Book Review: Parable of the Talents

PARABLE OF THE TALENTS | Octavia E. Butler
(Earthseed #2)
08.20.2019 (First published in 1998) | Grand Central Publishing
Rating: 4/5 stars

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 found faith, Earthseed. This community is a refuge for outcasts facing persecution after the election of an ultra-conservative president who vows to “make America great again”. Lauren’s community quickly becomes a target by the radical groups that back this new leadership. Can she hold on to both her family and the community that she has built?

PARABLE OF THE TALENTS is the second installment in Octavia E. Butler’s Earthseed duology, which continues on the story of Lauren Olamina’s life in an all too plausible dystopian future. I absolutely loved the first installment in this series and was quite happy to see that the events of the second book picked up not long after the first’s ending. 

PARABLE OF THE TALENTS adds in to an already fascinating story a retrospective narrative from Lauren’s daughter, who we get to know as she makes her way through Lauren’s journal entries. I loved that there was a second narrative to give us another opinion and outlook on Lauren’s Earthseed journey. 

The pacing of this story felt slower to me than the first book, however, around the halfway point things kick into a more tense and stressful plot that truly hooks the reader into binge reading the rest of the book. 

If you’re looking for a dystopian series that hits a bit too close to home given recent events, this is one you need to pick up!

This book is available to buy from: Amazon | Book Depository

Disclosure: What Jess Reads is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way influences my opinion of the above book.