Octavia Butler's Fledgling

I've had Fledgling by Octavia Butler on my nightstand since last summer.  I bought it at a used bookstore one day when my mister and I were at an all day music festival and I needed a break from the music.

I'd read one of Butler's trilogies many years ago, and I remembered that I liked it and found it thought-provoking.  Her books are suspenseful and thoughtful at the same time, which is sort of a tricky combination.

Fledgling is about a girl who wakes up with severe injuries and total amnesia.  As she gradually becomes more aware, she either realizes or learns that she is not human, but of a different species called Ina.  The Ina are similar to vampires and are probably what vampire myths have been based on.   She meets some people who help her find out what happened to cause her amnesia and her injuries.  Then the focus of the book turns to how to avenge herself on those who wronged her.

I loved that even though she had amnesia and didn't remember what she was or what her capabilities were, she still had her personality intact.  One thing I noticed was her fearlessness.  She was wary, but almost never afraid.  It's unusual to read a book with a young female protagonist who is so confident and comfortable in her own body, even in treacherous situations.   Butler thought through the emotional implications of having great strength and ability to heal physically.

I wish that the book had been more fleshed out.  I wanted to know more about how her family life would come together.  Especially since I knew that Butler had written quite a few trilogies or series, when I finished the book I was hopeful that there was a sequel.  Alas, this was a stand-alone book and there is no more.

What's this?

I used to be a Reader.  All through primary and secondary school, being a Reader was a big part of my identity.  I like to read. A lot.  Nobody else I knew read like I did.  When I started college, I thought it would be a paradise of readers.  Turns out that not many people there read either.

Then I got a real job, a couple of toddlers and lots of distractions.  All of a sudden, I realize that I haven't been much of a reader recently.  I miss it.  I want to enjoy reading as much as I used to.

So I'm starting this blog to write about my reading and motivate myself to read more. I hope you enjoy my ramblings about the various books I read.  I don't claim to be a serious literary critic or to know much about literature.  But I love fiction of all kinds and hope to read more of it.