Is Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler Still Worth the Read in 2022? | Book Review

Hi everyone! Today I'd like to share my brief review/thoughts on Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. This is the first time I read through the classic sci-fi/dystopia book, Parable of the Sower, and I am thoroughly impressed. But at the same time, I am also sad that the dark content in this book has become something we consider as relevant to our world and civilization.
If you've read this book, let me know what you think of it. If you haven't, do you plan to read it someday?
Arts used:
-Parable of the Sower by Jude Palencar
-Parable of the Sower by Paul Lewin
-Parable of the Sower by John Jennings
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[@benfasching-gray3351]

I read this over 20 years ago and I think about it nearly every day. There's always something that makes me go, "oh, man, that's like the Parable books."

[@PetrikLeo]

I wish things didn't make us think "this is just like Parable of the Sower." But, well, seems impossible now. :/

[@psychobunnyjones5247]

Octavia is one of my favorite authors and this duology is just heartbreaking. There's alot to unpack and think about. The second book truly brings it home.

[@PetrikLeo]

There's so MUCH to unpack. I look forward to reading the second book soon! :)

[@mattkean1128]

It really is amazing. You get a creeping sense of reality from it. Makes you feel like we're living in a slow motion trainwreck.

[@PetrikLeo]

I completely agree with you, Matt! So terrifying. I'm both excited and terrified to read the sequel... 😂

[@perrywakefield1698]

Great review. This book is a masterpiece. On the same level as The Road, and 1984. I wish all booktubers would read and review this book

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you, Perry! I've watched the movie, The Road, but haven't read the book yet. I did read 1984 a few years ago, though. That's another book that blew my mind!

[@vaughnroycroft999]

Thanks for the nudge to finally read this classic, Petrik. It hadn't been on my TBR but obviously should've been. Great start to the week!

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you so much, Vaughn! I hope you'll find the book meaningful when you get around to it! :)

[@alynam82]

Great review, and I love your enthusiasm! I've slowly been collecting Butler's books on my Kindle, including this one. Just waiting for the day for me to begin. I appreciate you shedding light on this, as I may try it sooner than later!

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you so much, Anthony! I think you'll find the novel meaningful. The first quarter was a bit rough, prose wise, for me but other than it's all good! :)

[@muttineni03]

The way come up with titles and how you present your review, really makes me understand how much you loved this book, great work!! I haven't read any Octavia E Butler books yet but I've heard great things about Kindred as well.

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you! I'm still learning and experimenting my way around making titles for my videos, they matter so much in the YT algo and I wish I had known about this sooner. 🤣 I highly recommend this one, though, Krishna. I've read Kindred many years ago, I have to read it again to appreciate it more!

[@snakemtt]

Need more scifi reviews from you Petrik!

[@PetrikLeo]

I will make amends next year! I plan to balance my fantasy and scifi reading next year! 😁

[@curtjarrell9710]

Butlers' duology is part of my TBR. Thanks for your video.

[@PetrikLeo]

You're welcome, Curt! I hope you'll love it! :)

[@bearmandangerous2371]

I love this book! Parable of the Sower, The Road (Cormac McCarthy) and American War (Omar El Akkad) are my top 3 dystopian/apocalyptic novels. Ling Ma's Severance, Liz Harmer's The Armatures and Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 are up there too. Thanks for posting!

[@PetrikLeo]

I have to read The Road, too. I watched the movie and I liked it! I haven't heard much of American War, though. I will have to check that out! :)

[@WantonSoup192]

I read this in the early stages of the pandemic when cities were shut down. We were so close to entering her vision then and potentially now with the summer of 2023 showing us the brink is here.

[@PetrikLeo]

Totally agree. It was scary how prophetic this book is. Everything mentioned here still might happen in the future. 😵

[@Tom960]

I just bought this yesterday so will be interested to watch your review when I am done reading it. I read kindred last year and thought that was excellent.

[@PetrikLeo]

I hope you'll enjoy it, Thomas! I read Kindred a long time ago, I'm due for a reread. I think I'll like Kindred more now than I did before.

[@cynthiawiley5228]

I've read Kindred by Octavia Butler 2 years ago and thought it was brilliant. I do have Parable of the Sower on my kindle and will have to bump it up on my tbr. Thanks for the video review and I urge to read Kindred if you like this author.

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you so much, Cynthia! I read Kindred a long time ago, and while I enjoyed it, I think I failed to appreciate its greatness. I will read it again for sure! :)

[@evanwinter]

Great review, and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Petrik!

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you so much, Evan! I hope you're doing well. I look forward to the next book of The Burning! 😁

[@RedFuryBooks]

I definitely want to read this. I read Kindred last month and was so impressed with the power of her writing. Thanks for the video!

[@PetrikLeo]

You're welcome! I need to read Kindred again. I read it a long time ago and while I enjoyed it, I think I failed to enjoy it fully. 😅

[@Paromita_M]

A beautiful review. Thank you for sharing your honest perspective, really appreciated it. I agree, simple, honest, emotionally devastating read for me. Just a heads up, Parable Of The Talents is even more harrowing so hang in there.

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you so much, Paromita! Damn, even more distressing than Sower? At least this time I'll be prepared, though. I look forward to it! 😊

[@Paromita_M]

@@PetrikLeo Yes I'm afraid so. We have a saying which roughly translates to "we have to hit rock bottom before we can finally rise up". Parable Of The Talents was an embodiment of this for me. YMMV of course. Hope you like it.

[@johnlambert8962]

I am reading it for the first time now. Yes it is worth the read!

[@PetrikLeo]

Totally! Oh my god. A good reminder i need to read the second book!

[@EhsJaySaunders]

Yeah, no idea when I'll feel up to reading this, but it's definitely somewhere in the TBR!

[@PetrikLeo]

Understandable! It requires us to be in a certain mood. :D

[@esmayrosalyne]

Great review, Petrik!! This is one of those books that has been on my TBR for as long as I can remember, yet I never seem to actually prioritise it. I guess I am just a little intimidated by it, haha. Great to hear that you found it such a compelling read though! Who knows, maybe I will finally put on my brave pants soon and just read this one!

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you so much, Esmay! I'm sure you can get through this very quickly. But yeah, it is very heavy in several sections! :)

[@mariareadsssf]

I literally had goosebumps while listening to your review. You perfectly summarized my thoughts and emotions while I read "Parable of Sower". I am so glad you gave this book a chance and a shout out as Octavia E Butler deserves all the recognition. You will see a longing to read the "Parable of Talents" sooner than you expect, in my case I could not stop thinking about the parallels to our reality. That is Octavia's great skill, to give her readers so much food for thought. The "Earthseed" duology is my highlight of this year and the reason I fell in love with this author.

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you so much, my friend! It's good to finally give this book a chance. It's one of my priority to get through this duology this year! I already have the longing to read Parable of the Talent. But I must be patient and make sure I'm in the right reading mood! :D

[@BookishChas]

I’ve been dragging my heels on these books for so long, because I wasn’t sure it would be for me. Maybe I should just go for it.

[@PetrikLeo]

Give it a try!! It's certainly worth it, imo. And it's short anyway! 😁

[@safinan8008]

Hi 👋 great review video! This book took you surprise u ?!! Happy reading to you!! 🦋

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you! Happy reading to you, too, Safina!

[@historymax5479]

Now I want to read this, even though I really shouldn't pile still more books on my already burgeoning TBR. Finally finished the Echoes Saga and it wound up as my fifth favorite fantasy series of all time, just behind Banished Lands. Qaintrell definitely deserves more praise; I really loved all three arcs of the series. I also finished the Risen Kingdoms trilogy by Curtis Craddock. All 3 books were above 4 stars and book 1 was 4.5 stars. The 17th century Europe-inspired world is really imaginative and detailed, the characters (particularly Isabelle, Jean Claude and Marie) are easy to care for and the plots are complex yet never boring. Moving on to Babel and the Steel Crow Saga now.

[@PetrikLeo]

You flew past me with The Echoes Saga! I really have to catch up. Good to hear it reaching your number 5 favorite series of all time, though. But yes, I agree the series deserves more praise and readership! I heard great things about The Risen Kingdoms trilogy, too. I hope you'll enjoy Babel. It's one of my favorite books of the year! :)

[@historymax5479]

@@PetrikLeo I was one of those who didn't like the Poppy War trilogy, so it is with trepidation that I'm picking it up. Still, we'll see.

[@AJayRisen]

Damn! Thank you for sharing a little bit about how you could relate to the source material. I will have to look into this history so I can better understand. But yes, I agree with you. Sad that these days we still have to go through this nonsense. I've yet to read the book, but it's easy to infer what you are talking about especially with all the crap that still happens over here in the USA. Thanks for another great review Petrik my friend. I will have to add this to my list!

[@PetrikLeo]

You're so welcome, Andrew! Yeah, it was a dark moment. I remember it being so terrifying with the fact that I was still a kid back then. 😶 I hope the time of peace will arrive someday, even if it might seem impossible... 😵 I hope you'll enjoy reading this book!

[@afantasybabble6222]

It's a great book. Going to start the sequel today.

[@PetrikLeo]

It truly is. I'll catch up next month!! Enjoy!

[@shelliingle571]

The riot had happened in the modern day in America. I still believe there's hope if hopefully things will get better. 🙏

[@PetrikLeo]

Yeah, I saw the news when that happened. Terrifying stuff. I hope things will get better!

[@evanwalker3782]

This was definitely a what of type of book. The way things are looking here, you never know 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@PetrikLeo]

It's certainly terrifying how relevant it is. :/

[@danbe6280]

I've heard about this book but it never interested me, but now after hearing some of your thoughts about it maybe I'll read it in the future, but something I'm 100% certain is that over sensibility, over empathy is a path that only leads to suffering and destruction, we should aim to expand our emotional repertoire and by doing so become stronger and better prepared to deal with everything life throws at us in a responsible, self-implicational way.

[@mariareadsssf]

The concept is that if we would fell other's pain we would think twice about harming them. If you will read the book you will see how brilliant Octavia E Butler was.

[@danbe6280]

@@mariareadsssf Well, that's not a very attractive premise, we humans are way more complex than that, we don't have a unique blueprint or guide to explain why we think, feel and act the way we do, so feeling what other people feel is guaranty of nothing, some people enjoy pain, some people show the best of themselves in the most opposite circumstances and some people is mean and resentful even if they have lived all their life in a comfort position, so maybe the book is good, I really hope it is, but so far the main premise sound weak, superficial and naïve.

[@PetrikLeo]

All I can say, I think you should try the book. This hyper-empathy thing may not be what you think it is. :)

[@danbe6280]

@@PetrikLeo Fair enough, I'll add it to my tbr, I usually agree with you a roughly 80% on your takes about books we've both read. Thank you for the advice.

[@burge2695]

Ugh I've wanted to read this since i saw daniel Greene talk about it

[@PetrikLeo]

Never too late! 😊

[@sukhvindersingh2579]

Nice video

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you! 😁

[@juicylipsbrand]

First!!

[@PetrikLeo]

Cheers, Jermaine! 😁