Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1) by Octavia E. Butler

It is the year 2025. Lauren lives in a community that is surrounded by walls. Outside the walls is unsafe and fought with danger. The world is full of poverty, homelessness, drugs and lack of resources such as clean water and plentiful food. Lauren's community while not rich is lucky in that life in her community is much better than that of other communities. Danger is just a part of life since society is crumbling due to climate change and disasters. Water is expensive and violence is prevalent. 

Lauren is young and trying to find her place in a confusing world. She lives with her father, step-mother and siblings. She has hyperempathy and has to keep it from a secret as it puts her at risk. Lauren wants to leave her community and travel north to find a different life and better prospects. Lauren develops an Earthseed type of community religion and ... it doesn't seem to match who she is as a character. It's a bit jarring and takes me out of what is going on in the book. It's a major distraction. There is also quite a bit of religion which I did not care for. I don't see myself continuing on with this series. It wasn't interesting or provocative for me.