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

challenging dark sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.25

A sobering read from start to finish.

For those familiar with the Handmaid's Tale, this title carries similar heft and pathos, and a similarly dystopian America. What makes this read distinct is the voice of the protagonist, Lauren. The framed narrative/diary style is a bit clunky and occasionally Lauren is very long winded, betraying brevity for over-explanation.

A product of the now-called Afrofuturism genre, this is nonetheless important reading even if you can't make it through to the end.

Though society has collapsed, poverty is rampant and extreme looting is the norm, Lauren embarks on a theological quest to re-invent herself in a new religion of her own making, and through the process of proselytising, change the world. She is a hyper-empath: able to feel the physical pain of other living beings, and has a strong desire to form communities wherever she goes, though finds great strain in her personal relationships.

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