Reviews with content warning for Violence - Wild Seed

As with the other books by Butler this has my mind racing, struggling to put together coherent thoughts and honestly makes me glad I no longer review in long form. What could I even say that would adequately describe exactly how I feel or what this book manages to do?

I love the deep dive into ways people try to fill the loneliness, what hard lines they set (if any), and where they begin to bend under the weight of eternity. What loneliness without empathy and compassion can lead a person to do, to believe. This of course is not the only theme, but it's the one that stood out to me the most as I turned the last page.

This is no easier a read than any of other Butler's novels, and so much of it had my stomach in knots. But I'm glad I finally got a copy and it's going to stick with me for a long time.

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tenderbench's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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erosabsens's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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

4.5

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laurensilva's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging 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? Yes

5.0

It's always interesting to read an origin story, but Wild Seed hits different. It's fascinating to see the beginnings of what we were introduced to in Patternmaster and then what we got more information about in Mind of My Mind. Wild Seed desperately makes me want to reread all the previous books to grapple with all its new information.

It's also impressive how Octavia Butler can write Doro and Anyanwu, two very different characters with two very different philosophies. And yet we find ourselves siding with Doro at times, despite his heinous motives and actions, because Butler writes him so convincingly. His seduction is described several times throughout the series and Butler is able to seduce her readers with him as well. It's incredible.

Content Warnings

amandadevoursbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense fast-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

4.0

I can't even with this book. This was my first Octavia Butler book, and it was INTENSE. It's like Butler looked at every possible taboo and was like let's do this. Slavery, yes. Eugenics, yes. Murder for compliance, yes. Incest, yes.

Anyanwu is a woman in Africa who can shapeshift and heal her self and others. Doro is an ancient "something" that can inhabit other bodies he kills. This book explores their dynamic as two people outside of time.

Doro is one of darkest, nastiest villains in any book I have ever read. Check the trigger warnings. If you decided to read, go with god/the gods/your own convictions.

Content Warnings