Written by famed science fiction writer, Parable of the Sower is a poignant and striking
coming of age story. Depicting a semi apocalyptic California, the novel tells the story of teenager
Laurern Olamina. Lauren has a condition that causes her to feel other people’s pain. Growing up
in a walled-in community where neighbors must rely on each other to stay safe, she develops a
different mindset to her peers. She believes in Earthseed, a religion she has created with the
primary message of: “God is Change.” As fires and criminals plague the streets of Los Angeles,
Lauren’s home gets more and more dangerous. To find a place of safety, she and her fellow
survivors of this world must learn to adapt and grow with Earthseed.
This book has to be one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. The story is told
through Lauren’s diary entries, and throughout the book her growth and development is obvious.
I was really interested to read about the development of Earthseed as a religion, because it
provided a perspective on religious and spiritual beliefs that I’d never thought about before. It’s
very scary and there are some very disturbing scenes that portray the bad side of humanity. I
would definitely recommend the book to older readers. The story has a lot of interesting
characters and provides a both engrossing and terrifying perspective on a future America.