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A review by queer_bookwyrm
Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
5 ⭐ CW: violence, murder, rape (lots of it), gang violence, slavery, child sexual abuse, prostitution, child death, suicide, extreme religious conservatism
"The human species is a kind of animal, of course. But we can do something no other animal species has ever had the option to do. We can choose: We can go building and destroying until we destroy ourselves or or until we destroy the ability of our world to sustain us. Or we can make something of ourselves. We can grow up."
Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler is the second book in the Parable duology. In this book we find Asha Vere (Lauren's daughter) compiling a book of her mother's writings along with some journal entries of her father and her uncle. Interspersed between the journal entries are Asha's thoughts and reactions to both her mother in general and the things she wrote about. Although this was an exploration of a mother daughter relationship, it doesn't have a happy ending. I think it shows the complexity of relationships along with the conflicting duties of self, family, community, and purpose.
We start out back at Acorn, Lauren's Earthseed community, as she tries to grow the community and push them toward Destiny. "The Destiny of Earthseed is to take root among the stars." Acorn is eventually found out and followers of the ultra conservative presidential candidate, Jarret (who runs on the slogan "make America great again. Sound familiar?), raids Acorn, steals their children and enslave the rest. Those left alive suffer unimaginable brutality all in the name of "civilizing heathens."
Although Parable of the Talents is just as gut wrenching a read as Parable of the Sower, it again leaves you with a sense of hope. This book is a profound piece of hope and an ode to the resiliency of humans. Throughout the book, Lauren talks about humans needing a purpose to motivate them to become better, to become more than what they are. It's not enough to just survive. Just like in the 1960's when people wondered why should we waste time and resources in space with so much suffering on Earth, we do it, because we can, and we must if we are to grow up.
I could be here all day breaking down every prophetic thing Butler wrote or how eloquently she breaks down religious evangelicalism as a play for power and control that ultimately will lead to the break down of civil and human rights. Everything Butler writes is poignient, and similarly to Earthseed, a collection of truths. Butler also weaves in themes on environmentalism and the importance of education and community.
"The human species is a kind of animal, of course. But we can do something no other animal species has ever had the option to do. We can choose: We can go building and destroying until we destroy ourselves or or until we destroy the ability of our world to sustain us. Or we can make something of ourselves. We can grow up."
Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler is the second book in the Parable duology. In this book we find Asha Vere (Lauren's daughter) compiling a book of her mother's writings along with some journal entries of her father and her uncle. Interspersed between the journal entries are Asha's thoughts and reactions to both her mother in general and the things she wrote about. Although this was an exploration of a mother daughter relationship, it doesn't have a happy ending. I think it shows the complexity of relationships along with the conflicting duties of self, family, community, and purpose.
We start out back at Acorn, Lauren's Earthseed community, as she tries to grow the community and push them toward Destiny. "The Destiny of Earthseed is to take root among the stars." Acorn is eventually found out and followers of the ultra conservative presidential candidate, Jarret (who runs on the slogan "make America great again. Sound familiar?), raids Acorn, steals their children and enslave the rest. Those left alive suffer unimaginable brutality all in the name of "civilizing heathens."
Although Parable of the Talents is just as gut wrenching a read as Parable of the Sower, it again leaves you with a sense of hope. This book is a profound piece of hope and an ode to the resiliency of humans. Throughout the book, Lauren talks about humans needing a purpose to motivate them to become better, to become more than what they are. It's not enough to just survive. Just like in the 1960's when people wondered why should we waste time and resources in space with so much suffering on Earth, we do it, because we can, and we must if we are to grow up.
I could be here all day breaking down every prophetic thing Butler wrote or how eloquently she breaks down religious evangelicalism as a play for power and control that ultimately will lead to the break down of civil and human rights. Everything Butler writes is poignient, and similarly to Earthseed, a collection of truths. Butler also weaves in themes on environmentalism and the importance of education and community.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Gun violence, Rape, and Child death
Moderate: Slavery, Sexual violence, and Suicide