Reviews with content warning for Death - Wild Seed

As you might be aware of, I usually refrain from rating books I read for university--unless they're extremely good book. So, yeah, this one is great. Like, holy shit. I feel like I've been emotionally run over by a truck. This made me quietly angry, frustrated, sad, and helpless and would not let up. And being all those things, even quietly, for two days straight (I didn't read it in one go, but whenever I wasn't reading, the story continued its hold on my emotions/brain) was/is exhausting. Exhausting to a point were I could so easily relate to Anyanwu's perspective at the end of the novel.

Anyways, this was excellently written and incredibly interesting and so complex and fleshed-out feeling. There is so much that could still be explored, so much to see. The story is quite simple but so incredibly well crafted that it feel slike a much grander narrative. I highly, highly recommend this.

Content Warnings

amberinbookland's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

kylieqrada's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes

3.0

Ugh guys I wanted to like this more than I did. I love Octavia E. Butler, especially her Parable series and Kindred. This was written in her typical gorgeous style, and I thought the writing was incredible. I also liked Anwanyu as a character for the most part. The themes explored were deep, emotional, and probably went over my head in places (story of my life). However, I HATE DORO AND I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL. My hatred severely impacted my enjoyment of the story and I couldn't get over it no matter how hard I tried. WOMP womp. Super disappointed in my lack of hype. I think I will be picking up the next one though, hoping maybe Doro doesn't suck ass in that one?

Content Warnings

madamepincers's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.0

Content Warnings

bookswithjk's review against another edition

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challenging tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

lauconn's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

2treads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"... You are here where I rule. Here, there is only one abomination: disobedience. You will obey."

Butler's magnificent imagination and how she executes it with and in real-world constructions and ideas is truly remarkable.

Using a man's desire for ultimate power and creation of a dynasty across time and place, examining his relationships with those he breeds, uncovering his motivations, what drives his arrogance, stirs his anger, and how he deals with new unknowns and potential challenges to his power.

Doro is self-serving, gifted, and ruthless when it comes to achieving all that he has mapped out to be his legacy, however, he will never be removed from it; always at the head, always being deferred to.

Anyanwu has existed for centuries with her own gifts, being feared, revered, and hated for the gifts she carries within herself. She is in her own right a matriarch, having mothered generations and is equal to, if not surpassing what Doro is.

What Butler crafts here is ultimately a look at how control manifests within a man who is not beholden to any of the values or societal expectations of the times in which he lives; he takes, molds, breeds, strictly for his purpose and any hint of independent thought or action–that goes against his intent–is either threatened away or erased permanently.

Doro is also so single-minded in his ambitions that he believes that he is better than the white man who enslaves and colonizes– completely ignoring that what he does is much worse– because he does not beat, starve, maim, or rape. But what he does, what he requires of those he owns, surpasses just their bodies in bondage, he wants their minds, their talents, their complete and total submission.

It is discomfiting to read of his utter callousness and disregard for human life, only seeing the worth in what can be extracted, cultivated and passed on; and only for a time. After he has deemed your use complete, you are removed from the equation.

Content Warnings

bookiecharm's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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