I’m a huge fan of Octavia Butler and I have been trying to work my way through her back list. When I saw Wild Seed was on Kindle Unlimited, I thought it was time for me to immerse myself in The Patternist’s story.
Butler’s dystopian stories always mirror real world issues with a bit of fantastical magic. In this story she imagines a world where magical individuals exist within the African slave population. An ancient demon of sorts, Doro is taking advantage of the ills of the world by forcefully breeding people together who have skills that he wants to propagate. When he comes upon an immortal woman he is intrigued by her and her magic. We get a dance between the two through the centuries as they get to know one another, become lovers, partners and then adversaries.
The first third of this book was intoxicating. I was so drawn into this reimagining of the colonial world. Doro and Anyanwu and their various powers. But somewhere along the line this one really lost the thread and plot. I’m sad because I really wanted to dive into the series but the last half was just talking about hating each other and loving each other and destroying one another’s legacies. But not in a fun revengey way or an empowering way. It was just a bit too meandering for my taste.
Have you read Octavia Butler? If so, what’s your favorite of hers?
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Sounds like a great read. I haven’t read any of Butler’s work and might give it a try. Thanks for the recommendation. 🙂
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