Parable of the Sower

by Octavia Butler, Octavia E. Butler
Parable of the Sower cover
Good Books rating 4.06
Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic
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Paperback • £10.99 Hardback • £18.99
Amazon
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Technical
  • ID: 1159
  • Added: 2025-09-27
  • Updated: 2025-12-30
  • ISBN: 9781472214775
  • Publisher: Hachette UK
  • Published: 2014-03-27
  • Formats: 2
  • Reviews: 4

Parable of the Sower is a dystopian novel that explores a future America torn apart by societal collapse and environmental disaster. Lauren Olamina, a young woman with hyper-empathy, records the horrors she witnesses in her journal, offering a stark and prescient look at a world on the brink. /n/n As her community is destroyed, Lauren embarks on a journey to find safety and spread her vision of a new belief system, Earthseed, which emphasizes change and adaptation. The novel is praised for its unnerving prescience and compelling exploration of human resilience and the power of hope in the face of adversity.

Reviews
LibGirl Books · 2025-05-09
mixed 3.50

The book is profoundly violent and cuts deep, deserving to be pondered.

LibGirl Books describes 'Parable of the Sower' as a profoundly violent and thought-provoking book that cuts deep. They mention that while they didn't love every aspect of the book, they appreciate its raw and unflinching portrayal of human cruelty and the harsh realities of survival. The reviewer also notes that the book's themes are deeply relevant and deserve to be pondered. They highlight the book's ability to evoke strong emotions and its impactful exploration of societal collapse. Overall, the review is mixed but acknowledges the book's significant strengths.

Quick quotes

    It cuts deep and deserves to be pondered.

    I can't say I loved everything about this book.

    It's profoundly violent, featuring human cruelty and the harsh realities of survival.

Grimdark Magazine · 2024-06-30
insightful 4.50

The book effectively blends social criticism with compelling characters and a timeless narrative. It balances thought-provoking themes with an engaging story.

Grimdark Magazine highlights how Parable of the Sower strikes a perfect balance between social commentary and character development. The reviewer appreciates the timeless quality of the story, which remains relevant and thought-provoking. The novel's exploration of societal issues is seamlessly woven into the narrative, making it both engaging and intellectually stimulating. The reviewer commends Butler's ability to create a world that feels both familiar and dystopian, making the themes resonate deeply with readers.

Quick quotes

    Parable of the Sower hits the spot perfectly, balancing social criticism and complex characters with a timeless story.

    Butler's ability to weave together a dystopian narrative with profound social commentary is truly commendable.

    The novel's exploration of societal issues is seamlessly woven into the narrative, making it both engaging and intellectually stimulating.

Francis Bass · 2023-07-29
great 4.25

This book reflects human behavior in extreme survival situations. It's a dark dystopian tale that is both timely and relevant.

This book is a dark dystopian tale that explores human behavior in extreme survival situations. It's a story that feels incredibly timely and relevant, given the current state of the world. The author does an excellent job of speculating about a future that is both bleak and all too possible. The characters are well-developed, and the themes are explored in a way that makes you think about the world we live in today. It's a book that is both thought-provoking and deeply unsettling, in the best way possible.

Quick quotes

    To me this a book that reflects human behaviour when people are put in situations that threaten their ability to survive.

    Butler speculates a dark dystopian tale of capitalism and climate change that has ravaged the world.

    It's a book that is both thought-provoking and deeply unsettling, in the best way possible.

Reddit - r/collapse · Jamrock · 2023-01-01
insightful 4.00

The novel is a profound and underrated work of collapse fiction. It offers a bleak but insightful vision of a near-future America.

This novel is a profound and underrated work of collapse fiction. It offers a bleak but insightful vision of a near-future America ravaged by climate change and economic disparity. The story's exploration of human behavior in the face of societal collapse is both thought-provoking and deeply moving. It's a must-read for anyone interested in the consequences of environmental and economic decline.

Quick quotes

    Octavia Butlers 1993 novel Parable of the Sower is, I think, the most underrated work of collapse fiction.

    Butler is eerily prophetic. Written in the 1990s, the novel paints a bleak vision of a near-future America ravaged by climate change, economic disparity, and societal collapse.

    The story's exploration of human behavior in the face of societal collapse is both thought-provoking and deeply moving.

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