Octavia E. Butler

Fledgling, Octavia Butler’s last novel, is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly un-human needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: she is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted—and still wants—to destroy her and those she cares for, and how she can save herself. Fledgling is a captivating novel that tests the limits of "otherness" and questions what it means to be truly human.

A Novel

Fledgling

"A master storyteller, Butler casts an unflinching eye on racism, sexism, poverty, and ignorance and lets the reader see the terror and beauty of human nature." - The Washington Post This is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly unhuman needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: She is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted-and still wants-to destroy her and those she cares for and how she can save herself.

Had a hard time with the first half of the book and stalled halfway through - but  really enjoyed the second half. If there had been a Fledgling series, I would be reading it expeditiously. World building was super interesting and layered. Would re-read. 

Elizabeth

Stunningly unique world building, the prose of lit fic, the imagination of genre fiction yet incredibly unlike any vampire book or sci-fi I’ve ever read. Full of rich, deep questions about community, race, consent, humanity, and being without belaboring them or weighing the plot down with them. With all that intellect, it's still just immensely entertaining and easily one of my favorite reads of all time. Certainly not a book for everyone but a book for me!

Liyah 🤎

Ryan Mateyk

I knew this would be controversial, but whew, there are lots of 1 star reviews here 👀

Fledgling tells the story of Shori, a 53 year old "vampire", known in this story as an Ina female. The book opens with Shori having had her memory completely erased and her body completely covered in scars. Eventually, as she gathers support from a human named Wright, she comes to discover that her entire community has been killed, and the rest of the book is her and her symbionts, or human companions, trying to find out who commited the mass murder and why. It's not a typical "vampire" story; it's a coming-of-age story, it's a courtroom drama, it's a social commentary... it's got it all. 

Octavia Butler really said fuck Dracula with this one. She threw away all the vampire stereotypes that pop culture has been pervading since the 19th century. Vampires as we know are evil, supernatural monsters. The vampires in Fledgling, a species called the Ina, are compassionate, caring, intelligent; they feel human emotions, almost stronger and more so than humans do. She used the vampire to make specific commentary on race, sexuality, and family structure. And as it turns out, vampires can be racist too!

The controversy surrounds the fact that Ina age much slower than humans, and Shori outwardly presents as a prepubescent girl. Shori and Wright, along with her other symbionts, have sex frequently. Sounds extremely disturbing! And it is, but as a reader... you should keep in mind that this is science fiction and she's 53 years old and... it's science fiction. The relationships that Butler has created between the Ina families and their symbionts is really unique and special. Parts of the story are criticized for reading too slow at times, but I loved learning about the Ina culture that Butler created from the ground up. 

Two thumbs up for me. Can't wait to dig into more Butler soon.

Nik ✨

I’m kind of let down by this novel to be honest. I saw so many great reviews that led me to believe this was going to be a life changing read, and honestly, a whole bunch of nothing happened for a majority of the book. Nothing about this book was groundbreaking or revolutionary like i was expecting. I was intrigued enough to keep going, hence the 3 stars but it’s more like a 2.5 rounded up because I wanted to DNF at one point. 

The vampires very much fit established vampire lore in some capacity. The experimental part of it wasn’t well explained, in my opinion. I didn’t connect with any of the characters or have any affection for them, which includes our MC, Shori. She was just bumbling around clueless the whole book, which tracks because she suffered from amnesia, but for once, I wanted her to be in the know or have some clue as to what the hell is going on. There were also too many complicated relationships and dynamics to keep track of in such a short period of time, and I often found myself confused and having to think back and remember who is who in relation to someone else. 

Finally, my biggest issue was the most glaring part of the book for me — the thing I could not simply get over — which is the fact that she is a literal child, engaging in these sexualized behaviors with adults. Not only is she child appearing to humans, but even by vampiric standards, she’s a kid. So the whole thing made me uncomfortable from the beginning, which may have been a goal of Butler, but I didn’t enjoy it. There were multiple times when I had to put it down and take a break because reading it forced me to imagine a 10 year old appearing person in these compromising situations when I simply rather not.

Worth the re-read for a book club. I initially read this a few years ago after discovering Butler and bingeing most of her works. The prose is high quality, the story and world-building interesting (though expository at times), and the plot tight (as far as I can tell). 

Meagan Fischer 

Interesting take on vampires and enjoyed all of the dynamics between characters.  Had a hard time putting this book down!

Jenny Engel

Octavia E. Butler, you are the world to me. The quality of the prose, the clarity of the themes and ideas behind the novel - few writers have ever managed to achieve such consistency and grasp of the craft, especially in genre fiction.

In terms of vampire lore, "Fledgling" is not offering anything too new; if they have also read the Xenogenesis series, a reader would get a very good idea of what to expect from the relationship between the Ina (this book's version of vampires) and humans. However, Butler has a very good command of the lore and does not seek to overcomplicate it for the sake of innovation (though family trees get a little difficult to follow) which lets the mystery and themes to take central stage.

Butler's work deals heavily with racism in "Fledgling" like in much of her work. It is an opportunity of her to explore both interspecies discrimination and race-based prejudice; how they interesect and how in their core a bigot will be a bigot will be a bigot. The novel begins as a mystery and slowly leads the reader into this discussion until it brings it to its very forefront and literally puts it on trial. It is excellently executed.

There is also an interesting discussion to be had regarding the power dynamics within the novel - and the novel, for the most part, leave the reader to make their own mind up about the ethics of the relationships within the novel. A bit more bothersome is the gender essentialism within the novel but I am not the best equipt to discuss this - just be aware it is out there.

"Fledgling" is a slow novel but it is difficult to put down, too. There are some adrenaline-inducing scenes due to the nature of the story but its true focus is in leading the reader into this world along with the main character. One of my favourites of the year and a standout in its genre.

Octavia E. Butler, you are the world to me. The quality of the prose, the clarity of the themes and ideas behind the novel - few writers have ever managed to achieve such consistency and grasp of the craft, especially in genre fiction.

In terms of vampire lore, "Fledgling" is not offering anything too new; if they have also read the Xenogenesis series, a reader would get a very good idea of what to expect from the relationship between the Ina (this book's version of vampires) and humans. However, Butler has a very good command of the lore and does not seek to overcomplicate it for the sake of innovation (though family trees get a little difficult to follow) which lets the mystery and themes to take central stage.

Butler's work deals heavily with racism in "Fledgling" like in much of her work. It is an opportunity of her to explore both interspecies discrimination and race-based prejudice; how they interesect and how in their core a bigot will be a bigot will be a bigot. The novel begins as a mystery and slowly leads the reader into this discussion until it brings it to its very forefront and literally puts it on trial. It is excellently executed.

There is also an interesting discussion to be had regarding the power dynamics within the novel - and the novel, for the most part, leave the reader to make their own mind up about the ethics of the relationships within the novel. A bit more bothersome is the gender essentialism within the novel but I am not the best equipt to discuss this - just be aware it is out there.

"Fledgling" is a slow novel but it is difficult to put down, too. There are some adrenaline-inducing scenes due to the nature of the story but its true focus is in leading the reader into this world along with the main character. One of my favourites of the year and a standout in its genre.

Fledgling is a captivating novel that tests the limits of 'otherness' and questions what it means to be truly human. The first science-fiction novelist to be awarded the MacArthur Fellowship Genius Grant and 'grand dame of science fiction', Octavia E. Butler will captivate fans of Colson Whitehead, Neil Gaiman and Ayobami Adebayo's Stay With Me. '[Her] evocative, often troubling, novels explore far-reaching issues of race, sex, power and, ultimately, what it means to be human' New York Times 'A master storyteller, Butler casts an unflinching eye on racism, sexism, poverty and ignorance and lets the reader see the terror and beauty of human nature' The Washington Post Shori wakes up in wilderness with extensive injuries and no memories. As she recovers, the realisation that she has very unhuman needs and abilities leads to a shocking conclusion: Shori is a 53-year-old vampire. To have a future, she must unravel her past ... because the people that nearly killed her haven't given up. What readers are saying about FLEDGLING: 'An amazingly evocative book. The story stays with you long after reading' 'Such a fascinating story. Butler is a very keen observer of human nature' 'An innovative insight into what it is to be alive and how to become our best selves'

A fascinating tale from the multi-award-winning author

Justin Jerome Price

A great book dealing with themes of identity

If there is one thing, one phrase, one idea that I have come to dislike when it comes to discussing fiction it is that themes and allegories have to be subtle, especially when it comes to genre fiction like fantasy or science fiction. Part of my reasoning for the dislike stems from this phrasing often being used as justification by fans to avoid discussion about elements of media that they like that may make them uncomfortable and may make them dislike aforementioned media. It also tends to be use by creators as a kind of deflection to avoid critical analyses of their work. Now to be clear, I am not suggesting that having one's themes be more apparent automatically makes a terrible story better. Nor am I suggesting that stories in which the themes are not the main focus or serious automatically worse in my eyes. Yet I believe that part of my disenchantment with much of modern speculative fiction is in part due to many creators taken this maxim to heart, leading to stories that lack an identity, leading to cookie-cutter fabrications rather than stories with unique identities. Furthermore I think when people used the word subtle in that phrase, they really are referring more to nuance. Issues, like racism or xenophobia, are deceptive in their simplicity. And many creators tend to approach these issues with an often less than satisfactory approach, often breaching a theme and suggesting a position that is not supported by the story or actions of the main characters. This is why I can appreciate a book like Fledging, a book that can deftly handle these and other issues with insight and nuance while unequivocally taking a stance on said issues. With unique characters, ideas, plot, and themes that actually support one another, it makes for an interesting read.

Maya Johnson

It took me so long to finish this because I was triggered that the main protagonist, who looks 10 years old but is a 53 year old vampire, keeps having sex with various human adults. I finished this for book club and because I loved Octavia E. Butler but I couldn't get into it because of all the sexual content involving someone who looks 10 yrs old. This is my least liked and lowest rated Octavia E. Butler book.

I like the lore on vampires and the vampiric world building, and I liked the commentary on racism and disability. I just had a hard time with the triggering content. I don't understand why Shori wasn't just made to look like an adult. 

3.5 out of 5 Stars rounded up because of the cool concepts and commentary on racism and disability.

Matthew Royal

** spoiler alert **
           The protagonist begins her story with no awareness or memory, primordially in a cave, ascending from raw hunger and ignorance of even her name. Every experience and conversation, she remembers or deduces more about who she was, what caused her to lose everything, and how she can take back control over her life. 

This is where the archetypal mythos ends. Her character is a "male gaze" trope: hyper-rational underage female who enjoys No Strings Attached sex with older men. It's okay that physically she appears 11 years old, because she's actually a 53 year old vampire. 

*Record scratch*

This is a simplistic story with a specific erotica-like payoff. Like another recent read, Peter Hamilton's book "Reality Dysfunction," which I called "success porn" for its single-minded focus on making its reader/protagonist a success in every scenario, Butler's I'll call "control porn." The protagonist starts incredibly vulnerable, but quickly discovers her power: strength, speed, super healing, and the ability to instantly seduce and control anyone she bites. 

More than giving her control of their bodies, her bites make people love her. But she's not better for it. She treats her thralls kindly, and despite her memory loss somehow has an innate moral instinct which justifies her domination. She wins the respect and fear of her own kind for her unique ability to walk in the sunlight. She's the temptation of Tolkien's Galadriel: "All shall love me and despair!"

Ultimately, she discovers who brought her so low and exacts revenge through the vampire justice system, where every reasonable person takes her side. Along the way she recovers her family lands and fortunes, and seduces a business manager to handle everything for her. The end.

This isn't literature; it's a shallow fantasy without metaphor, meaning, or a message. I'm still processing why these fanfic-style stories offend me, and I think it relates to their similarity to a few pulp-style novels I loved as a child: E. E. Doc's groundbreaking sci-fi "Lensman" series and Robert Asprin's "Myth Adventures of Aahz and Skeeve." They are on an endless upward spiral as well, though the former for the improvement and increasing goodness of all of civilization, and the latter, an ever expanding "chosen family" of ragtag characters. Perhaps I should go back and re-read them with older eyes.

Overall, I'm shocked this was written by a Hugo winner, so I'm looking forward to diving into Octavia Butler's acclaimed "Bloodchild" and her Xenogenesis trilogy.

I've never read anything by Butler before, and I had heard good things about this one, so I wanted to try it, but it gave me the absolute ick. The main character might be a 53-year-old vampire on the inside, but we're constantly told how her body is prepubescent, so all the sex scenes and adults lusting after her made me so uncomfortable. I couldn't see past that, so I spent a lot of time squirming in my seat while reading this. Butler had an interesting take on vampire lore that I hadn't seen done before, and I did like her writing style, but this particular book just wasn't for me.

Heather Harrington

Daryl Houston

I had wanted to read something by Octavia Butler, and this is what my library had. I didn't know anything about her work and had no idea what to expect and... I did not expect this. It was pretty interesting, basically a vampire story (also not my usual fodder) with a bit of social commentary. I told my wife I felt like I was reading very very very mild vampire erotica at times, though really there wasn't much erotic about it, and the most erotic stuff made me pretty uncomfortable due to a choice Butler clearly made on purpose but that I didn't manage to wrap my head around the reason for (well, I mean, I can come up with rationales, but I'm not sure they're worth the weirdness of it). In any case, it was a quick and interesting read that kept me pretty engaged, and I'm curious to learn what other kind of stuff Butler has written.

Jordan Robinson

3.5🌼
I really enjoyed the first half. The.second half I felt could have been tied up more smoothly and there was more emphasis on romance than I anticipated. Not much into that. 
However, the world building is really well thought out, I loved the tension and mystery and the subtle hints of symbolism and I was fully invested in the ending.

Cindy

I wanted to like this. Overall, I found it a decent read, but I don't believe that this isn't the strongest piece in the complete Octavia Butler oeuvre.

It's safe to say that I've never been into vampires; the genre just doesn't do it for me and I don't think I've overcome that, even after the fact.

The way Shori and Wright get together is difficult for me to wrap my head around. My guess is that the discomfort was intentional on Butler's part, and a critique on the power dynamic between human relationships as well as vampire tropes. However, I ultimately found the relationship between Shori and Wright too thin and unconvincing, especially compared to those of the other symbionts, and I wonder if it was even necessary.

That said, the worldbuilding here, particularly where the Ina are concerned, is deft, audacious, and does not shy away from addressing and exploring themes of racism, sexuality, polyamory, and xenophobia. If Fledgling had been expanded into a series, I felt like I would have enjoyed the later sequels to come (you know how the first novel in a series is usually not the most compelling?). Ultimately, I came away with the impression that there was so much more simmering below the surface.

Casie Blevins

It took me a while to figure out what didn't work about this novel with me. I found it a drag to read, and frustrating. Initially I thought it was because the character has amnesia which makes the plot lag but then I realized it's a much less effective story because it's 90 percent exposition. When an action scene finally happened it was night and day to the plot and how I felt about the story. Unfortunately, it was shortlived. Such a shame because I thought Kindred was one of the best books I've ever read.

Jacklyn O’Brien 

I am blown away! What a new take on vampires! Ina (vampires) are not dead, but rather a different species that can procreate. I loved that they took people as symbionts and that it created a loving/sexual bond. Ina are not ageist, sexist, or homophobic, because love with a symbiont is the most important thing to them. To make feeding sexually satisfying for humans is frankly genius on Butler's part, because it makes Ina "prey" willingly submit. I was more entranced by the world building than I was with the particular plot, and it was extremely difficult to get past the fact that Shori looked like a ten year old. But overall, this book amazed me and will be a book that a re-read over and over.

Kelly Gorman

A young girl suffering from amnesia wakes up to find that she's actually a middle-aged vampire.

Fledgling A Novel

Reviews