The Disability Book Archive

[ID: A book cover. A quote at the top from the Washington Post reads “One of the finest voices in fiction- period.” in small white writing. Upper centre left of the cover, the title reads “Parable of the Talents” in larger white text. The author’s name “Octavia E. Butler” is written at the bottom of the cover in larger white caps. Directly below it, text reading “Winner of the MacArthur ‘Genius’ Grant” in smaller yellow caps. The background is black with several large yellow dots around it. Down the right hand centre of the cover, from the top, large art of a red bird that appears to be flying. /end]

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Content Warning:

For more information on content warnings, see here and here.

• Slavery
• Rape
• Violence
• Sexual Assault
• Sexual Violence
• Abuse (Child, Emotional, Physical)
• Sex Trafficking
• Hate Crime
• Classism
• Death
• Adult-Minor Relationship
• Pedophilia
• White Supremacy
• Suicide and Attempted Suicide
• Child and Teenage Pregnancy
• Lynching
• Whipping
• Gun Violence
• Religious Persecution
• Police Brutality and Violence
• Political Corruption
• Homelessness
• Poverty
• Imprisonment and Kidnapping
• Cults
• Torture
• Murder and Attempted Murder
• Injury and Injury Detail

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Summary:

Originally published in 1998, this shockingly prescient novel’s timely message of hope and resistance in the face of fanaticism is more relevant than ever.

In 2032, Lauren Olamina has survived the destruction of her home and family, and realized her vision of a peaceful community in northern California based on her newly founded faith, Earthseed. The fledgling community provides refuge for outcasts facing persecution after the election of an ultra-conservative president who vows to “make America great again.” In an increasingly divided and dangerous nation, Lauren’s subversive colony–a minority religious faction led by a young black woman–becomes a target for President Jarret’s reign of terror and oppression.

Years later, Asha Vere reads the journals of a mother she never knew, Lauren Olamina. As she searches for answers about her own past, she also struggles to reconcile with the legacy of a mother caught between her duty to her chosen family and her calling to lead humankind into a better future.

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Notes:

This is book 2 in the Earthseed series. The series remains unfinished due to Butler’s death. Here is the archive entry for the first book Parable of the Sower.

This book won the 1999 Nebula Award for Best Novel.

There is an audiobook.

There is a kindle editon.

Here is a link to the author’s website.

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Archivist Comments:

I’ve read the first one but I haven’t read this one. If it’s anything like the first one, I imagine it will be quite graphic in place, and some of the content may be a bit hard to fully stomach. Apparently, the propsed third book in this series, had it been completed, would have focused on trying to survive on a new planet.

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