Review: Fledgling

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! It was Octavia E. Butler's last novel, and she was the first Black woman to truly make a mark in Speculative fiction in the U.S. I read the book because my colleague and I are working on a book chapter about teaching fantasy literature with a critical literacy lens, and we thought this novel would be a good fit for an advanced high school classroom. I believe it would, especially when comparing it to other vampire stories. The novel deals with such important issues as race, gender, power, feminism, family dynamics, and socioeconomic privilege in a way that is captivating and interesting to read, which is why I love the speculative fiction genre. I finished the novel quickly in part because I was so engaged with it. Every chapter ended with a captivating cliff hanger that encouraged me to read on, and the pacing of the novel was perfect! I definitely want to read more of this author's work. Also, the novel gives me additional insights to consider for my comprehensive exam essays. I loved reading this book! If you like speculative fiction and literature with powerful female characters, this book is for you. This book is why I do what I do; more speculative fiction and books with strong female protagonists of color need to make their way into the literary canon.

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