A review by gardner0214
Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler
dark
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
I have been a part of an Octavia Butler book club this year and this series is the last of her work we are reading. Additionally, prior to this we read the Lilith's Brood series. I should also say we are starting the Patternist series with this book so, I have not read the rest of the series yet.
Both this book and Lilith's Brood troubled me in the same way. One of Butler's themes in both works are power dynamics and the role they play in sexual relationships. In both Dawn (the first of the Lilith's Brood series) and Wild Seed the main protagonist is a woman who is essentially forced to sleep with and breed with whomever her captors (who physically and ethically repulse these women) send their way. This abuse continuously happens to these women despite how physically and mentally strong the characters are, they are both essentially reduced to serve the same function of cattle and breeding stock.
I am not saying that these aren't interesting themes, I believe they are worth the effort to diving into, especially given the way Butler expertly weaves gender and race dynamics into these Sci-Fi worlds within the novels. However, this kind of relationship and downright abuse is so constant in the books and it begins to wear me down about 3/4s of the way through the books. It makes me feel broken and I just want to scream for these women.
I guess what I am saying is my main critique is, for books that have the potential to cover so much fantastic, sci-fi ground, they dwell far to much on sexual abuse over and over again.
Both this book and Lilith's Brood troubled me in the same way. One of Butler's themes in both works are power dynamics and the role they play in sexual relationships. In both Dawn (the first of the Lilith's Brood series) and Wild Seed the main protagonist is a woman who is essentially forced to sleep with and breed with whomever her captors (who physically and ethically repulse these women) send their way. This abuse continuously happens to these women despite how physically and mentally strong the characters are, they are both essentially reduced to serve the same function of cattle and breeding stock.
I am not saying that these aren't interesting themes, I believe they are worth the effort to diving into, especially given the way Butler expertly weaves gender and race dynamics into these Sci-Fi worlds within the novels. However, this kind of relationship and downright abuse is so constant in the books and it begins to wear me down about 3/4s of the way through the books. It makes me feel broken and I just want to scream for these women.
I guess what I am saying is my main critique is, for books that have the potential to cover so much fantastic, sci-fi ground, they dwell far to much on sexual abuse over and over again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Sexual violence
Moderate: Incest