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katy_bee 's review for:
Parable of the Sower
by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
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:
No
This is a strange, dark book- definitely one to check the content warnings- yet it manages to be hopeful overall as well.
Terrifyingly prescient in its setting of a 21st century America falling apart due to climate change and economic collapse, giving rise to the worst of humanity's tendancies as well as little slivers of its best.
I liked Lauren as a main character, she draws you in and her tenacity and conviction is perhaps what's needed in the circumstances, even if her earnestness is frustrating at times. The contacting and expanding cast of other characters is also interesting and relationships feel real. I was tempted to dock it a half star or so for not having a complete ending, so much is still to be answered. But it's innovative and interesting enough that I'm looking forward to the sequel so it remains at 5* for me.
The cover quote likens it to 1984 and Handmaids Tale, which only holds true insofar as it's a futuristic (at the time of writing) dystopia. It has a lot more in common with Oryx and Crake
Terrifyingly prescient in its setting of a 21st century America falling apart due to climate change and economic collapse, giving rise to the worst of humanity's tendancies as well as little slivers of its best.
I liked Lauren as a main character, she draws you in and her tenacity and conviction is perhaps what's needed in the circumstances, even if her earnestness is frustrating at times. The contacting and expanding cast of other characters is also interesting and relationships feel real. I was tempted to dock it a half star or so for not having a complete ending, so much is still to be answered. But it's innovative and interesting enough that I'm looking forward to the sequel so it remains at 5* for me.
The cover quote likens it to 1984 and Handmaids Tale, which only holds true insofar as it's a futuristic (at the time of writing) dystopia. It has a lot more in common with Oryx and Crake
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Incest, Vomit, Cannibalism, Pregnancy