CW: Cult leader has sex with young teens. Suicide ( )

Typical Jim Jones, coming of age in a cult, drinking kool-aid kind of story? Not a feel good book but well enough written. ( )

3.5 Stars

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Seed follows Pearl as she slowly starts to recognize that the isolated community that she grew up in is not the paradise it claims to be.

This was a very interesting read. Much of the very bad things that are going on are mostly insinuated rather than pushed into the reader's face, which I liked. It was, disturbing as it was, always better to show don't tell. Pearl was naive, as one would have expected, but she grew on me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! ( )

Let it be known that I have a weakness for books like Seed. Any time a book is placed in front of me that revolves around a cult, and the life of its inhabitants, I have to read to it. Absolutely must. There's something about these stories that both terrifies and intrigues me. That one person can have that much power, that one single human being can manipulate others into worshiping them, it's something I am fascinated by. So it's no surprise that the moment this book was offered to me I snatched it up. I knew Seed would be something I'd want to experience.

In my past experiences with books like this, the one thing that stands out is how well an author deals with all the tough aspects of the society in question. We all know that things go on in cult societies that aren't exactly easy to stomach. That, quite often, there are children at the center of these stories who are put in very uncomfortable situations. In that vein, I have to applaud Lisa Heathfield for expertly navigating this territory. While all of the items I was expecting were definitely present, they were handled with care. I was still able to see into Pearl's world, still privy to her questions and issues, but I never felt that it was over the top. I think that's important for a young adult book.

Speaking of Pearl, it was the characters that really made this book shine for me. Although I couldn't agree with Pearl's outlook on her situation, I understood. Lisa Heathfield brought to life a girl whose whole life was Seed. A girl who knew only the boundaries of what to her was a safe and happy home. A naive girl maybe, but one who had no reason to be otherwise. I felt for Pearl, and for the rest of the characters. Each one of them was real to me. It made this a much tougher read, to be sure, but one that also felt much more fulfilling. I've never wanted to have the power to yell at characters more than I did while reading this book.

Long story short? This was a very well written and, surprisingly (considering the content), easy story to sink into. Had I not needed to sleep in order to function at work the next day, I would have read this through in one sitting, no problem. I can't say that Seed is a happy story. Don't go into it expecting that. I can say that it's an important one though, and that I am glad that I experienced it. ( )

Kind of predictable and could have been paced better - there is a sequel and really if it were more tightly-written there probably wouldn't need to be (economics of publishing aside). It was an interesting choice to make the life the cult lead actually quite desirable - natural and organic, full of sunshine and good food. I found the thoughts and attitudes of Pearl convincing, but would have preferred a more nuanced exploration of the joys and jealousies of the other people in the "family". Brilliant cover. ( )