A review by kaa
Octavia E. Butler: Kindred, Fledgling, Collected Stories (Loa #338) by Octavia E. Butler
4.0
On the whole, a very strong collection of Octavia Butler's work. This compendium includes [b:Kindred|60931|Kindred|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339423248l/60931._SY75_.jpg|1049657] and [b:Fledgling|60925|Fledgling|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1441479816l/60925._SY75_.jpg|59257] (her only two novels that were not, at the time of her death, part of a longer series); eight short stories with afterwards by the author (all seven of the stories collected in [b:Bloodchild and Other Stories|60930|Bloodchild and Other Stories|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1428806161l/60930._SX50_.jpg|1188455] as well as one of the two stories in [b:Unexpected Stories|22023917|Unexpected Stories|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1622453013l/22023917._SY75_.jpg|41341687]); and five essays (three from Bloodchild and two others). This manages to cover almost exactly the portion of Butler's oeuvre that I had not yet read before picking up this book, a feat of serendipity that I greatly appreciate. It also includes an introduction by Nisi Shawl - a thoughtful and fitting tribute to Butler's work and life - as well as a chronology of Butler's life and notes on texts at the end.
I had previously read Kindred, and did not re-read it in this collection. Suffice to say that it is an incredible work - one of my favorite Butler novels, vying only with the combined Earthseed series for the top spot. This is an extraordinarily powerful work of literature. Five stars.
Fledgling was the only remaining Butler novel that I had not previously read, and unfortunately, it is also easily my least favorite of her books. While her writing is as engaging as ever, I found the story a bit tedious, occasionally overwhelmed by description and exposition. The juxtaposition of Shori's childlike appearance with her sexual encounters was too uncomfortable for me, even though Shori's voice never sounded childlike. Two stars.
However, although I didn't like Fledgling, I think that this novel, in combination with the other stories collected here, does give a good sense of Butler's writing style and themes that were of interest to her - namely power, morality, sexuality, communication and compromise across difference, the creation of community, choice and free will. I loved all but one of the short stories. They touch on all of the themes just mentioned, and do so with Butler's characteristic creativity and originality. Her stories include ideas that also appear in her novels, like aliens and telepathy. I think it was a good choice to end this section with "The Book of Martha", which combines cynicism and hope for a truly Butlerian utopia.
The third section of the book consists of five essays, including the preface to Bloodchild. These are all fairly short, but provide a nice way of rounding out the book. They express a little more explicitly some of the thoughts and experiences that underlie Butler's fiction and offer some insight into how she viewed herself and her work.
Finally, there is a chronology of Butler's life, some notes on the selection and presentation of the texts, and reference notes, which will be useful for anyone looking for more information about the author or the works included in this collection.
In sum: there isn't really anything new in this book, but it does a good job of gathering together several separate works and arranging them with a nice introduction and some informational closing material.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book.
I had previously read Kindred, and did not re-read it in this collection. Suffice to say that it is an incredible work - one of my favorite Butler novels, vying only with the combined Earthseed series for the top spot. This is an extraordinarily powerful work of literature. Five stars.
Fledgling was the only remaining Butler novel that I had not previously read, and unfortunately, it is also easily my least favorite of her books. While her writing is as engaging as ever, I found the story a bit tedious, occasionally overwhelmed by description and exposition. The juxtaposition of Shori's childlike appearance with her sexual encounters was too uncomfortable for me, even though Shori's voice never sounded childlike. Two stars.
However, although I didn't like Fledgling, I think that this novel, in combination with the other stories collected here, does give a good sense of Butler's writing style and themes that were of interest to her - namely power, morality, sexuality, communication and compromise across difference, the creation of community, choice and free will. I loved all but one of the short stories. They touch on all of the themes just mentioned, and do so with Butler's characteristic creativity and originality. Her stories include ideas that also appear in her novels, like aliens and telepathy. I think it was a good choice to end this section with "The Book of Martha", which combines cynicism and hope for a truly Butlerian utopia.
The third section of the book consists of five essays, including the preface to Bloodchild. These are all fairly short, but provide a nice way of rounding out the book. They express a little more explicitly some of the thoughts and experiences that underlie Butler's fiction and offer some insight into how she viewed herself and her work.
Finally, there is a chronology of Butler's life, some notes on the selection and presentation of the texts, and reference notes, which will be useful for anyone looking for more information about the author or the works included in this collection.
In sum: there isn't really anything new in this book, but it does a good job of gathering together several separate works and arranging them with a nice introduction and some informational closing material.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book.