Parable Of The Sower

by Octavia E. Butler

Paperback, 345 pages

English language

Published Aug. 7, 2000 by Warner Books.

ISBN:: 978-0-446-67550-5

View on OpenLibrary

View on Inventaire

(33 reviews)

In 2025, with the world descending into madness and anarchy, one woman begins a fateful journey toward a better future.

Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others.

When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that …

In 2025, with the world descending into madness and anarchy, one woman begins a fateful journey toward a better future.

8 editions

ahynes1 reviewed Parable Of The Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Review of 'Parable of the Sower' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Imagine a dystopian novel about fleeing the collapse of society and trying to build a new community written from the viewpoint of a brilliant womanist. Talk about a book that is highly relevant for today1

Ted Tschopp reviewed Parable Of The Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Review of 'Parable of the Sower' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

A great story about an African American girl who grows up in a small sub community in Pasadena in an American that has fallen apart. A poignant reminder of how thin the veneer of civilization is. Powerful and prophetic for a book written in the early 1990s.

Literally Graphic reviewed Parable Of The Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Review of 'Parable of the Sower' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Not my most favourite Butler, but very solid. Reminds me a bit of Walking Dead, but the zombies are just people being people. Not quite so many people die though and I couldn't figure out if that felt more or less realistic lol.

The biggest drawback for me mostly came from the depiction of drugs. My feelings about how one should depict drugs is still very nebulous, so I'm not really sure about how they are depicted here but it did feel a tad bit regressive to me personally.

Since we all know that our heroine will end up on the outside sooner rather than later, I do feel like the opening could have been a bit more condensed.