A review by morebedsidebooks
Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia E. Butler

challenging dark

2.0

 I love comics and love what the medium can do so I picked up the graphic novel adaptation of Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower alongside the novel. By Damian Duffy and John Jennings, the book is likewise vivid. All manner of panel configurations, quotes, journal entries intermeshed in a sometimes dizzying colour palate. I can see why the team are lauded. The introduction by author Nalo Hopkinson is a nice addition. It could be hoped a new format brings the story to new people and makes it more accessible. (Haha got me.) However, there are frankly a lot of reasons why someone would not, even should not read either version of Parable of the Sower. Offering content notes are a must (look below). But I wonder what may be worse; images one conjures in their own minds led by text or, those their eyes take in on the page? This is horror, staggering horror and it was some comics in that genre called to mind while reading instead of the categories the title calls home. And as with the original novel I question choices and exactly what was anyone setting out to do here. I would have been happy to see Parable of the Sower left in 1993 to begin with. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings