Seed is a unique read, with a sophisticated style and a chilling plot. I liked it so much more than I thought I would, and can't wait for the sequel.
The book is set in a cult called Seed (there you go, that's the reason behind the name) where they worship nature and follow Papa S, who tells them he was chosen by Mother Nature. Our protagonist is 15-year-old Pearl, who was born and raised at Seed. The story opens as she experiences her first 'Blessing' and is locked underground 'so that Mother Nature can give her a healthy womb'. This gives the book a real hard-hitting start, and introduces the cult's mindset. The story progresses in a similar fashion, revealing more cult horrors and following Pearl and her three friends as they become aware of what is really happening around them.
The plot is surprisingly gripping. Heathfield has real skill to inject excitement and drama into lives that were built to be mundane and natural. The story has a consistent pace, with interesting details between the major events. There is also an element of mystery around the second narrator, which really added to the book.
As well as being a brilliant story, Seed is a fascinating look at a cult's mindset. Pearl's narration has a constant innocence, which is clearly skill rather than simple writing. Heathfield really gets into Pearl's head, and she is really influenced by what she is told. In fact, it becomes rather shiver-inducing; the way she blindly accepts what she has been told. It is also a warning tale about child sexual exploitation… but I won't spoil where that comes in. (Don't worry: there is no unpleasant description, everything is simply implied).
Pearl was a fantastically complex character to see from the point of view of. She begins the book as an innocent girl who believes everything she is told; she has no experience of the outside world and so has nothing to compare her lifestyle to. Although she believed every word of Seed, her stubbornness shows a resilience that is a consistent trait.
Ellis too was an interesting character. He was perhaps more relatable because he could see the flaws of Seed. Also, the description of his music was amazing. However, there was one incident towards the very end of the book that I thought, though powerful, was rather rushed.
I was less pleased, however, with our secondary characters Kate and Jack. Kate was always against Seed, although her suspicions seemed to be without any real basis, and all-in-all she wasn't very likeable. Jack was a bit bland to be honest; we didn't find out anything concrete about him, and his view on Seed seemed to be ever-changing. That said, they were necessary to the plot and the dynamic between the two was interesting.
Seed provided me with a lot of food for thought (excuse the cliché). It made me think about how easily people can be persuaded about… basically anything. It also said a lot about how we are shaped by the things we are told and the people we are close to in our childhoods. It brought to mind the imaginary worlds created by young children, and how they become completely oblivious of the world around them. Seed is, in a lot of ways, similar to those worlds of make-believe.
The style of writing used in the novel is fantastically readable. Pearl's voice is very believable, and carries an innocence nurtured by her situation. The book is an excellent combination of elegant descriptive writing, emotional conflicts, complex mysteries and staccato bursts of crucial events. My only quibble would be that there are a few things Pearl shouldn't know, related to the world outside Seed.
To conclude, Seed is a superb novel about life in a cult with some fascinating themes and excellent writing. I would recommend it to fans of books like Vivian Versus the Apocalypse (cults), We Were Liars (fantastic writing) and dystopias ('what if' ideas and 'fighting the system'). It was brilliant, and I can't wait to read the sequel…
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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