Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

92 reviews

alexareads27's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

This is a tough one to rate. The premise of a Black vampire with amnesia was really intriguing to  me and there were many points where I was invested in the storyline. But, I  couldn’t really get past the basically pedophilic content of Shori looking like an 11 year old with an adult brain. Some parts were very disturbing to read and I only kept going because this was a pick for my book club. The writing felt really off in a lot of parts. 
It’s very heavy on description and felt very slow in the last third of the novel. I think I understand what Butler was trying to do here and in some sections it was successful but it ultimately didn’t work for me. 

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peachani's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

  1. This is about vampires, but
    they work much like the aliens in Butler's other books.
  2. Again, I struggle with understanding why Butler includes taboo sex acts. I don't think it's for shock value. 
  3. The
    trial and detective work
    were the most interesting parts.

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chrobin's review against another edition

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challenging fast-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? No

4.0

While clear and simple in style, the convoluted mess of power dynamics will twist around inside you. Occasionally the prose will lull you into a sense of safety, only for you to round the corner on  extreme discomfort.

As someone who has been obsessed with vampire stories since I was a pre-teen, raised on Anne Rice, I always knew that vampire stories were allegories for sexual desire, lust, consent, etc. Many vampire stories are written as romantic fantasies of women losing agency, but wanting it so badly… romanticizing age gaps, enthrallment, violent acts of all natures, always coming back to pleasure, repressed sexuality. Just look at Twilight...  Butler takes all of these themes, flips them around, and makes you look hard at them, very plainly - which for me adds to the discomfort. And while many claim she didn’t address the pedophilia appropriately, I think that her ability to make you so very uncomfortable in so few words is a part of this matter-of-fact horror.

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hannahhank13's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75


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kemrick19's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25


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gavig's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense fast-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

4.25


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wanderingprion's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


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zaccry's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-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? Yes

5.0


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villainofcircumstance's review against another edition

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4.75

I really enjoyed this book. This would have been 5 stars if not for the sexual experiences of the main character - who is not human or a child, but who we are often told looks like a ten year old girl. If it were just detailing her sexuality or among her own fantasy kind it wouldn’t have been so bad, but adult human characters routinely have sex with her or express sexual interest - including before she or he knew she wasn’t a human girl.

 I tried to read this book as a teen when it first came out and felt so sickened by this I couldn’t get far - but I am SO GLAD I gave it another chance as an adult. I loved this book and am only sorry there can’t be more as the author sadly passed after its publication. You may love this too - but be warned about the content above. 

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hazelgirl21's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0


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