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

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Really interesting kind of post apocalypse story, emphasising the importance of community and constructing communities, and how mythmaking binds people together. It's a "kind of post apocalypse" as it has all the hallmarks of a post apocalypse setting, but unusually it is noticeably mid-apocalypse. The USA still exists in some form and it's clear that things are still mid collapse, and that semblance of remaining "civilisation" and the hope of a return to the past is what makes the setting interesting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Rape, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual assault, Racism, Police brutality, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Death of parent, Death, and Domestic abuse

Some of the things I've tagged here like sexual assault are not extremely detailed fortunately but more than just mentioned in passing. Even when the description itself is not explicit the impact of these things on the group is more detailed.