A review by thebookesquire
Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

adventurous challenging dark informative tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This was fine. Not bad and definitely not great but it did hold my interest until the very end. I enjoyed the mystery, exploring the vampire politics and vampire tribunal, and I really enjoyed the commentary on “pure” vampires vs “impure” vampires. However, I was perpetually disgusted throughout the entire book. I just couldn’t wrap my head around the pedophilia. Yes, Shori is a 53-year-old but she’s still a child both in physical appearance and a child by vampire standards in this world. I hated all her symbionts because I couldn’t comprehend how they could allow themselves to be with Shori sexually. Why is it that the Gordons did not allow themselves to mate with Shori because they recognized she was a child and much too young for sexual activity/mating but the humans couldn’t? It was too disturbing. Moreover, Shori’s age was clearly a deliberate choice by the author but why? The same story could have occurred with Shori in a 19-year-old body and at least help (although not cure) the cringe factor. Her age did nothing to enhance the story. Why couldn’t she have been a 53-year-old vampire in a young adult body? Why did she have to be a child?
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