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crybabybea 's review for:
Parable of the Sower
by Octavia E. Butler
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
One of the greatest writers of our time for sure. Parable of the Sower is interesting because, while it's shelved as sci-fi, there's actually not many sci-fi elements to it, except for made-up drugs and side effects and a fictionalized setting. To me, it actually reads more like literary fiction; our time is spent inside the main character's head and her relationships rather than getting wrapped up in an action-packed plot. It read very similarly to I Who Have Never Known Men, but written with a feeling of tension rather than isolation.
Of course, there are moments of "action", in which the characters have to fight their way out of dangerous situations and survive, but the scenes move quickly without much detail, and instead the action serves to further the development of the main character, Lauren, and her relationships with her community. Lauren's narration is matter-of-fact and brutal. She observes the world through the lens of survival, and her idea of what it takes to survive evolves as she experiences more and more violence. Moving from quiet anticipation, to uneasy vigilance, to cautious magnanimity, her understanding of the world is showcased through her development of her spirituality called Earthseed.
Earthseed is something that I think can be analyzed in so many different ways and is definitely a huge reason why this book is as highly praised as it is. It highlights the knowledge of Black activists, but especially Black women. Motherhood in all of its forms is incredibly important to the formation of the burgeoning Earthseed community. Lauren also believes in the importance of intersectionality, embracing diversity and change. The questions of climate disaster and Lauren's seed collecting also point to indigenous wisdom. In developing Earthseed, Octavia Butler critiques people's cautiousness around changing traditional values, beliefs, and systems, and instead asks us to listen to the people around us, especially those with diverse opinions and experiences.
There are so many layers to unpack with this book, that I'm sure have been unpacked by people much smarter than I am. There are parallels to so many things. It kind of started to feel a little meta because while The Parable of the Sower presents parallels to issues that have affected different marginalized groups (but especially those of the global south and Black Americans), Lauren is somewhat privileged, at least via class, and the people in her community refuse to see the danger closing in until it begins to affect them personally. Which, of course, is similar to the mindset of white people in America. Y'know the whole "first they came for the communists" kinda thing.
Read it. It's still timely and clearly inspired many works of modern fiction. Be wary of trigger warnings.
Of course, there are moments of "action", in which the characters have to fight their way out of dangerous situations and survive, but the scenes move quickly without much detail, and instead the action serves to further the development of the main character, Lauren, and her relationships with her community. Lauren's narration is matter-of-fact and brutal. She observes the world through the lens of survival, and her idea of what it takes to survive evolves as she experiences more and more violence. Moving from quiet anticipation, to uneasy vigilance, to cautious magnanimity, her understanding of the world is showcased through her development of her spirituality called Earthseed.
Earthseed is something that I think can be analyzed in so many different ways and is definitely a huge reason why this book is as highly praised as it is. It highlights the knowledge of Black activists, but especially Black women. Motherhood in all of its forms is incredibly important to the formation of the burgeoning Earthseed community. Lauren also believes in the importance of intersectionality, embracing diversity and change. The questions of climate disaster and Lauren's seed collecting also point to indigenous wisdom. In developing Earthseed, Octavia Butler critiques people's cautiousness around changing traditional values, beliefs, and systems, and instead asks us to listen to the people around us, especially those with diverse opinions and experiences.
There are so many layers to unpack with this book, that I'm sure have been unpacked by people much smarter than I am. There are parallels to so many things. It kind of started to feel a little meta because while The Parable of the Sower presents parallels to issues that have affected different marginalized groups (but especially those of the global south and Black Americans), Lauren is somewhat privileged, at least via class, and the people in her community refuse to see the danger closing in until it begins to affect them personally. Which, of course, is similar to the mindset of white people in America. Y'know the whole "first they came for the communists" kinda thing.
Read it. It's still timely and clearly inspired many works of modern fiction. Be wary of trigger warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Alcohol