Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of the great things about my occasional long travel days is the ability to read an entire novel that I had been meaning to get to FOREVER and finally had time and space to read on a trip for work.
Post-apocalyptic (in the sense of water scarcity and breakdown of society) near future SF set in the 2020s with a political structure that seems rather prescient when reading it this year. Parable of the Sower is one of those books that, upon first reading, seems “simple” in terms of prose style, plot, and storytelling choices. It is NOT simple–it is rendered deeply, fundamentally understandable to the reader and the characters experiencing it through great skill.
Right up until you finish it, and the different pieces fall into place, and what you have consumed is a deep meditation on the power — and necessity — of community for survival. Because community is what makes survival worthwhile. And Lauren’s journey from her first understanding of community (of origin) to her understanding of community (of choice) by the end of the novel is one that happens subtly, but to great effect, both for her and the reader.
Outstanding novel, and I’m kicking myself for not having read it before now.
Confessions of a Curator, Editor, Geek 