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buttercat42's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Violence, Murder, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Biphobia, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Sexual content, Pedophilia, and Injury/Injury detail
yeahnaar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Violence, Cannibalism, and Pedophilia
lydiature_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Graphic: Cannibalism and Blood
Minor: Pedophilia
halfbloodprincess_hogwarts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The MC is a Black Vampire whom is desirable, courageous, brave, unforgettable and a refreshing character. She wakes up in a cave in excruciating pain with no memory of what happened to her nor who she is. We come to know the world through her eyes and who she is as the story progresses. Along with help from those on the way.
I did mentally clutch my metaphoric pearls (especially while driving) listening to the audiobook. This is definitely more for mature audiences. It's so difficult to express my love for this novel without dumping spoilers. Just impossible.
Found family, my favorite trope, plays a major role in Fledgling and I could 100% relisten to this again and again.
Graphic: Violence, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, and Genocide
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
elizabethblue's review against another edition
Graphic: Pedophilia
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Slavery
elizabethlo's review against another edition
I am only a fairly recent fan of Octavia Butler's, having discovered her in the last few years. I've loved everything I've read so far and am feeling so conflicted about disliking this book so much. I made it 45% of the way there, but just don't feel like I can drag myself through the rest of it.
I'm sure it was intentional, but the sexualization of the main character (who is a child both in physical appearance as well as by Butler's vampire universe standards) is really uncomfortable. Sex scenes are introduced very early and there is little to no moral dilemma to be found between any of the adult characters who become her sexual partners. Obviously she's done this for a reason, but she absolutely does not let you forget that this is a 10-12 year old girl's body (and a vampire child in mind) who is participating in these sexual acts. Very difficult to push past, but that's not even the reason I'm giving up on this.
Fledgling focuses on a lot of the same issues that Butler covers in her other stories - racism, sexuality, non-monogamous relationships, consent - so that was familiar for me. What was unfamiliar was how much this dragged. The dialogue between characters was stiff and unnatural, and the exposition was repetitive and dull. I can't stress enough how bored I was before throwing in the towel, which I find shocking for an Octavia Butler novel.
Definitely a tough one to set aside, but I'd rather spend my time on finding new favourites. This ain't it.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
Moderate: Cannibalism
impla77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Also the questionable sexual relationships are never discussed after they’ve been ‘justified’ and don’t feel needed in the book. Just feels awkward and not thought through
Graphic: Pedophilia, Violence, Cannibalism, Racial slurs, and Racism
uhm_kai's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, and Racism
lexnicole's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Death, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual content, Ableism, Biphobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Cannibalism and Incest
leanne_miron's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Sexual content, Ableism, Cannibalism, Racism, and Blood