Scan barcode
charrlee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Octavia Butler's work in this novel makes you squirm --- it is meant to, and her writing here has been one of the most uncomfortable reading experiences I've had. I'm unsure how to accurately summarize the journey Fledgling has put me through, but I will say Butler has yet to fail in her deliveries.
This is a text that will have you traversing the themes of blackness & fugitivity and hybridity & "naturalness" while questioning who assumes the role of monsters. Humanity is found in unexpected places as Butler subverts, complicates, and rewrites the expectations and rules of the common Western vampire trope. There is much to discuss about the moral quandaries this book offers. It was a challenging read and probably one of the more horrific books I've read to date.
This is a text that will have you traversing the themes of blackness & fugitivity and hybridity & "naturalness" while questioning who assumes the role of monsters. Humanity is found in unexpected places as Butler subverts, complicates, and rewrites the expectations and rules of the common Western vampire trope. There is much to discuss about the moral quandaries this book offers. It was a challenging read and probably one of the more horrific books I've read to date.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Colonisation, and Classism
lucyatoz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler has been the most challenging read for me in the 52 Book Challenge. Yes, it is a original book focused around vampire lore and confronting many of the tired fables about them head on. It also tackles issues around identity and race in a novel way. However, I just did not gel with this book at all. It was not a book I could read before bed, which is my normal habit. Instead I read it over a long weekend and was glad that I have finished it but left feeling slight out of kilter, which I think is what the author was aiming for with this novel.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Racial slurs, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
mythicb1tch's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Violence and Abandonment
More...