Parable of the Sower (Parable, #1) (Earthseed, #1)

by Octavia E. Butler

[nannah]

As always with Octavia E. Butler (or as what’s starting to become “as always”), this book has left me with a lot to think about, many screenshots of passages to think more about even later, and it has left me knowing that, written by someone else, the contradictory moral issues it tiptoes would probably either not be handled well or written with a very black-and-white point of view.

Content warnings:
- rape (I would highly suggest skipping this book if rape is a trigger for you)
- pedophilia & CSA
- age gap (more on this below)
- cannibalism

Representation:
- the MC and the LI are black, as are a few secondary characters
- there are also Asian and Latine secondary characters

In 2025, the United States has quickly become an apocalyptic nightmare: the wealthy live in walled neighborhoods in constant fear of being attacked for their resources, the middle class and working class have become one sea of wandering beggars in search of drinkable water--or gangs of drug addicts. Lauren Olamina lives with her family within one of the only walled neighborhoods left in San Francisco. She also struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her feel other people’s emotions. And in this world it’s mostly pain--especially when her neighborhood is burned down and she has to begin the long and dangerous trek up to the almost utopian-like Canada. Along the way, she spreads her fantastical ideas for a new religion and way of life.

I don’t really remember the writing style of the last Butler book I read, so I was a little bit surprised by the simplistic style, but it worked well here--especially because it serves as a young adult’s PoV from journal entries while the world is literally falling to pieces around her.

So … the age gap: I won’t lie and say I’m not uncomfortable by it, because I am. I could say a lot here about one’s options in an apocalyptic world and all that, but obviously this was a deliberate choice by the author. From what I know about Butler, she tends to push the borders of what’s “right” or “acceptable” in each one of her novels, so this one is no exception. Although I personally don't like it, unless the ages were mentioned I can put aside my discomfort; the age difference is not an integral part of the two characters’ relationship and the way they interact with each other.

But dang, this book is grim. And unfortunately, it's still very relevant (and terrifying). Some of my favorite things about what I’ve experienced with Butler’s books so far though have been her keen observations on the world and her creative takes on those observations. Here, it’s the fall of the US, mainly to a shortage of water. But also, foreign corporations are splitting American land up to build factories that house workers (providing essential protection from the outside) and pay them in money only usable at their company stores.

The plot here is rather straightforward but is made up by the very absorbing world building elements and the fact that the characters are all very real and dynamic. In comparison to the rest of the cast, though, the MC reads a little dull. Dull, but not one-dynamic.

Anyway, I'm very interested in reading where things go from here!