Fledgling

For a powerful vampire novel that tackles some of life’s important issues. Fledgling is not your standard vampire novel. So if you are expecting Twilight 7, don’t waste your time. Rather, it’s an intelligent novel about society, about its prejudice, it’s power, and the transformation it causes. It’s not very often that something new happens in the time-worn vampire fiction genre. However, Butler manages to instill something unique into the genre. Where horror meets sci-fi, Octavia Butler creates a chilling, blood curdling fable that questions the very nature of humanity. When a young girl discovers she is actually a genetically engineered 'Ina' (essentially a vampire), she is forced to question her reality and attempt to discover what she truly is. This 'soul searching' novel is a truly refreshing take on vampire mythology. Butler focusses on the vampire-human connections within her plot as the Ina form mutually beneficial 'harems' with humans. While this gives way to some odd and borderline creepy relationships in the book, this overall unique idea is a pleasant change of pace from the usual predator-prey relationship between vampires and humans In 'Fledgling', Butler introduces and develops very well-rounded and likeable characters, including protagonist Shori. More importantly, Butler creates a well-paced plot that does not dawdle on useless details, concentrating on the vividly realized tale of horror and romance alike.