*Doll Seed* by Michele Tracy Berger is a powerful debut collection that blends speculative fiction, horror, and magical realism. The stories, often centered around the lives of women of color, explore themes of vulnerability, otherness, and personal agency. From a self-aware doll playing a role in the Civil Rights Movement to an aspiring jewelry artist haunted by a fast-food icon, Berger’s characters inhabit deeply imaginative worlds grounded in emotional truths. The collection’s speculative nature touches on real societal issues, including race, gender, and belonging, making it both thought-provoking and unsettling. Each tale is distinct but carries a common thread of exploring freedom, trust, and identity. Fans of Octavia Butler or Kelly Link will appreciate the mix of dark wonder and atmospheric depth that *Doll Seed* deliver.

The stories in Doll Seed were wonderfully weird and delightfully evocative. I really liked the elements of magic in each story; each one was an artifact- a small, lost piece from another world. I thought the strongest piece was the titular story- which was haunting and lovely the whole way through. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Michele Tracy Berger. Thanks to Aunt Lute Books and Netgalley for this ARC.

This was a wonderfully done collection of stories, it had everything that I was looking for from the genre and collection of stories. I really enjoyed each story and how they were written, I enjoyed the overall flow of the book and characters in this universe. Michele Tracy Berger has a strong writing style and glad I got to read this.

This was such a good collection of short stories that covered a wide range of genres. I love short stories when they are well written and all of these were so well written. I would highly recommend

Michele Tracy Berger’s Doll Seed is a debut short story collection that explores a broad spectrum of speculative fiction, blending horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and magical.

The stories stand out by focusing on Black American experiences and women’s lives, often highlighting themes of vulnerability, racial inequality, and survival in both historical and futuristic settings.

Fans of Octavia Butler, Dean Koontz, and Kelly Link will likely appreciate Berger’s fresh and thoughtful take on speculative fiction.

Pros:

Variety in Genre: The collection covers multiple genres, from the supernatural and creepy to sci-fi and magical realism. This keeps readers on their toes as we never know might come next. This also showcases Berger’s range as a writer, capable of delving into variety of topics and create believable worlds.

Thematic Depth: Many of the stories tackle social and racial issues, including racism, classism, and exclusion. This thematic focus provides the collection with a strong foundation and depth, making it more than just speculative fiction for entertainment.

Memorable Standouts: Doll Seed and Wishing Well emerge as the most impactful stories, both thematically and narratively, standing out for their character development and powerful resolutions.

Cons:

Ambiguous Endings: Several stories, such as Nussia and Urban Wendy, end on a deliberately unclear note. While ambiguity can add intrigue, it often feels like a cop-out here, where conclusions lack a sense of closure, leaving readers unsatisfied.

Pacing Issues: A few stories feel rushed, particularly the very short ones (The Lineup, Slots Hold), which seem like brief vignettes rather than fully fleshed-out stories.

Conclusion

Doll Seed is an ambitious collection that shines brightest when it leans into its speculative elements to explore deeper social issues. While some stories have poor execution or rely on tropes that undermine their impact, Berger’s

The pacing in this collection evokes visual media and was so visually pleasing to my imagination. In Berger's worlds, sentient fast food mascots exist comfortably alongside aliens, ancient spirits, and ghosts. Prepare to encounter an unlikely cast of characters in a collection where Lovecraft Country meets Black Mirror served with a side of Chuckycore madness.

The longer the stories were, the more I enjoyed them! Berger's imagination shines through the more pages her short stories occupy, allowing you to immerse yourself in the worlds she creates. The shorter stories, while fascinating, were a hit or miss for me. I also love how the stories explore spirituality as a source of empowerment for the characters. 'Doll Seed' is easy to read, making it accessible to multiple age ranges.

Yearning appears as a central theme, especially in the longer stories. In 'Nussia', a young Black tween wins a competition to host an alien child and longs for the alien's unconditional friendship. In 'Doll Seed', a self-aware doll plays a pivotal role in the desegregation of American education while desiring a true connection to her forever human. In 'Cemetery Sisters', a Black teen craves a life outside her secluded community and an ill-fated future until she finds love in an unlikely place and renegotiates her relationship with her mother.

The magical and sci-fi elements appearing alongside the banality of racism in America made this an unforgettable read for me. If you liked 'The Office of Historical Corrections'-- and Danielle Evans' unflinching examination of the intersection of Blackness with other states of being in the US-- then make sure to add 'Doll Seed' to your tbr!

I think this collection had some good ideas, but the execution wasn’t there for me. A fair few of these stories could have been scrapped and that would have made room for more development in the ones with promise. The stories all felt undercooked and lacked tension and there was so much girl on girl crime here. I didn’t love it.

Nussia 3/5
This was decent. There was a lot going on and it could have been more concise, but the ending lacked some punch.

Urban Wendy 2.5/5
This was very ok.

Etta 3/5
I quite liked this one, I wasn’t sure where it was going at first but it ended up being quite interesting.

Family Line 2/5
This one needed more depth I think. It was unhinged but I don’t feel like the tension built well enough for me to appreciate just how insane this was.

Doll Seed 4/5
I really liked this one. It was pretty sad but actually had a lot to say.

The Curl 3/5
Another ok one. Jessa was really annoying…but actually so was Chelsea lol.

Wishing Well 3.5/5
Still a bit meh about the ending but this was weird and interesting enough.

Grinding Disney 1/5
So I’m gonna assume there’s a deeper message in this that nods toward beauty standards and lack of representation for black children growing up on Disney pre 2000s…but also this was a hot mess. It was missing a lot.

What the Slots Hold 1/5
…what. This one felt like when you have the most random dream and have to write it down as soon as you wake up to make sure you don’t forget it. Though this one really could have done with being forgotten.

The Line Up 1/5
See above.

Miss Black 3/5
It does feel like the further I get in this collection, the less attention to detail there is.

The Invisible Son 1/5
I just feel like this was severely undercooked. There was no real build up to the ending so it just felt like reading a diary entry.

New Employee 1/5
…I don’t get it. It was boring.

And They Will Rise 1/5
I found Isabella annoying. Also wasn’t convinced of anyone’s motives and the ending felt abrupt.

Cemetery Sisters 2/5
The story itself was fine but I found this a bit cringe.

I’ve always loved short stories and these remind me of two of my favorites - Kurt Vonnegut (if he’d done horror) and Shirley Jackson (if she had done science fiction).

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Doll Seed by Michele Tracy Berger is a speculative anthology spanning horror, sci-fi, magical realism, and fantasy with a focus on Black American characters and moments in American history. With a variety of characters, first, second, and third-POV, and stories that feel like an episode of Black Mirror, there’s something in here for every speculative fan.

My favorite of all the stories was the titular Doll Seed. Chevella is a Black doll in a sea of white dolls that belittle her, sabotage her efforts to find a little girl of her own, and act in increasingly racist behavior. When Chevella does find someone, she ends up part of the famous racial bias Doll Test and subjected to constantly being told she is dirty and unworthy of love when compared to her white counterpart. This eventually leads to her developing an ant-Black bias and choosing a white girl for her next chance at a new home. This story was powerful and didn’t shy away from the constant racist behavior that Black people face, from the overt to the covert.

My second favorite was Nussia, a story about Lindsey, a young girl in the 1970s who writes an essay that wins her family the chance to host an alien. The decision is steeped in controversy as the public questions why a Black family was chosen and several white families even try to convince Nussia and the government to pick them instead. Lindsey focuses more on the chance to learn about an alien culture and to finally have a new friend, but Nussia isn’t interested in being friends.

There’s a lot of creepy atmosphere in several stories and Michele Tracy Berger knows how to withhold information so we’re left guessing but not confused. Lindsey felt like a realistic fourteen year old girl who is looking for a friend and my heart broke for her as Nussia got meaner and meaner. The story with the Faunus was a very interesting potential eco-horror or something similar to Pan’s Labyrinth and I would love a full length story of this idea.

Content warning for depictions of racism, alcoholism, and emotional abuse

I would recommend this to fans of Black mirror and readers of short stories looking for speculative historical stories tackling anti-Black racism

Love all the short story collection. Unique and mysterious. Grab up all the short story lovers. You will surely enjoy it.

Nussia, the opener, hooked me hard. The rest? Bit of a rollercoaster. Berger shines with mind-bending tales and unforgettable characters – especially her resilient women of color. Her writing? Tender and captivating.

Not every story's a hit, but when Berger's on, she's on fire. Perfect for speculative fiction newbies or anyone craving a unique read.

thanks NetGalley and Aunt Lute Books!

Doll Seed is a collection of short stories of topics ranging from science fiction to more fantastical themes. Although overall the collection is entertaining, some stories are much more interesting than others.

An adequately enjoyable book with a plot that held my interest, but it didn’t do much more than that. The narrative was clear and the pacing steady, yet it lacked any standout moments or particularly compelling twists. It’s a good choice if you’re looking for something easy to read without high expectations.

This was a pretty solid collection of short stories. Nussia, The Curl, Urban Wendy, and Cemetery Sisters were my favorites from the collection. Intriguing and kinda weird, which is ideal in a short story collection.

This was truly an amazing book for short stories! I have had a hard time finding a book for short stories that were all good but this one knocks it out of the park! Each story was captivating and some were a bit out there, but that’s what I loved. Definitely worth a read!

Berger, who is an academic, has, in addition to her fiction, published books about Black women’s health, women’s and gender studies, race + class + gender in the academic world, and more. I recognized her name from excellent anthologies including “SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire” (Mocha Memoirs Press), Fiyah Magazine, and ohers.

“Doll Seed” is a collection of her shorter works. Some, like the first story, are more in the real of science fiction horror.

One of my favourite stories was “Etta, Zora, and the First Serpent” having been a long-time admirer and researching Zora Neale Hurston and her work. This story imagines Zora as a character at a party set during the Harlem Renaissance. Zora wants to find and talk to the First Serpent. I love historical pieces featuring Black characters, particularly ones who were historical figures like Josephine Baker. This story also features some showbusiness behind-the-scenes material, which I enjoyed. Colourism is a huge part of this story, as is the assessment of some Black women against others of who is “more country” but also using that as a bond at times like “we’re country girls, right?” which made for very interesting dynamics between the characters.

Zora convinces Etta to dance as a way of getting in tune with the First Spirit, and what interested me the most was seeing how Berger painted Zora as a character, as someone who could be deceptive at times to get what she wanted. It ends on an ominous note and it’s a fantastic story.

The title story, “Doll Seed,” is also excellent, starting at a toy and candy store where a doll gains consciousness, seemingly. The other dolls are also sentient and talk to her. Two men take her to a laboratory in Charleston eventually.

I remember reading this story when it first came out, and it’s one of the best in this collection. Definitely make time for this one.

“And They Will Drink from the Oceans” is another memorable piece.

Overall, it is a strong collection from a writer who horror readers should keep an eye on.

The short story collection kicks off strong with Nussia. I found myself captivated, eagerly devouring this initial offering. However, as the collection progresses, it becomes somewhat uneven.

Nevertheless, this collection could prove excellent for readers interested in exploring speculative fiction!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Aunt Lute Books for providing the ARC!

My ARC copy was not fully functional which is disappointing. I did enjoy the first two stories so I will probably purchase this book when it releases in October. Please let me know if this file gets corrected in the future so I can give my full opinion. It's not fair to review such a small portion of the book. So for now itll be two stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Aunt Lute Books for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

2.4 stars

While I didn't absolutely hate this book, I didn't like it very much either. One major complaint I have is that many of the stories seemed intent on pitting two girls against each other. Like I thought we as a society had moved past the one-dimensional mean girl trope 😭. There were a few stories in the middle that were very short and seemed to be there just to take up space and provide needless shock value. In all, I didn't see many themes explored beyond the surface-level, and it seemed like many of the ambiguous endings were put in simply because there wasn't a clear resolution to the story. In terms of character, I can't fault the book too much because the medium of a short story necessitates somewhat sparse detail. However, most of the protagonists were just kind of annoying and I couldn't get behind their paper-thin motivations. Plot-wise, a majority of the stories had decent progression, but as mentioned earlier, failed to wrap up conclusively (or even just in a way that doesn't feel like a cop-out). The story I liked most was Wishing Well with an honorable mention given to Etta.

Nussia
- 3/5 stars- it kind of went all over the place and then didn't wrap up super cohesively. Also the stuff about her father like what 😭😭. Theme-wise, I thought it was okay, but plot-wise some of it felt convoluted and aimless.

Urban Wendy
- 3.5/5 stars- Lol that was lowkey kinda fun. A bit short though. With an ambiguous ending.

Etta
- 4/5 stars- I liked this one!! It was fun and the main character actually made sense. I liked the plot progression and the ending. It felt like everyone got what's was coming to them.

Family Line
- 2/5 stars- The characters were actually insane lol. Love that for them but it didn't feel realistic. The buildup of tension from the very beginning was good though.

Doll Seed
- 3.5/5 stars- This poor doll 😭😭. I thought this would be scarier than it was but it was really just quite sad.

The Curl
- 3/5 stars- The author did a good job of making both characters at least somewhat sympathetic, like I felt bad for Chelsea. Jessa was kind of whiny and annoying though.

Wishing Well
- 4.5/5 stars- Absolutely my favorite in the whole anthology. The story of Deena made me feel so incredibly sad and then happy and everything wrapped up nicely.

Grinding Disney
- 0/5 stars- What the actual frick. No. Just no.

Slots Hold
- 1/5 stars- I don't get it. What was the point?

The Lineup
- 1/5 stars- Is there supposed to be a meaning atp??? It feels like these tiny paragraphs (because they're not stories, they're just paragraphs) were written to take up space.

Miss Black
- 4/5 stars- Lowkey a vibe. I would be down if it were to happen to me. Or maybe that's just a sign that I read too much wish-fulfillment lol

Invisible Son
- 3/5 stars- This poor kid. I liked the framing device. Although I wish that last *object* was foreshadowed a bit more

Employee Guide
- 3.5/5 stars- It was wholesome. I quite liked this one. The inclusion of the billy goats was a cute touch

And They Will Rise
- 2.5/5 stars- Well it was a story. I suppose I just don't really like stories about super naïve heroines. Like I don't buy her motivations and why she stayed with him for as long as she did.

Cemetery Sisters
- 3/5 stars- It was okay. I didn't hate it but didn't love it. The ending was nice I guess. It's sort of a cop-out though.

This isn't a full review but based on my access to the first two stories I rate at 4 stars. Will be reading more on full release.