I liked this book, the worldbuilding and characterization were very thorough and the plot was captivating. There were some aspects of the story that were disturbing, though I suppose that is hardly surprising given the author. ( )

One of the most interesting takes on vampire lore I have ever read. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, have recommended it to others and am sad that the author is no long with us to write a sequel to this book! ( )

I love all Octavia Butler's book. Unfortunately, she was not a prolific writer and I am sad to read that she is no longer with us. ( )

yet another vampire book, but this has octavia butler's take on the genre. great world building. i enjoyed every minute of the book (hence the 5 stars), but it seem like just the introduction to a story - i wish there were a sequel. ( )

Octavia Butler has completely recreated the mythology of the vampire in a very interesting way. Shori awakens in the woods, severely injured and with no memory. After recovering from her injuries, she wanders out onto a roadways and meets Wright, a human who will help her rediscover who and what she is. While I think the amnesia served more as a convenient device for setting up the world than as a compelling part of the plot, Fledgling offers a creative new spin on vampire mythology that raises questions of how intolerance and racism arise in a society.

With that said, I feel that potential readers deserve fair warning. Like vampires in most other books, the ones in this book are portrayed as sexual beings. While the scenes in this book are not graphic, Shori, though she is a 50-something year old vampire, has the appearance of a 10-12 year old little girl. If you're not the type of person who can adopt the realities presented by the author (in this case, that Shori not only IS an adult, but also seems like one to the humans she is with) the book is likely to strike you the wrong way and I really wouldn't recommend wasting your time or money. ( )