupidity - just open Twitter and you'll see the same thing in real time. It's so so so sad to see it lived out in real life, and it's disheartening. Maddening.
-I really did like the ending. It felt resolved, but not clean. It's messy and disappointing, but also hopeful. I was a little worried about how the book could resolve satisfyingly given the scope of Earthseed, but I think it addressed things well.
I think the resurgence of these books is 100% spot on, and with some caveats for caring for your mental health, I'd definitely encourage my (white) Christian friends to try and read these two books, but especially Talents.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
dreamnotoftoday's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Torture, Death, and Child abuse
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Suicide, and Child death
alexhempstxck's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Kidnapping, Slavery, Self harm, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
haileybones's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Murder, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Vomit
Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, War, and Xenophobia
opheliabedelia's review against another edition
- 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
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
alsoapples's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Child abuse
simonamiller's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Child death, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
amelreads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Slavery, Religious bigotry, Violence, Trafficking, Torture, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Confinement, Sexism, Murder, Kidnapping, Grief, Hate crime, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Child abuse, Child death, and Vomit
Minor: Transphobia, Drug use, and Drug abuse
yope's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Genocide, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Trafficking, and Gun violence
Minor: Drug abuse
achingallover's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Torture, and Violence