Reviews - Wild Seed | The StoryGraph

2.29k reviews for:

Wild Seed

Octavia E. Butler

4.18 AVERAGE

junejunejulyjuly's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The first (prequel) of Octavia Butler’s Patternist Series, Wild Seed sets the stage with multitudinous layers of meaning and threads of science fiction world-building and mythos. To me, this reads as first and foremost a neo-slave narrative. Overall, this is science-fiction, fantasy, dark romance (?), horror that could be read as a vampire novel. The study of the relationship between Doro (a vampire-like body snatcher) and Anwanyu (a shapeshifter) is broken down to the minutiae of a trauma-bonded abuser and victim relationship. While Anwanyu is most definitely her own being, in whatever form she chooses, she still falls victim to the trappings of the patriarchial societies and cultures she is placed in by Butler. Doro is an unrelentless psychopath for much of the book. Avaricious, calculating, tyrannical, and always several steps ahead of everyone he comes into contact with. He is the slave-trader, slave-owner, plantation-owner, god, and cult-leader of his breeding “projects” with almost a total and complete lack of concern for the trail of destruction he leaves in his wake. This is at times a brutal read. Butler would have it no other way, as she was not one to shy away from revealing the harshness that can exist in worlds, real or imagined. Despite all this, Butler once again delivers a unique, powerful, and visionary imagining of a world simultaneously unlike and like our own. This work reveals and exploits the harshest truths of our own world in ways that can be uncomfortable to read, yet draws the reader in to a wondrous, deep, complex and rich universe that had me unable to put this book down. Trigger warning for many taboo topics!

Content Warnings

phenix26's review against another edition

5.0

I have never read anything like Wild Seed and I'm not sure I ever will. It was haunting, twisted, sometimes downright unpalatable. But it was alluring and imaginative. Because it was so weirdly different I could not put it down.

I read that Butler was a science fiction author but my first impression was that this was more paranormal than sci-fi. I prefer the former. When I think of paranormal fiction I see a world that is familiar with unusual elements as opposed to being transferred into a place that is completely unrecognizable with explanations and descriptions that are a little more technical.

Butler doesn't give any answers into the how's or why's of her character's abilities but that does not detract from the story's success. I think it makes it even more compelling. These Gods so to speak are beyond any definition or history that would satisfy us. And I love the mystery this creates.

As odd as Doro and Anyanwu's relationship was I enjoyed reading it because it was tragic yet I found myself hopeful. First, because of the fact that both were seemingly immortal and would outlive everything and everyone they loved yet they could have each other. Second because they could never have any true children together because Doro had no body of his own but they could create a world together. Third because Doro in order to continue to live had no choice but to kill which Anyanwu could never really understand despite knowing it was the only way she could have him.

I loved this book, the story was told simply but yet it had so many layers. I loved how the theme of slavery was was interwoven with race and sexuality. I loved Anyanwu's relationship with Isaac and Thomas. I liked rooting for Doro despite how evil he was. I loved the conflict within him. I loved the restraint that he showed at the end of the book. I loved how their story could never ever be picture perfect just by their very natures but I love the beauty in that imperfection.

I think I have become an Octavia Butler fan.

tate_walker's review against another edition

5.0

I hate that it’s taken me this long to find Butler’s work, but after reading three this year, I’m so glad she has such a prolific body of work to experience! The forgiveness and imagination of this particular book was so refreshing and engaging. Highly recommend and will read again!

taigaty's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

anhundred's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

curlykalekayla's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

markludmon's review against another edition

4.0

Octavia Butler traces a battle of wills over the centuries between two immortal beings, moving from west Africa to North America. Anyanwu, the “wild seed”, is a shape-shifter and healer who is taken from her African home to colonial America in the 17th century by Doro, a spirit-like being from north Africa who survives by jumping from body to body, killing his hosts. He uses violence and fear to breed more superhumans like himself while Anyanwu objects to his heartless and careless regard for other people. Their rivalry, in which a need for each other is mixed with hatred, brings casualties and heartache, with Anyanwu under constant threat from Doro’s immoral cruelty. Imaginative in its concepts, the book sometimes lacks a strong narrative drive but features plenty of gripping and vivid scenes. Chronologically, this is the first in Octavia Butler’s Patternist/Patternmaster series, although the fourth to be published.