Seed

Short and Sweet: [b: Seed 11422798 Seed Ania Ahlborn https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1305997493s/11422798.jpg 16356035] is a character-driven horror story that takes a new angle on the concept of good and evil, and how it manifests from one victim to the next. Seed opens with Jack Winters, our protagonist, driving along a dark road with his family - wife Aimee Winters, and two daughters, Charlotte (Charlie) and Abbey. For a brief moment, he sees a set of glowing eyes that he hasn't seen in years, right before his headlights briefly flicker out. In response, he flips the car, and his childhood skeletons come flooding out of the closet, bones clacking, to target Charlie. And while this could be labeled a ???demonic possession??? novel, it doesn???t cut clear lines in the dirt like others may. There???s no priest involved, no holy water splashed onto Charlie with a dramatic reading from the Bible. There is only Jack, and his horrifying realization of what Charlie is going through- and how it may end- when she spirals.[a: Ania Ahlborn 4867939 Ania Ahlborn https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1442457541p2/4867939.jpg] does a fantastic job of illustrating without becoming heavy-handed. I saw their house with minimal description and got a feel for their dynamic without pages of prose. When it came to the unusual happenings, it was straight to the point, like the difference between a found-footage film and traditional horror.Personality shined. Not only did I get a sense of each character as a whole, but I could also predict with certainty how each character would react when placed in progressively dire situations. I found myself getting personally angry with each character when they made a decision; a frustration for the reader, but a testament to the skill at which these characters were illustrated.However, because personality shines, this novel takes a bit of time to ramp up. I personally love a slow-burning horror novel, but if you???re looking for something to punch you on the onset, this isn???t it.My only issue? Even after the somewhat predictable-but-necessary conclusion, I still had so many questions ??? who is Mr. Scratch? Why Jack? What does it want? What exactly happened in Jack???s childhood place, deep in the woods, behind that dingy trailer? Ultimately, the question that this novel addresses isn???t the what where when why how, but can. Can extrinsic evil be passed down like brown hair, hazel eyes, and attached lobes? And what do you do, if it can?