Review by ronnie_z - Parable of the Sower

ronnie_z 's review for:

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

4.0

dark hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

What I didn’t realise about Parable of the Sower, despite knowing of its existence for many years, is how hard-hitting it would be, especially now in the year 2025, around the time when this book is set to take place. It’s not identical, but there are many parallels, however small and however significant. A lot of it was hard to read, not because I didn’t like it, but because I wasn’t prepared for a number of triggering content—but that content wouldn’t make this book what it is. A lens into a world where people simply live the way that they do, knowing no other options or remembering little of the past, when times were “better.” However, despite the terrible things humans are enacting upon each other and the destruction of civilization and the surrounding world, Butler set out to leave a beacon of hope at the end. It’s not without loss or hardship, but it’s there, waiting for you at the end of the book.

Content Warnings