On The Same Page discussion

I loved Kindred by the same author, so I'm eager to read this book. This was published in 1993, set in the future of 2024. I'm interested to see if the 2024 that Octavia E. Butler envisioned actually takes place. Here's the blurb from Goodreads about the book.

n 2024, with the world descending into madness and anarchy, one woman begins a fateful journey toward a better future.

Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others.

When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.

Looking forward to reading this with you all!

I’m excited to join you guys on this buddy read!!!

Linda wrote: "I’m excited to join you guys on this buddy read!!!"

Yay! I'm excited you will join us, Linda! When would you like to start? We were thinking we might tackle this one earlier in the month, but can change if we can find another time that works for all of us!

I was thinking mid part of the month, it’s going to take a minute for me to get the book. 😬 if you ladies wanted to start sooner, I don’t mind playing catch up.

Linda wrote: "I was thinking mid part of the month, it’s going to take a minute for me to get the book. 😬 if you ladies wanted to start sooner, I don’t mind playing catch up."

That sounds just fine, Linda. I'm thinking I might start somewhere around next Monday, March 11th... :-)

I just started this today.... its not a spoiler I just think this is fantastic. This book starts out in the year 2024.

lol great!

Alissa wrote: "I just started this today.... its not a spoiler I just think this is fantastic. This book starts out in the year 2024.

lol great!"

Yes! That was the first thing I said in the first post. :-) I thought that we picked the right year to read this book!

How are you liking the book so far?

So, I'm 13% in and already in 2025, but quite frankly, I'm absolutely disturbed by the fact that a book that was written in the 1990s in response to the LA Riots was so able to accurately depict the future and the upcoming presidential election of 2024. I'm officially frightened.

Lea wrote: "Alissa wrote: "I just started this today.... its not a spoiler I just think this is fantastic. This book starts out in the year 2024.

lol great!"

Yes! That was the first thing I said in the first..."


Apparently I can't read haha
I'm starting to think Octavia Butler was a time traveler and she didn't die, she just went back. It's so unnerving.....

You all, I finished. I really liked it. Maybe not as much as Kindred, but I am definitely reading the sequel Parable of the Talents next month!

And Alissa, I agree about Butler, it's crazy how prescient she was!!

I'm about halfway and it's just breaking my heart. So bleak!

Alissa wrote: "I'm about halfway and it's just breaking my heart. So bleak!"

I know! There's something inherently depressing about reading post apocalyptical literature. I felt it too.

Yes, I'm not a fan of dystopian lit. The book is good & I like the writing, but I can only read a couple of chapters at a time. Maybe when I get closer to the end, I'll read faster. Maybe.

Patricia wrote: "Yes, I'm not a fan of dystopian lit. The book is good & I like the writing, but I can only read a couple of chapters at a time. Maybe when I get closer to the end, I'll read faster. Maybe."

Take your time. It is a lot to take. I am a fan of dystopian lit, but can only do a few each year. Afterwards, I need to read about happy fluffy bunnies and ice cream.

What did you all think about Lauren's hyperempathy?

I felt like Butler was very wise in making that part of Lauren's character and I related to her.

So many times in my life, I've been told that I'm too emotional. Too sensitive. And that feeling empathy for others is shameful and something to tamp down if I want to get ahead. I don't agree with that. I think being empathetic makes me a better leader. A better supervisor. Because I'm able to recognize when others are hurting and step in and do something before the situation gets worse. Now I look at it as a gift.

So, naturally, I was drawn to how Butler was showing Lauren as hyperempathetic, but not as a debilitating weakness. Lauren gets up and goes on, despite taking on other's pain. It showcases her as being stronger than those who just feel their own pain. I liked that. It's not often that sensitivity gets portrayed like that.

I agree. In a world devoid of emotion or caring about others (overall... I mean, people die and the first thing that happens is they are stripped of their clothes/possessions/ humanity, without an ounce of remorse from anyone) it's nice to have Laurens character as a reminder that emotions are important.

(view spoiler)[ I'm having a reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally hard time with Lauren and Bankole's relationship. Isn't he close to 60? I know i shouldn't judge bc its the end of times it seems... but ew. ew. ew ew . lol I dont' like age gaps haha (hide spoiler)]

I just finished this. I was only going to read a couple of chapters today but just kept reading. So, I liked it but not sure why? Ha! I liked the characters and wanted to know what was going to happen. I probably will read the next one.
Not sure why the world was the way it was? No particular catastrophe or changing of the guard or what? Maybe I need to go back and read the first chapter.
Also, the whole earthseed thing was a bit strange to me. I can see wanting to adopt a certain philosophy especially if you want a new community, but God is change? That part didn't impress me.

Alissa wrote: "[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I guess this didn't bother me as much as other age gap relationships because I didn't feel like there was a great imbalance of power in the relationship - that's what really bothers me with huge age gaps. I thought Butler did a nice job of dealing with that, but it did bug me a little bit too. It's a good thing that Lauren was so wise beyond her years, or it would have bugged me more. (hide spoiler)]

Patricia wrote: "I just finished this. I was only going to read a couple of chapters today but just kept reading. So, I liked it but not sure why? Ha! I liked the characters and wanted to know what was going to happen. I probably will read the next one.
Not sure why the world was the way it was? No particular catastrophe or changing of the guard or what? Maybe I need to go back and read the first chapter.
Also, the whole earthseed thing was a bit strange to me. I can see wanting to adopt a certain philosophy especially if you want a new community, but God is change? That part didn't impress me."

I think the author hinted that the world got the way it was because of climate change, global wealth inequity and corporate greed. The book was written as a response to the LA Riots in 1992 and the response to it.

I wasn't impressed with Lauren's religious ideas at all, but I was impressed with Lauren as a character. I had heard that initially Butler was going to have Lauren's father be an awful person, and I was glad she chose instead for him to be good to his family, yet have different beliefs than his daughter. I thought that worked better with Lauren's hyperempathy.

I'm planning to read the sequel in April (probably middle to end of the month) if you are interested in joining me. I don't like to forget details, so I like to read sequels semi-quickly. :-)

I know what you mean. I should be better at that, but I'm not. I'm reading The Prisoner's Throne right now & my daughter just asked me if she should reread the first book. It probably would have been helpful, but as I get more into it, I remember enough.
I'll try to get my hands on a copy & read it next month. One of my book clubs is going to be reading Demon Copperhead for May, so I'm sure I'll be getting into that & it's pretty long. But, I'll definitely put Talents on top of my TBR.

Ugh! I’m so sorry, I bailed on you guys. Thrillers were calling my name the whole month and I tend to be somewhat of a mood reader, one of the reasons that TBR’s don’t work for me. 😬

Linda wrote: "Ugh! I’m so sorry, I bailed on you guys. Thrillers were calling my name the whole month and I tend to be somewhat of a mood reader, one of the reasons that TBR’s don’t work for me. 😬"


No worries, Linda. I hope you read this book when you're in the mood for it, I thought it was really good and a good one to read this year. When you do, if you like, you can post your thoughts here.

Patricia wrote: "I know what you mean. I should be better at that, but I'm not. I'm reading The Prisoner's Throne right now & my daughter just asked me if she should reread the first book. It probably would have been helpful, but as I get more into it, I remember enough.

I'll try to get my hands on a copy & read it next month. One of my book clubs is going to be reading Demon Copperhead for May, so I'm sure I'll be getting into that & it's pretty long. But, I'll definitely put Talents on top of my TBR."

I always try not to re-read series books, but sometimes it cannot be helped. What did you think of The Prisoner’s Throne? I read The Folk of the Air series, but I heard The Stolen Heir wasn't as good, so I've been holding off.

Yes, Demon Copperhead is pretty long. I thought it was interesting, but I maybe read it too closely to David Copperfield - I think that was a mistake. :-)

I'm still hoping to read Parable of the Talents this month, but I'm reading a couple of other books first.

I liked both The Stolen Heir & Prisoner's Throne though I do think they're better read as part of a whole series. The trilogy & duology are two separate stories but they do all tie in together. My daughter told me some people didn't like The Stolen Heir because they were expecting more romance which wasn't there. We both enjoyed them though.

My library catalog says Parable of the Talents is on Hoopla but I can't find it when I log into Hoopla. Bit disappointing since that would be an easy way to get a copy & not worry about due dates. Anyway, I'll find a copy eventually.

Patricia wrote: "I liked both The Stolen Heir & Prisoner's Throne though I do think they're better read as part of a whole series. The trilogy & duology are two separate stories but they do all tie in together. My daughter told me some people didn't like The Stolen Heir because they were expecting more romance which wasn't there. We both enjoyed them though.

My library catalog says Parable of the Talents is on Hoopla but I can't find it when I log into Hoopla. Bit disappointing since that would be an easy way to get a copy & not worry about due dates. Anyway, I'll find a copy eventually."

I loved the trilogy, so I'm thinking I need to read the duology before I forget everything. Honestly, the trilogy is the best book about fae that I've ever read. I keep meaning to read more by Black.

I just discovered Hoopla and I'm learning more about it. So far, it seems great!

Lea wrote: "Linda wrote: "Ugh! I’m so sorry, I bailed on you guys. Thrillers were calling my name the whole month and I tend to be somewhat of a mood reader, one of the reasons that TBR’s don’t work for me. 😬"..."

I do plan to read it hopefully soon.

I'm about a quarter of the way through this book. The ideas and plot line are intriguing, and I do like Lauren, but I find myself only wanting to read one or two chapters at a time because of how dark it is. Also, I'm not a religious person, so the large amount of religious matter is a little much for me. I hope that part gets easier as it goes on.

Linda wrote: "I do plan to read it hopefully soon."

Good luck! When you get to it, I hope you enjoy it.

Anne wrote: "I'm about a quarter of the way through this book. The ideas and plot line are intriguing, and I do like Lauren, but I find myself only wanting to read one or two chapters at a time because of how dark it is. Also, I'm not a religious person, so the large amount of religious matter is a little much for me. I hope that part gets easier as it goes on."

Anne, I also had to read this one pretty slow, it is very dark and tough. I also found the religious matter somewhat confusing, but for me, it got a little bit better about halfway through the book. There was still some religious discussions, but I thought it was only critical in so much as it affected the group dynamics. How is it going? Were you able to continue?

I am up to 2026 now. I will make it through the whole book, but it will take a while.

Anne wrote: "I am up to 2026 now. I will make it through the whole book, but it will take a while."

Don't rush it. For me, the first half of the book took a lot longer than the last half of the book. Looking forward to hearing what you think. I started Parable of the Talents today, but wasn't totally in the mood for it, so I'll try again tomorrow.

After reading Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents, and only after reading both books, listen to this discussion about the third book in the series that Butler was trying to write before she passed away. The discussion has significant spoilers for the first two books, so definitely don't read it before you've finished both books.

https://soundcloud.com/thehuntington/...

Just beginning this book tonight.

Jackie wrote: "Just beginning this book tonight."

Jackie, please enjoy. Take your time, there is definitely a lot to unpack in the book. :-)

Thanks, Lea.