Secret of the Seeds

by Kate Muus

There is a secret in the farmhouse—but it won’t stay there for long. SECRET OF THE SEEDS follows Ceres, a 17-year-old girl forced to live with her aunt and uncle for the summer. An expected death leads to an unexpected heirloom: seeds that turn her and the farmhand, Bry, into fugitives, running from a company that would do anything to destroy the knowledge of their existence.

Genres: Fiction

332 pages, Paperback

First published May 21, 2015

Reviews

[Ben Mariner]

I really wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I sat down to read it. I purchased a copy from Kate at a reading/signing we were doing together because the way she presented it really intruiged me. I've read a lot of indie stuff in the last couple of years and a lot of it has been pretty sub-par. This, however, was quite good.

The story focuses on Ceres, a 17 year old girl whose parents have died and she sent to live with her aunt and uncle. I was hooked into this book very early on, mostly because it was writen in a way that was pretty unique to most novels. It's hard to explain, you'll just have to read it. But it leve me wanting to keep going, to see what was going to happen. I won't go into details so as not to ruin anything for anyone, but the whole story turned out drastically different than what I expected from the first 50 pages or so.

The characters were relatable. The message was clear and concise without being shoved down your throat (which a lot of writes can definitely learn a thing or two from). The ending was just kind of perfect. Just a really interesting, fun read.

[Rebecca Stark]

I found Secret of the Seeds to be an engaging and easy read. The characters were very well-defined and quickly became dear friends to me (except Cane--I did not like Cane as a person, but he's still a very well described character). I read through the book rather quickly and it was one of the books that I didn't want to end. I wanted more time with Ceres and I wanted to see her grow more of Aster's corn. Ah well, I'll just have to wait for the sequel!

[Kathleen]

I found Kate Muus's first novel, Secret of the Seeds, to be a short, enjoyable read. The author's interest in the effects of genetically modified foods becomes the theme of this story. The main character, Ceres, is a 17 year old girl who, after the death of her parents, is forced to live with her aunt and uncle on their farm. Without revealing too much of the plot, her story involves heirloom seeds she becomes entrusted with and the danger they put her in with "the company" that desperately want them destroyed. From the choice of the characters' names, I assumed Kate revealed more about their personalities. For instance, her uncle Cane, reminded me of Cain from the Bible who was a crop farmer who eventually kills his brother out of jealousy. I also wondered if choosing the name Ceres for the main heroine was a nod to the company Ceres, Inc., an agricultural company that focuses on a more viable, renewable planet. I also loved that she chose the name of a flower, Aster, for her aunt. All in all, I found the book to be interesting and well thought out. I look forward to its sequel.

[Tara Krenek]

The Secret of the Seeds seems to fit several genres of writing; at times, it seems to be a conspiracy thriller and/or a dystopian/futuristic piece, but more often than not, it seems to detail what will happen in the near future. It made me think about some of the stories my mother told me about my grandfather’s farm and how he would hold back some seeds from each crop. He was worried about pesticides and about the purity of his crops, and this book helped me better understand why.

This novel definitely starts out pretty dark, but as Ceres discovers her purpose, the mood lightens. I recommend reading the book in its entirety, as the mood morphs to fit the various themes; the beginning is necessary to truly illustrate Ceres’ growth. The novel kept my interest and flowed nicely, but the ending left me wanting more. I really hope the author writes a sequel.

[Diana]

This book was a very original, exciting piece of fiction that was fun to read. You get to know the characters and quickly get attached to the heroine, Ceres. Her character was extremely relate-able and easy to root for. I loved the story line--the conspiracies and the mystery--all making it an easy to read page-turner. I've never heard of a story like this one and I think the author's imagination is one of a kind. Looking forward to more from her.

[Peggy Flores]

I really enjoyed this book. I'm a slow reader but read it in 2 days. Great book

[Kim]

I wanted to like this book, but it ended up falling flat a few times.

[Crystal Kinner]

Strange book, but it kept me intrigued. The ending felt a bit rushed though. But over all it was a good read.

[Carolyn]

I really don't know what to say about this book. It was a quick read and moved at a good pace. However, it barely made sense and was so crazy that the only reason I even finished it was because I couldn't possibly imagine what was going to happen next.

The premise is easy enough to follow: an orphaned girl is sent to live with her aunt and uncle on their farm, she is given some apparently extremely rare and "dangerous" heirloom corn seeds and then all hell breaks loose. This book was obviously some sort of anti-GMO and pesticide propaganda with no basis in actual science to back up crazy assertions like when the main character decides that pesticides killed her parents (who were not farmers). The author really missed an opportunity to start a dialog about these controversial topics by obviously not doing any actual research at all, instead relying on emotion to sway her audience. What I couldn't decide was if it was supposed to be science fiction or just poorly written fiction? She has a Big Agriculture business with the amazing advanced technology to grow crops overnight and the resources to hunt, kidnap, and murder children. And then a villain that has mind control abilities!?! But then there is nothing else that sets this book up as futuristic or science fiction so these things come out of nowhere. Then there are the 1 page chapters that seem to have been added only as an afterthought to tie a neat little bow around some dropped story lines. Overall, I was really disappointed.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Joseph Culotta]

Thought-provoking story with engaging characters and an atypical plot, The Secret of the Seeds is a work they should be on everyone's reading list. Muus is able to transcend YAL with a timely and important plot, while at the same time delight readers with suspense, emotion, and even a bit of romance.

[Abby Pechin]

I won this book in a giveaway. The plot was a little slow-moving, but the chapters were short which wanted me to keep reading. I finished it in less than one day. It was entertaining.