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rnembers 's review for:
Parable of the Sower
by Octavia E. Butler
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Reading this book now is simply uncanny. I had no idea it was published in 1993 and that Octavia Butler was dead until I looked it up. Occasionally it was difficult to get through the book because of this. The book itself is a well-paced page turner but the accuracy of it was stomach-churning. Parable of the Sower is a coming-of-age, dystopian, theologic, hopeful and inspiring narrative about Lauren Oya Olamina, a Californian teen with a fictional condition called "hyperempathy syndrome" where she can feel another's pain and pleasure. Lauren is well beyond her years, flawed, full of foresight and courage. After her community is overrun Lauren heads north, building a new community in the process. What else can I say about her that conveys how well-written she is, how complex she is? I enjoyed her perspective, her belief in Earthseed, that we as humans are responsible for our response to change and advocated for an end to pointless nostalgia. It's as relevant today as it was back in '93. Actually even more so.
This is probably the first dystopian novel I've read where the focus isn't on finding peace, safety, and continuity through a utopia but the nature of change and uncertainty. It's also the first one, I think, where technology wasn't meant to be a foe but their "Destiny" as Lauren would say. It was interesting for these reasons and its theological and historical approach. Much like Butler I am also interested in these subjects so much of the book was familiar but still unique to her. It wasn't as though I was reading the same story with the names changed, if that makes sense.
In summary, I really liked it and I can't wait to devour the sequel.
This is probably the first dystopian novel I've read where the focus isn't on finding peace, safety, and continuity through a utopia but the nature of change and uncertainty. It's also the first one, I think, where technology wasn't meant to be a foe but their "Destiny" as Lauren would say. It was interesting for these reasons and its theological and historical approach. Much like Butler I am also interested in these subjects so much of the book was familiar but still unique to her. It wasn't as though I was reading the same story with the names changed, if that makes sense.
In summary, I really liked it and I can't wait to devour the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death