The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E Butler

Where dystopia meets prophecy in a world on fire…

Originally published in the 1990s, Parable of the Sower is set in the near future—2024. It follows 15-year-old Lauren Olamina as she navigates life in a gated community in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. The world Butler describes feels unsettlingly familiar, reflecting many of the same concerns we face today, only pushed to harsher extremes.

When Lauren’s neighborhood is destroyed by fire—claiming the lives of her entire family and most of her community—she’s forced to venture beyond the safety of the walls into a brutal and uncertain world. Alongside other refugees, she heads north in search of a new home—one that might offer safety, opportunity, and a chance for growth.

This novel raises so many concepts that echo our world today. Lauren has a condition called hyperempathy, which causes her to physically feel the pain of others—a powerful metaphor for vulnerability in a dangerous world, and something that’s seen as a weakness in her environment. Even the book’s opening scenes, describing relentless California wildfires destroying homes, felt chillingly close to the fires we saw in January this year.

There’s also a new political figure—President Donner (yes, eerily similar)—who promises change, though many fear he’ll only make things worse. The return of once-eradicated diseases, like measles, is also a storyline that resonates now more than ever. Butler’s critique of unchecked capitalism—where privatized cities lead to modern-day slavery—is as sharp and relevant today as it was when the book was written.

Although Parable of the Sower is a classic piece of speculative fiction, reading it today feels almost like diving into a horror novel. And yet, despite all the desolation, I still found hope in Lauren’s vision for something better.

This novel is beautifully written and had me hooked from start to finish. It definitely left me both anxious about our future and inspired to imagine something more. I’m going to take a little break before diving into the next book in the series, but if you’re a fan of The Hunger Games, Brave New World, or 1984, make sure to add this one to your TBR list.

NOTE: Please check trigger warnings prior to reading should you require it. 

RATING: 5/5