A review by librarymouse
Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia E. Butler, Damian Duffy

dark reflective 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? It's complicated

3.75

There were some parts of this book I really liked and others I really didn't. The 39 year age gap between Lauren and her love interest who she first recognizes through associating him with her father is one of the major dislikes. I like both characters, but the situation is uncomfortable, especially when he is made out as a sympathetic, likable character. I'd had this book and the novel it was adapted from on my to read list for a while, and I'm glad I got around to reading this for school. It's really neat to see the roots of the literary solarpunk movement as it's rooted in afro futurism and the questioning of the continuing hegemony of colonial structures that are still being offered as solutions to the climate crisis today. It is weird to be reading this in 2024, though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Classism, Incest, Slavery, Sexual content, Colonisation, Vomit, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Rape, Murder, Racism, Violence, Grief, Misogyny, Addiction, Confinement, Drug use, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Ableism, Animal death, Gore, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Dysphoria