'A book that shifted my life... Epic, game-changing, moving and brilliant' VIOLA DAVIS on Wild Seed 'A literary pioneer' VANITY FAIR on Octavia E. Butler A PATTERNIST NOVEL: BOOK TWO The baby's name is Mary, and her father is immortal. For thousands of years, Doro has pursued perfection, experimenting with humanity and seeking out rare - and powerful - talents. His finest creation is Mary, a young black woman who grows up on the rough outskirts of Los Angeles. Doro knows he must handle Mary carefully or risk her ending like his previous experiments - dead, either by her own hand or his. What he doesn't suspect is that Mary is beginning to learn just how much power she wields. As she comes of age, Mary must harness her newfound abilities to challenge the ruthless man who controls her - and fight to free her people once and for all.