Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler

6 reviews

brynalexa's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Pregnancy, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Kidnapping, Slavery, Child abuse, Infertility, Murder, Body horror, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Death, and Violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, and Rape

summerb's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Incest

Moderate: Blood, Death, Murder, Slavery, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Misogyny

Minor: Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, War, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Infertility, Medical content, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, and Violence

itsnicholaslashay's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Body horror, Rape, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Colonisation, and Death

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Incest, Medical content, and Suicidal thoughts

fairyollie's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

what I love most about this book- despite it being Octavia Butler, of course- is that despite it being a prequel providing the backstory to the primary villain, it makes no attempt to redeem Doro. because she can't. at all! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Blood, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Cursing, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Stalking, Torture, Trafficking, Addiction, Alcohol, Colonisation, Drug use, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, and Drug abuse

booknchaoswithmarz's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Doro is a special entity who collects special people and breeds them like livestock, searching for the perfect combination of qualities.
 His villages are under his protection but also at his mercy when he decides to claim the body of one after the other to prolong his life. 

His perfect world is thrown into chaos when he meets Anyanwu, who is very much like Doro however where he kills, she is a healer, a nurturer. 

Their story unfolds over hundreds of years and encompasses so many themes throughout. Those sensitive to slavery be aware that it is included without being romanticised nor overly graphic (in my opinion & comparative) it is very much a part of the entire book and can be confronting. 

Anyanwu is a complex character that evokes complex feelings, instead of being this two dimensional fantasy creature we unravel her gradually to reveal a real person with real range of emotions. At one time we see her struggle with the patriarchal control exerted onto her, another we see her as a wise strong woman upheld as a leader, we see her jealous, lustful, meek, confused, beautiful, confident, resolute, conflicted, and more. 

Doro, as a perceived villian, is a fantastic character and I truly loved him for the very fact that I despised him and his cavalier outlook on life and eugenics. But the author really does make you think, how different would you be if you were in the same set of circumstances and despite yourself you understand his actions or at least his reasoning behind those actions. 

I'm very interested in seeing what the next instalment has in store for us. 
 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Incest, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts

alsoapples's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, and Mental illness

Moderate: Ableism, Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Animal death, Child death, Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Medical content