A review by angelasunshine
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I’m giving this 4.5 stars. It’s a “cli-fi” dystopian novel written in 1993 but set in the year 2025. 2025 was a bit early for the level of devastation described, but 2045 might unfortunately be more realistic?? It’s certainly coming if we don’t make some radical changes. The story is told through Lauren’s journal entries, and I liked seeing it unfold through her eyes.

Quick summary: Things are crappy in the 2020’s, and there’s a water shortage. Lauren’s neighborhood is safe until it isn’t, so she and a couple of other people from her community decide to head north from Los Angeles to look for a better and safer life. Along the way, Lauren shapes religion-like ideas to live by in the hopes of starting a new peaceful community.

The characters in this book are authentically written, in that none of them are perfect. Everyone has weaknesses, jealousies, and bouts of pridefulness that make them feel real. Found family is an engaging theme, and the way people are bound together, sometimes despite themselves, is handled well here.

There were just a couple of little things that kept me from giving it 5 stars. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll be vague. The timing of revelation of some characters’ weaknesses seemed awfully coincidental in propelling the story forward. Also, I felt that Lauren was a bit contradictory in her science-minded beliefs and her new religious ideas – but hey – that describes many religious folks.
This is a great book for someone who likes dystopian novels that feel like they can actually happen (and probably will!) If you are a climate change denier, this is not for you. There are some trigger warnings, so be sure to check those before diving in. Once again, Octavia E. Butler has gripped me in one of her fascinating but alarming worlds.
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