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Parable of the Sower
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
Parable of the Sower is the Butlerian odyssey of one woman who is twice as feeling in a world that has become doubly dehumanized. The time is 2025. The place is California, where small walled communities must protect themselves from hordes of desperate scavengers and roaming bands of people addicted to a drug that activates an orgasmic desire to burn, rape, and murder. When one small community is overrun, Lauren Olamina, an 18 year old black woman with the hereditary train of "hyperempathy"--which causes her to feel others' pain as her own--sets off on foot along the dangerous coastal highways, moving north into the unknown.
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bookishbitch
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"Moral: The weak can overcome the strong if the weak persist. Persisting isn't always safe, but it is often necessary."

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JenP
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Pickpick

Long distance relationships require some creativity and my partner and I alternate picking books to read and discuss each month. March was “dystopia” and we picked this book. Difficult read in the best of times but challenging to read nowadays as some of it touches too close to home. This book is powerful, well written and thought provoking.

cariashley I‘m listening to this one now and it really is bleak! 17h
JenP @cariashley yes, and I‘ve heard the next one is even darker. It was certainly a difficult read bc it was so bleak 15h
21 likes2 comments
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PaperbackPirate
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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I had a good month of reading! Parable of the Sower was my favorite.

#bookly #booklyapp

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Chelsea.Poole
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Pickpick

A beloved post-apocalyptic novel set in 2024-27 America, one where the water is scarce and society as we know it has collapsed. It‘s such a trip reading this during the time it is set, knowing it was written over 30 years ago, and realizing how much Butler got right.
These novels always make me wonder how I‘d cope in a fight for survival during a new world order. Not well, I‘m thinking! Loved the connection to nature and “Acorn”—love that name!

dabbe Love the needlework! 🤩🤩🤩 2d
sarahbarnes I haven‘t ever read this - it does seem like a good time. 1d
AnnCrystal 👏🏼🤩🧵🪡💝. 1d
See All 6 Comments
Chelsea.Poole @dabbe @AnnCrystal My great-grandmother made it! ♥️ 1d
AnnCrystal @Chelsea.Poole Wow, that's amazing 💝💝💝. 23h
dabbe @Chelsea.Poole #priceless 🩵💙🩵 21h
70 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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BBowling
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
Pickpick

When I heard there was a black female science fiction author who in the 1970s envisioned societal collapse from climate change set in the year 2025, I was all in. A book that indeed feels as prophetic and true as 1984 and Handmaid‘s Tale. It was a griping novel that forces you to look at what themes in life will help you survive. Clear eyes and adaptability will sustain you in these times. Perhaps summed up best, by the heroines: “God is change.”

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JenP
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Our partner read for this month. Category = dystopian.

Jan is visiting this week. When he entered the US and went through immigration he was asked “what are your political views” by the immigration officer

Librarybelle 😮 2w
Bookwormjillk What?? 2w
Tamra 😧 2w
See All 9 Comments
BarbaraBB That is horrible. What was his answer? 2w
JenP @BarbaraBB he replied “I don‘t care about politics”. I actually told him before he left Norway that he should delete our recent chat history to be safe since the French researcher was denied entry based on social media posts criticizing the government 2w
AmyG Wow. I am leaving the country in July and plan to delete my Threads app. That anyone needs to think about this when entering the US is pure madness. 2w
sarahbarnes It‘s horrifying and terrifying that this is actually happening. 2w
BarbaraBB Wow that is terrifying. My daughter will go to NYC for 10 days in April, I now feel like I should prep her for entering the US! 2w
BookmarkTavern That must have been terrifying. 💔 2w
34 likes1 stack add9 comments
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Jolynne
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Pickpick


Octavia Butler is an excellent author but I doubt I will read more in this series. Too many biblical references for my liking.

Although, what an insight into history from more than 20 years ago, what a terrifying reality this could be.

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BkClubCare
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Hey @AvidReader25 !
I purchased this yesterday- was it on your list for possible buddy reads??? Also, Elle Cordova might be selecting this for her book club but not sure when. Do you know of her? 🌟 💫

Happy Pi Day Eve 🥧

BkClubCare And I just got your letter today @AvidReader25 💌 Happy PI Day! 3w
AvidReader25 @BkClubCare happy Pi day! It always makes me think of you. 2w
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PaperbackPirate
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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🌱 Yesterday I finished Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler. It was good so I will read the sequel, but not for awhile because it was kind of tough to get through mentally.
☑️ But…now I can check off another book from my Free Black Women‘s Library sweatshirt. When I got it a few years ago I had only read 2/7 of the authors and now I‘m up to 5/7!
🩶 Also it‘s not just inspiration, it‘s one of my favorite hoodies!

MemoirsForMe 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 3w
TheBookHippie Ida B ♥️♥️♥️♥️ 3w
59 likes2 comments
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PaperbackPirate
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Getting crazy on a Friday night! After a long week it‘s Parable of the Sower and a dog pile ftw.

#dogsoflitsy

Ruthiella ❤️🐶❤️🐶❤️ 4w
Caroline2 Ahhhhhhh so cute!! 🥰 4w
Melismatic This is adorable! 4w
See All 9 Comments
Leftcoastzen So cute ! 4w
AnnCrystal 💕🐕💝. 4w
PaperbackPirate Thank you @Caroline2 ! 🥰 4w
PaperbackPirate Thank you @Melismatic ! 💙🐕📚 4w
PaperbackPirate Thank you @Leftcoastzen ! 🥰 4w
dabbe 🐾+🐾=🖤🐾🖤🐾 4w
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Melismatic
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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I‘ve read this & its sequel a few years back and ever since I‘ve been telling everyone I know to read it. Especially if they are against the now current Administration in the US. The story feels eerily current but also strangely comforting in that unsettling familiarity? Hard to explain.

Hope everyone reading for #WithTheBanned enjoys. 💌

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Amiable
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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“Moral: The weak can overcome the strong if the weak persist. Persisting isn‘t always safe, but it‘s often necessary.”

#resist
#WiththeBanned

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Jadams89
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Bookwormjillk Both because social norms are starting to erode, but also at a certain point what do you have to lose. Thanks for these thoughtful questions! 1mo
5feet.of.fury Difficult, too many people are already getting into a “survival of the fittest” mentality 1mo
Bookbuyingaddict @Jadams89 hi could you if you don‘t mind please send to me a list of books which have been banned in the USA please ? 🙏 we have none in the uk 🇬🇧 thank goodness 😅 but was talking to my bookclub friends about it last night and no one knew this was happening , thank you ☺️ x x x. Xx 😘 1mo
Jadams89 @bookbuyingaddict here‘s a link to PEN America - they track challenges to books. We aren‘t at the point that books are banned from being sold, more they are removed from school and public libraries. https://pen.org/banned-books-list-2025/ (edited) 1mo
Jadams89 @Bookbuyingaddict None of these are nationwide, but it‘s feeling scarily close to such things happening 1mo
26 likes5 comments
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Jadams89
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Bookwormjillk It‘s almost too depressing to answer this question. The parallels were almost scary. 1mo
5feet.of.fury Too many. Voter apathy, climate change, a huge one that stands out for me is labor protections/workers rights being stripped. 1mo
See All 6 Comments
Kristin_Reads So many parallels! It‘s very unsettling the similarities that Butler foresaw back in 1993. 1mo
Kenyazero Very many. It‘s unsettling. That‘s what happens when a writer channels their fears into their books. 🙃 1mo
20 likes6 comments
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Jadams89
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Bookwormjillk I do a lot of work in climate change, so yes. I see a lot of that. 1mo
5feet.of.fury People are apathetic to what‘s happening because they think it won‘t negatively impact them, it will just hurt some “undesirable” group of people so we watch rights get taken away and many don‘t realize the reach/impact until it‘s too late. 1mo
Melismatic I think currently there‘s so much fear/overstimulation largely due to so much information being readily available at your fingertips. Bc it‘s so accessible, people have become less discerning to seek out facts. If it fits their narrative, that‘s good enough. Our culture is suffering because of it. 1mo
Kenyazero Everyone hit the nail on the head here. 1mo
17 likes4 comments
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Jadams89
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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5feet.of.fury Honestly, I thought it would have a bigger emphasis and impact but it seemed forgotten or inconsistent at times. 1mo
Kenyazero I forgot about her hyper empathy! (Since I read this a while ago). I think it played a big role in her determination to move forward in the ways she does, and build community in the ways she does. It probably also shapes her worldview quite a bit throughout. 1mo
15 likes2 comments
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Jadams89
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Hey #WithTheBanned readers! Sorry I‘ve fallen behind this month - work has been very busy.

I‘ll be posting 5 discussions questions total. I don‘t want to overwhelm y‘all with notifications, so I‘ll just tag everyone in the first post.

See All 13 Comments
CatLass007 I haven‘t even started the book yet. I‘ll be back when I do. 1mo
Bookwormjillk So much to think about with this book, but maybe a lesson is anyone can be a leader. Looking forward to what everyone else says. 1mo
Melismatic Community is everything and trust is imperative…but needs to be earned. 1mo
Catsandbooks I had to dnf because it was just too much for me right now 1mo
JenlovesJT47 I am so behind on everything this month 😭 1mo
Julsmarshall I haven‘t started either but I hope to tackle in March :) 1mo
Kristin_Reads I‘m jumping in here because I just finished this one a few weeks ago. Your questions are great! I agree with @Melismatic … a big takeaway for me was the found/chosen family and community formed with (earned) trust. 1mo
Kenyazero @Catsandbooks I read this a few years ago and almost dnf‘d for the same reason. I don‘t think I could read it right now 😱😵‍💫 1mo
Kenyazero Other than lessons about societal breakdown in times of disaster, I think the biggest lesson I took away from this was that when your found community needs you to be the leader you might not be ready to be that leader and may need to figure it out as you go. 1mo
22 likes13 comments
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Amiable
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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This seems particularly relevant right now.

#resist
#WiththeBanned

Melismatic This book is so prophetic that it‘s both unnerving sometimes and also comforting. 1mo
Leftcoastzen She was such a gifted writer. Worried in these times , taking comfort with friends, my cats , reading when I can concentrate, and this lovely community. 1mo
DogMomIrene I just added this one to my library holds list. It‘s been on the TBR for too long. 1mo
See All 8 Comments
sarahbarnes Yes, yes it does. 1mo
Julsmarshall I need to finally read this one! 1mo
dabbe 🎯🎯🎯 1mo
S3V3N Spot on! 1mo
MemoirsForMe 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 1mo
61 likes1 stack add8 comments
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Bookwormjillk
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Pickpick

It really is amazing how close to reality this book is. I‘ve read it before but I was glad to read it again with #WithTheBanned @Jadams89

Kristin_Reads Agreed! I just finished this one and it‘s mind-blowing that it was written in 1993! 1mo
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Jeg
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Pickpick

A dystopian novel written in the early '90s. It is set in 2024 to 2027.. some of it is definitely possible. It was a little scary. I've yet to read the second book which is a follow-on. Thanks to those who recommended it.

LoverOfLearning I've heard the grapic novel of this is also great! Haven't read this one yet, but I lover Kindred! 1mo
Rissreadswithcats I loved these books. ❤️ 1mo
23 likes2 comments
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Leftcoastzen
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Thanks for the tag @dabbe
#TLT #ThreeListThursday
Just too hard to only do 3 😂
Mrs. Dalloway
Portrait of an Artist As A Young Man
Parable Of The Sower
Moby-Dick

dabbe Kudos to you for MOBY DICK and for whipping my sorry butt! Thanks for playing and sharing. 🩶🩷🩶 2mo
40 likes1 comment
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Sarahreadstoomuch
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Pickpick

Oof. Given the political landscape of the US right now, this book is like an all-too-possible nightmare. Probably not the best decision to listen to this in terms of my mental health and anxiety…. But it‘s really so well written. I may read the next book in the duology, but I‘m gonna need a minute.

AmyG I have this but…just not yet. 2mo
Sarahreadstoomuch @AmyG it‘s…. A lot. 2mo
39 likes2 comments
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Jadams89
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Reminder that our #WithTheBanned read for February is Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler. I‘ll post our discussion questions for January‘s book in the next few days.

#BuddyRead

See All 9 Comments
Bookwormjillk Looking forward to this one 2mo
TheBookHippie Enjoy it‘s sooo good!!!! 2mo
Melismatic I love this novel & its sequel (and considering current political/climate events, it‘s almost too familiar). Looking forward to the discussion. 2mo
Kenyazero This is an excellent book, but so stressful. There's a graphic novel adaptation too, and it looks amazing! 2mo
Bookbuyingaddict Looking forward to it thanks 🙏 for included me x x 2mo
46 likes1 stack add9 comments
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RowReads1
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler

The LA fires, black Altadena and Octavia Butler. https://youtu.be/5tLYpq1aEBU?si=v8-kR17-KksX08cX

TheBookHippie I saw this! 3mo
33 likes1 comment
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Bevita
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Pickpick

Amazing. Written in 1993, how did she know? There‘s no water in California, the lucky people still live in houses behind walls, everyone is armed to the teeth. Terrific.

6 likes1 stack add
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BoleyBooks
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Tackle the TBR 🤓📚
What are you reading?
#boleybooks #parableofthesower #octaviaebutler #bookbuds #bookchat #libby

36 likes1 stack add
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RavenclawPrincess913
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5feet.of.fury
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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TieDyeDude 😫 5mo
Bookwormjillk Yikes 5mo
37 likes2 comments
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monalyisha
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Pickpick

Prescient and poignant, especially regarding corporate greed & climate change. This was my first Octavia Butler. The pace picked up for me as soon as Lauren leaves home (“a tree cannot grow in its parents‘ shadows”). There are some powerful lessons conveyed about community and the dynamic nature of gender. What I didn‘t find particularly dynamic, however, was the tone. For this reason, it won‘t ever become one of my favorites. Still, I respect it.

TheBookHippie The tone is hard for me as well, I do respect all her books, and I am glad I read them. 6mo
ravenlee That‘s a really good way to put it. I found it interesting yet off-putting at the same time, and I think you nailed down why. 6mo
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monalyisha
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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I despise working the late shift…but I can‘t be mad about slow mornings.

AnnCrystal 💕🐶🐾💝. 6mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 6mo
56 likes1 stack add2 comments
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angieinwonderland
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
Bailedbailed

This book became too emotionally heavy to read in this world with everything I had going on personally. I'll pick it up again.

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Tkimsal
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 7mo
11 likes1 comment
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Tkimsal
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Book club day is always a good day! #FirstSaturdayReaders

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Tkimsal
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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September, October and November for book club. #FirstSaturdayReaders #bookclub

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Tkimsal
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Up next for book club. #FirstSaturdayReaders #BookClub

17 likes1 stack add
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Tamra
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Mehso-so

Well, I‘ve finally read it. The writing is great, but it‘s difficult for me to say I enjoyed it given the subject matter and context I‘m reading it in now. Chaos, disorder, little respect for humanity, and idea of states having what amounts to national borders.

The so-so rating is only because speculative fiction isn‘t my bag and I am not intrigued enough to read the second novel. It‘s too bad Butler didn‘t live to write the third!

60 likes1 stack add
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pilardib
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler

I'm finally reading Parable of the Sower and I had no idea the diary entries start in July 2024. It's an odd feeling to pick a book and see it starts around the day you started reading it 😅

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Tamra
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Watching the Harris fundraiser in GA with my current read; such a prescient novel. Please let the seeds fall on fertile ground!

Aimeesue One of my favorites! But frightening in it the way current positions play out. 8mo
Texreader Such a good book 8mo
54 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Bookpearl
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Show us what you are reading this weekend! Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler July 20, 2024…IYKYK. Love & Whisky by Fawn Weaver…history not being told. #weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

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Hooked_on_books
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Pickpick

I heard on a podcast that this book, published in 1993, starts in July 2024. So I figured I‘d give it a try. And yeah, it‘s superb. I think I had written it off before because of the religious elements, but I am so engrossed in the story that you better believe I‘ll be reading book 2.

59 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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Cortg
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Pickpick

This is a heavy read. It‘s deep. It‘s complex. The characters, the issues, the world. It‘s scary because it‘s not far from current issues and the brink we are living with climate change and covid. I‘ll be thinking about this one for some time. There‘s so much to take in and absorb. It‘s interesting that Butler‘s ideas of the world in the 90‘s are not too far off from what we are living in ‘24. Exaggerated, but not by much.

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rretzler
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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#motivationalmonday 1. Have new dishwasher installed (old one broke last week) and celebrate younger son‘s 19th birthday 🎂 2. Dark now, but our covered patio furniture 🌖 3. Dublin, Ohio, suburb of Columbus - warm and sunny today 😎 4. Tagged 👆🏻📖🎧

Cupcake12 Thanks for joining in. Have a great week x 12mo
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Cortg
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Glad I took an extra “just in case” book with me on my travels. It‘ll come in handy with an unexpected extended stay.

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LeaKell
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Pickpick

This 1993 book hit a little too close to home at times. Butler‘s book remains relevant and insightful.

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RickW
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Started reading this one and I love the style of this first person narrative. I‘m 7 chapters in and the whole thing is thought provoking. Where have I been in science fiction land to have missed Octavia Butler? I only heard about her when she died but never read her works until now. And boy is this a doozy. Her thoughts and ideas on religion are truly unique and giving the narrative to a YA teenager makes it innocent and compelling.

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Creme_de_la_them
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Pickpick

So good. So hard. The book starts in 2024 and looks at a world ravaged by climate change, poverty, and corruption. It‘s a tale of survival and adaptation, change and consistency. This is the kind of book that stays with you. It‘s a gentle but persistent haunting.

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Michellesibs
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Pickpick

Lauren lives in a gated community with her family, she feels other people's pleasure and pain. Lauren knows the world can only get darker.

Written in a diary format this is Earthseed, the Books of the Living.

My second book by the author and her writing is extremely accessible and her insights are very realistic. The world she creates here isn't that far fetched anymore.

Melismatic One of my absolute fave reads of all time. 💖 13mo
E.Bolhafner I loved this book. I haven‘t read it in a hot minute. Pretty sure I loaned my copy to my son and he is currently not reading 🥺 13mo
Michellesibs @Melismatic I can see why ❤️ 13mo
Michellesibs @E.Bolhafner tell him it's a good book for reading slumps! 13mo
51 likes1 stack add4 comments
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batsy
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler
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Pickpick

Bleak, grim, & all too real. Butler was prescient in how dystopia comes to be; it's emerging in pockets of societies all over the world as a culmination of fascism & the capitalist climate crisis. Reading this was hard & it gave me nightmares. Reading it right now is too much. Butler's writing is both beautiful & matter-of-fact. I found myself wanting to debate Earthseed with Lauren. I find myself wanting to ask Butler how to get out of this mess.

quietlycuriouskate Yes to all of the above. 😟 14mo
Itchyfeetreader Beautiful review 14mo
IndoorDame Great review! 14mo
See All 15 Comments
erzascarletbookgasm Well said! This reminds me, I should read Parable of the Talents 14mo
sarahbarnes Great review. 💔💔 14mo
Tamra I‘ve been meaning to read this for so long, I have to bump it up now! 😍 14mo
batsy @quietlycuriouskate I'm quite stunned at how she managed to see exactly how things play out 😔 14mo
batsy @erzascarletbookgasm Yes, I wanted to read it right away but also felt like it might be much too heavy too soon. 14mo
batsy @Tamra I very much recommend it. And also be prepared 💔 14mo
Ruthiella I love Butler‘s straight forward writing style and her fearlessness to address divisive issues. None of her books are easy to read, in that respect, for sure. 14mo
jlhammar So good, but such a tough read. I still need to get to Parable of the Talents. 14mo
batsy @Ruthiella @jlhammar I need a bit of time before Talents but definitely want to read it soon. Yes, tough and uncompromising writer but so necessary right now. 14mo
Rissreadswithcats I loved this! 13mo
batsy @Rissreads So good! 13mo
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Mary_Reads
Parable of the Sower | Octavia E Butler
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Pickpick

2024: 8
First 5 star read of the year. Octavia Butler's books give me anxiety in the best way. Her novels and characters are easy to get invested in so you really feel the story. This post apocalyptic novel is terrifying in how ordinary the atrocities happening are. There's no super bug or nuclear fall out, just plain old human hubris. Massive inflation, water shortages, and gross wealth disparity lead America to regress.

Mary_Reads The parallels drawn with slavery/indentured servitude, the great depression, Jim Crowe, migrants rights keep every page of this book feeling like it's a forewarning of what could happen if we're not careful. Coincidently, this book was published in 1993 but is set between 2024 and 2027. 14mo
Mary_Reads If you're looking to add more POC authors to your TBR, I highly recommend Octavia Butler. Her book Kindred was also a 5 star read for me. 14mo
Itchyfeetreader This is a great review of a book I remember as being absolutely horrifyingly great 14mo
batsy Nice review! I'm reading it now. Excellent so far, but with chapter I feel the bleakness set in. It's way too prescient 😞 14mo
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thewallflower0707
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Pickpick

Parable of the Sower depicts an America that deals with a water crisis, wildfires, unemployment and general collapse of society. It‘s a dystopia set in 2024 (yikes) and it actually & brutally shows what women would have to fear in such a situation, so be aware, there is a lot of sexual violence shown.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️,5/5