This poignant exploration of historical trauma, resilience, and tragedy quickly upends the brothers’ pained dynamic as Tim cleans himself up, fixing up 1946 Renault, and seems to engage with the world again. Tensions reach a boiling point when Dub’s daughter, Loretta, and her husband, Waylon, challenge local segregation by enrolling their three children in a swimming class in the nearby town of Hickory Hill. Their defiance sparks an explosive confrontation and a harrowing crime.
Sebastian paints a detailed, vivid picture of a family trying to reconcile with a history that continues to haunt them, with an emphasis on the mental and emotional scars—and what it takes to dare to make change. Lost Seeds has a wide array of characters, which adds to the richness of feeling, culture, and history, though that at times comes at the expense of narrative momentum. However, the novel pulses with love, family, and hard-won wisdom.
Takeaway: Urgent historical saga of a Black American family in the shadows of racism.
Comparable Titles: Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half, Ayana Mathis’s The Twelve Tribes of Hattie.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B