Join us for the Growing issue with a post-apocalyptic novel from one of the greatest speculative fiction writers in history, Octavia Butler.
In 2025, 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. But what begins as a flight for survival soon leads to something much more: a startling vision of human destiny, and the birth of a new faith.
Join the GiC Book Club in person at Main Point Books in Bryn Mawr, PA for our book club discussion on Saturday, March 28 at 5 p.m. Find our group on Meetup here. You can also join our discussion online in the comments below!
