Parable of the Talents

This book is brutal, even moreso than the first one. But it has more hope, too. It's the book that made me fall in love with Octavia Butler, the book I think everyone should read, the book I want to get tattooed on my body. Does that make it my favorite book? I suppose it's a strong contender. Although it isn't a comfort read the way so many of my favorites can be classified, so I can't re-read it quite as often. But it's a book that I know I'll continue to come back to and get more out of each time.

I really appreciate that this book is told in more than Lauren's voice. Her daughter offers a strong counterpoint to her and really elevates everything. The tension between them hurts so much, especially as more of their history is revealed. I actually wish the book had a little bit more of Asha Vere, especially after she met her mother. I suppose that would have gone in the next book, though. The one Butler didn't have time to write.


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