This Parable of the Sower book review is sourced with highest quality objectively correct opinions and a personal story about hyperempathy. Also, the algorithm loves when I repeat things like the Parable of the Sower book review in the first paragraph, even for no sensible reason. Like many characters in the Parable of the Sower, I’m just trying to survive, ok?
Note: I use affiliate Amazon links, meaning if you buy the book through them, I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you follow these links but then buy a pulp romance novel instead, I’ll also earn a small commission, but it won’t offset my disappointment.
What’s the book like?
I don’t like restating the plot for books where plot is not the main point. The way I think of Parable of the Sower is… a documented pilgrimage, almost scripture-like, following the main character as she makes her way through a near-future dystopian United States with a small group of soon-to-be disciples, and contemplates the core tenets of her new religion.
This is not to say that language is archaic or scripture-like. On the contrary, it’s an immersive read with natural, unpretentious prose that doesn’t force you to work too hard to appreciate it. Not simplistic, but pared down in the way I personally enjoy and respect.
Is Parable of the Sower a must read?
It is, although in my hierarchy of the greats, it’s not quite up there with 1984 or Fahrenheit 451 (not enough numbers in its name?).
Butler’s Parable of the Sower is a more pleasant read than both of these books, easier to enjoy. But in retrospect, when I examine things I’ve carried away from the book, things that have changed me and became part of me, I can’t name nearly as many.
Ultimately, it is the key measure of the greatness of any book: did it change you? Does it have potential to change others? Ironically, it didn’t change me all that much, even though the main religion in Parable of the Sower preaches change, God is change being its key tenet.
That said, even though it didn’t shake me to the core like 1984 did, the idea is beautiful and deep. Accepting change as the only constant is a struggle we all have to go through, especially, I feel, as we grow older.
Parable of the Sower helped me take a step towards such acceptance, and I am thankful for that. Thankful enough to include it among the very top of my Must Read Dystopian Novels list.
So yes, it’s a must read, but…
My gripes with hyperempathy
Apart from the “change” issues I mentioned above, there’s another aspect I found disappointing. While generally, the world-building is solid and immersive, I didn’t quite like how O. E. Butler handled hyperempathy.
Lauren, the main character, has this unusual affliction, hyperempathy, which makes her literally feel the pain of others. It’s a fascinating idea (more on that later), but to me, the consequences of it were under-explored.
It might be a matter of taste, but to me, there was a disconnect between how the condition was described (a terrible Sword of Damocles that’d put the main character in great danger if anybody were to find out) and how it acted in practice (a huge inconvenience, a source of discomfort, but, ultimately, just that).
There’s one scene in particular, where Lauren witnesses the worst possible outcome for a person (death), but the consequence was equivalent to a gut punch. So the stakes of hyperempathy were, in my view, a little too low. It became a flavor, not a core element as it could’ve been.
Parable and Me
Now, my rant above about hyperempathy might seem like a nitpick, but I suspect it disappointed me so much because, at the time when I read O.E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, I was already thinking a lot about hyperempathy.
The thing is, in my own novel “Case Study in Empathy“, (almost) everybody has a similar hyperempathy condition. I’ve stumbled upon the Parable some time between my 2nd and 3rd drafts, so I was very attuned to any “missed opportunities” when it comes to exploring hyperempathy in a story.
As you can imagine, I was somewhat disappointed to find out that O. Butler had already explored the key theme of my book, and perhaps I was too eager to find faults.
Be it as it may, in my work, hyperempathy is treated quite differently. First, everybody has it (not only the main character), second, it can be much, much more dramatic. Witnessing a death essentially is a death sentence, unless you are specially trained to handle your hyperempathic symptoms.
Verdict
You absolutely must read it. Here’s the amazon listing for you. When you’re done, and if you’re not disappointed, look for more must reads on this curated list of Dystopian Novels Worth Your While, or check out my book “Case Study in Empathy” for a very different take the hyperempathy condition.
Most importantly, have a great day!:)