Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler

44 reviews

leahrosereads's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

3.75

When stories span centuries, much like this one did, there's going to be some disjointed parts, and some areas that just can't be as fleshed out as others.

That said, Wild Seed, was so good. It must have been totally revolutionary for its time. The plot,  topics around privilege, slavery, and eugenics, and the dichotomy of Anyanwu and Doro were stellar. It was tough seeing the gentle and kind be killed, but I think that was also a part of the topic that Ms. Butler wanted to explore. I think I'll see more of that in the future stories.

While Anyanwu is the healer to Doro's killing nature, both have a sense of immortal entitlement that I think Anyanwu doesn't believe she has. She's young in her immortality compared to Doro, and I'm not sure if that means she'll overcome her immortal nature or become more like Doro than she ever could imagine.

Only time and continuing the series will give me the answers. I'm on this journey now to the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Violence

tawallah's review

challenging dark slow-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

2.5

This is a type of creation myth where an amoral being, Doro, finds his “Eve” in 17th Century Africa. With the background setting of the slave trading, essentially this is the beginning of a story of an immortal being   Doro is seeking to create special powers among his seed.  But Anyawu, Sun Woman is anything but tractable. She is a shapeshifter and healer. She is his equal and only possible companion.  He wants absolute dominion and obedience as he fulfills his dream. 

Butler tackles her constant themes in this series. Here, eugenics, power dynamics and gender clash.  Slavery is forever the undercurrent in her books. But it is unclear from this entry, the true purpose of Doro dream. He has no ability to predict the future, his arrogance and pride makes him slow to gain wisdom. Anyawu is the stereotypical woman - healer and builder of family. She is determined to be free and yet submits repeatedly to Doro. Often, reminding me of a woman suffering from abuse. But I fail to comprehend the purpose of this story. It is dark, repulsive and has moments of sublime irony.  But its purpose - remains elusive. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Racial slurs, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Forced institutionalization, and Colonisation

kemrick19's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

julaun's review

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Incest, Slavery, and Suicide

caligula1241's review

adventurous challenging dark tense 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Grief, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Rape and Suicide attempt

directorpurry's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Incest, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Rape and Suicidal thoughts

kenrya's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

I love the writing, but I hate one of the main characters. I am eager to finish this series and move on to a new world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

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

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

sydapel's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-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 feel like I've been meaning to read Octavia Butler for so long, and boy I'm so glad I bucked up and got on the train. I feel like this book may have been a weird place to start, since it's a prequel to a series that was previously written, but the idea of two immortal beings diving in and out of each others lives was so compelling I couldn't help myself. There's some pretty graphic and taboo stuff that happens on page, but Doro and Anyanwu's contrasting approaches on how to create life and use their gifts creates a incredibly compelling game of tug of war over centuries. Butler writes a fascinating character study on the nature of immortality, power and legacy - this would be such an interesting book to discuss with a group and I, personally am so excited to dive into more of her work

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

jalexpulliamkepler's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-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

3.75

complex but lacked the tension to be truly engaging. It honestly feels like the prologue of a different story (which it kinda is)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Blood, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury