Reviews

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

codemasterpi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

tlrhfr's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

I found the first half of this book really slow, but the second half was very gripping! Like Handmaids Tale, it’s fascinating to see how close we’ve come to parts of the future imagined by Butler in the 90s. I felt inspired by the book and found some of the commentary on social issues really well done (like the return of debt slavery, police violence) but wanted a little more from the book. How did the world get to where it is in the story? Expected a lil more sci fi as well, maybe bc I read Dawn first. 

vagabondophelia's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.75

jes_books's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

subversive_augury's review against another edition

5.0

This novel has shaken and stirred me like a milkshake. If you like science fiction or dystopian novels or if you want to experience a work of art that makes sense of our dystopic present in the U.S., I cannot recommend this book enough. This is a read that will stay with me for some time.

kald's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

4.0

star_boi's review against another edition

reflective tense

4.75

nopebook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

ectoplasms's review against another edition

2.0

I rate books by the Goodreads system - 2 starts means "it was ok" for me.

It's a 12h long plod filled with rape, murder, torture, cannibalism, arson, famine, and slavery. The prose is well written, fairly engaging, and even through the endless violence and seeming lack of direction I listened to the end wanting to know how it will end.

I'm not sure what the Earthseed quasi-religious verses and musings add or bring. The discussions about Earthseed that happen at the end of the book seems like something from an YA novel - transparent and flat.

It is also unclear what the protagonists hyperempathy adds or says. Suffering is worse for people who feel other people's suffering? No one would rape and pillage if they felt other people's pain? I'm not sure if that was the message or the concept will be expanded in the next book to make sense.

I do see why some would really like the novel and why would someone be touched by it. It did make me read a few articles on climate change refugee issue. But all in all, it wasn't quite my cup of tea.

zarap's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5