I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of the same old science-fiction meets fantasy vampire stories. Luckily, Fledgling by prolific sci-fi writer, Octavia E. Butler, explores this sub-genre in an entirely different way. Butler is able to succinctly explore various modes of othering and identity construction through the story of our protagonist, and the community they both lost and build.

While it is difficult to give details about the plot without giving away the entire book, I’ll try to keep it to basics where possible. Without giving too much away, our protagonist awakes in a cave and we quickly learn that they have just survived a tragedy—but neither we nor our protagonist know what that tragedy is as the main character is contending with amnesia. As reader’s, we are learning with the main character about who they are, their values, and the world that they live in. As the protagonist navigates the world that they are (re)birthed into, we learn that they aren’t human, and they might not even be ‘supernatural’. Instead, they might be preternatural and suffer the same human condition as the rest of us. Through the story, Butler asks us to also contend with our own beliefs as the story unfolds, and how our beliefs relate to the story of our protagonist, and how we might envision alternative futures of justice—if at all.

The way Butler is able to weave socio-political nuances into this story, in my opinion, sets it apart from all the other sci-fi/fantasy stories we read or watch on TV. Beyond representation, Butler is able to make the sci-fi/fantasy realm real in a way that mainstream storytellers in this cross-over genre do not. In my experience, race, identity, consent, ableism, and so on are themes that aren’t thoroughly explored. And while I do think there’s some exploration in these themes that are unsaid—but could have benefitted readers to have been said—I also think that Butler is asking the reader to enter into relationship with the characters and the plot. I believe Butler is asking us to locate the story with our understanding of these themes, and to think and deconstruct along with the characters. Especially to do so along with our protagonist and other characters as they navigate the new world they are launched into.

There were points where I feel as though Butler dawdled too long on details that didn’t really add to the story. But, when I considered what it would take away from the story, I realised that the minute details were more for the protagonist—and for the readers to have an understanding of why the protagonist would note these minute details to us. Especially when you consider that the prose is pretty direct and to the point, it feels as though the protagonist’s layered character development may even touch on themes of neurodivergence and infantilisation, as well as how infantilising intersects with various forms of othering.

In fact, Butler quite literally lets the reader know early on that the protagonist is perceived as a pre-pubescent child, but has actually been on the Earth for much longer than that. While this detail in the book causes much contention amongst readers, it’s still important to ask what this detail is doing for both us as readers, but also for the protagonist and the auxiliary characters. Considering Butler’s repertoire, how does this detail intersect with race, ableism, patriarchy, and so on? How does the detail act as a metaphor for the exploration of the socio-political landscape?

Upon finishing the book, I was both relieved, and still disappointed. I felt that the ending was a bit pessimistic, even though I was happy for the protagonist. It left me with more questions about our current socio-political landscape, and even more questions about what a potential future could look like with regards to justice and abolition. Which, technically, a book that lingers by way of questioning—in my view—is a sign of a ‘good book’.

All in all, I give this book 4 stars, and would recommend it to others. While I know that the consensus is that this isn’t one of Butler’s ‘better works’, or that it leaves more to be desired, I think it still encourages us to ask questions about the future we want to see actualise.