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

adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Oof. This book was compelling and horrifying. It hit waaayyyy too close on several topics, and has inspired a few new nightmares for me. I enjoyed it immensely, but could have done without the constant addition of new characters in the second half. They felt more like padding/added plot than necessary.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gore, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, and War