This is the first book I read that treats about a cult so I don't have anything to compare it but just the day before I actually watched a documentary with "cult survivors" testimony and from what I gathered this books felt true to the reality, even with the books targeted for YA. 
 There is next to zero explicit violence through this book and yet you can't help but FEEL something is not right and I thought it was nicely done. The world of Seed is a very small and centered around itself and the reality Papa S, the leader created. 
 For us, recreational readers, it might be hard to grasp how naive the characters, especially Pearl, are and yet while it is a work of fiction, situations like this do exist and only to think about it gives me chills. 
 I found the characterization and the world building of Seed very well done, ringing true. Pearl's innocence for instance was heartbreaking, when we could see how wrong it was, as she slowly did. 
 Even if the premise "a new boy arrives in a girl's life and it changes everything for her" would be annoying and could even be considered as insta-love in some cases, in this particular environment, it felt just right as a reaction (from Pearl) given her situation. 
 Ellis in himself isn't what I'd call swoon worthy, and his character is the one I felt the less connected to (while he's the one from the Outside, go figure!) but for Pearl, even if he would be considered as her first crush, Ellis represents a whole new life, a life she does not want, and brings her way too much question about her world, that until then was a perfect one for her. 
 Even there isn't a lot of graphic violence, the whole atmosphere is tense and you see the way manipulation works at its worst. 
 The end left me wanting for more. i really want to know what happens to Pearl.