Seed

March 2, 2015
In Heathfield's debut novel, 15-year-old Pearl leads a contented life in Seed, a bucolic, nature-worshipping commune. Though Pearl's naïve first-person narrative shows her complete trust in the cult leader, there are signs that something is wrongâas the book opens, Pearl is terrified when she is forced to spend the night in a dark underground chamber after getting her first period. When a family of new converts arrives, including Ellis, a skeptical teenage boy, Pearl initially resists Ellis's contention that life at Seed "is based on lies. And power. And fear.â But as events escalateâEllis suffers a mysterious accident, and one of Pearl's loved ones goes through a dangerous pregnancy without modern medicineâPearl and the other teenagers at Seed start to question their leader. Though Pearl is more spectator than actor at the horrific climax, her internal journey and growth show her to be far from passive. Well-developed secondary characters and Heathfield's willingness to do serious damage to central ones make this novel a powerful read. Ages 13âup. Agent: Veronique Baxter, David Higham Associates.

March 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-Seed is the isolated community, overseen by Papa S, where 15-year-old Pearl has lived her whole life. She listens faithfully to the word of Papa S and knows that Outside contains evil and death, so it is a big surprise when Seed welcomes a family of Outsiders. Though Pearl is old enough to be chosen as Papa S's companion, an event about which she has complicated feelings, she is smitten with the oldest Outsider child, Ellis. Pearl and Ellis argue at length about the sinful Outside and how fortunate he is to have come to Seed. As Ellis begins to prove Papa S's convictions wrong, Pearl starts to trust her community less and less. Narrator Avita Jay brings the community of Seed to life and conveys the real emotion around Pearl's struggles. The ending is predictable, although a sequel is planned. VERDICT An optional selection for collections where books about cults and ethics are popular. ["Will hold readers' attention as the story's mood slowly changes and the work builds to an ultimately stunning conclusion": SLJ 2/15 review of the Running Pr. Teen book.]-Amanda Schiavulli, Finger Lakes Library System, NY

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