Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation

“Octavia E. Butler’s novel Parable of the Sower, first published in 1993, is a science fiction tale of a bleak near future. A young woman survives her harsh environment, violence, and loss, and founds a new religion that offers solace and hope for the new world. I really enjoyed it. Aspects of the original novel can seem a little underdeveloped, but overall it offers interesting relationships and a unique story.
This is the graphic novel version of the book adapted by Damian Duffy and John Jennings. The artwork has many highlights, and the editorial choices in the story make sense. The emotions on the faces of the characters are beautifully drawn, and the differences between the protagonist’s notebook writings and thoughts is clear. These are clearly talented artists. Some of the book is quite dark and monotone in color choices, but other parts are colorful. The panels are heavy with text and are very busy and tightly packed, so I spent my time reading instead of enjoying the artwork to tell the story for itself. The Los Angeles landscape, the walled neighborhood, the highways of the West Coast didn’t grab me visually in this graphic novel version. But, for fans of the medium of graphic novels, it is an inspired addition to Butler’s story.”