Parable of the Sower

Parable, 1. As climate catastrophe and economic collapse plunge the early 2020s into chaos, California becomes a landscape of scarcity and violence. Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives in a walled community with her preacher father, family and neighbors, clinging to a fragile sense of order amid the surrounding collapse. But Lauren carries a dangerous vulnerability: hyperempathy, a condition that makes her physically feel the pain of others. Sharp, perceptive, and far wiser than her years, Lauren sees the unraveling coming—while those around her choose denial. As their sanctuary begins to crumble, she must find the courage to lead, not just for survival, but to forge a radically new path forward. What begins as a personal struggle soon becomes something much larger: the foundation of a new belief system—and a bold vision for the future of humanity.