Book Review: Wild Seed by Octavia Butler

By

Wild Seed by Octavia Butler is about an immortal being named Anyanwu (which means Eye of The Sun) who encounters another immortal with the ability to switch bodies. Anyanwu is a shapeshifter with the ability to heal herself and remain young. When she meets Doro, she believes she’s finally found her equal. As the story progresses, both the reader and Anwanyu discover Doro’s lack of respect for human life, and ultimately his mission to use Anwanyu’s DNA to breed future generations. Doro refers to her as a “Wild Seed’ to be incorporated into his other breeds. 

Despite the theme of human ownership and the deception Anyanwy faces, I really enjoyed this book. Butler’s representation of immortality and the potential impact it would have on its subjects was captivating. Anwanyu’s immortality keeps her isolated because her town believes her to be a witch. In addition, she carries the burden of having to watch her children and grandchildren die while she continues to live. Despite her curse, Anwanyu chooses to use her immortality to become a healer. Doro, on the other hand, uses his inability to die to control others. He is just as lonely as Anwanyu, but unlike her, he doesn’t seek companionship; he seeks power. Doro travels from body to body, killing his hosts in the process. Butler writes this terrifying trait very eloquently. Below is a passage where the reader sees it happen for the first time. Doro and Anwanyu are heading towards the docks, but the compound’s owner won’t let them through. Anyanwu knows the owner’s life is in danger, but hasn’t seen Doro’s power in action yet.

“She did not know what to expect, she was certain the young man would be killed. How would he die? Exactly what would Doro do? […] Before the young man or the child could react, Doro collapsed. 

His body fell almost on top of the boy, but the child jumped out of the way in time. Then [the child] knelt on the ground and took Doro’s machete. People are beginning to react as the boy stood up.

The child spoke calmly, quietly in his own language, but as Anyanwu heard him, she thought she would scream aloud.The child was Doro. There was no doubt of it. Doro’s spirit had entered the child’s body. And what had happened to the child’s spirit? She looked at the body lying on the ground, then she went to it, turned it over. It was dead” (p. 30 – 31). 

I secretly hoped Anyanwu would have realized how much danger she was in after this unfolded. 

Butler also made good use of situational irony. In chapter 2, she conveys that Doro has bad intentions, unbeknownst to Anwanyu who is falling in love. The juxtaposition between the two made me remarkably anxious, a sign of good writing.

My favorite character was ironically Doro. This isn’t because I like who he is, but because I appreciate Butler’s ability to use him to mirror the reader’s bad decisions. Doro is manipulative to say the least. He breaks promises, and uses people only to dispose of them when they are no longer needed. I felt frustrated with Anyanwu as she chose Doro over and over again. Doro was a walking red flag, but her loneliness made her overlook them. 

I strongly disliked how the book ends. When Doro kills one of Anwanyu’s friends, she decides to leave Doro by dying. As a healer who can reach into herself to cure ailments, she also has the power to stop her own heart. Upon realizing Doro would never change,  she no longer wanted to live. Picking up on her determination, Doro becomes worried for the first time. We experience Doro’s emotions beyond anger for the first time. Doro begs her to stay alive. He cries, and says “Sun Women, please don’t leave me” as his voice caught and broke (p. 254). It’s this plea that keeps Anwanyu alive. The book ends with the following words, “No matter where she went, she would live. She would not leave him”(p. 256). Reading this book was like watching a beloved friend choose her abuser despite all the pain he’s caused. Ironically, that’s what makes this book captivating. It combines science fiction and fantasy and historical fiction while also managing to portray a complicated relationship that modern people could relate to. 

I’d give this book a 4.5/5. This could be a page turner even for those who don’t like to read. Purchase your copy here.