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2019 Group Reads
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October 2019: Fledgling - Octavia Butler
Lulu wrote: "According to the poll Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler will be October’s group read. We will hold discussions in this thread. We will beginning reading on October 1st. The..."I am joining this group read and discussion. Thank you.
I'm in. it's a favorite of mine
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**Chapters 1-8: October 6th -- message 31
**Chapters 9-14: October 13th -- message 51
**Chapters 15-21: October 20th -- message 70
**Chapters 22-Epilogue: October 27th -- message 70
If you are discussing part of the story that is not within the time frame please put spoiler alerts. If you don't know how to do the spoiler alerts message me and I can walk you through it. If it is a section that is open for discussion for the week or previous weeks please assume that there will be spoilers without alerts.
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Lulu wrote: "Has anyone started yet? How are you feeling about the story so far?"Yes, I have started it and I'm loving it. Poor Wright has no idea what he's gotten himself into. The pervert.
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Lulu wrote: "DOSHA!!!!! Yes!! I started yesterday and I'm on Chapter 18. I can't wait to start discussing this one!"Wow. I'm only on Chapter six but I'm expecting it to keep me entertained. Yes, the discussions will be Very. Interesting. LOL>
lol started a sec ago. just made it to chapter two. seems interesting 👀
Hi. First of all, I'm loving this book and can hardly wait to discuss it. I have questions that I'm afraid to ask because I don't want to spoil anything. On the back cover of my book, it says Fantasy. Hmm. Does that mean that I'm not gonna get scared and this is not to be considered a horror?
Because I'm loving this book, I will continue to read it, but do I need to find another true horror? I only read horror books in October.
This is my kind of book. Already quite twisted!
Marlen wrote: "This is my kind of book. Already quite twisted!"What page are you on Marlen?
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On the back cover of my book, it says Fan..."
Every where I looked called this her most "horror-esque novel". I'm not scared, but I am very intrigued and I've got a ton of questions.
Lulu wrote: "Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Hi. First of all, I'm loving this book and can hardly wait to discuss it. I have questions that I'm afraid to ask because I don't want to spoil anything. On the back..."
Okay, "horror esque" works, lol.
definitely just had to ditch my kindle version for an actual paperback. i love indie bookstores!
Wright is definitely a predator. Gross! Makes me feel very uneasy. 🥴 .....
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Yeah, good thing Wright is not the vampire, it'd really be sick. She can handle her own with him. (*****Spoiler Alert*****) I don't know how to do spoiler alerts, obviously so don't continue reading if you are not up to page 93. I notice she asks some very mature questions to only be 11 years old. Has anyone met her father yet?
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(view spoiler)
Can't really say this was the horror you were looking for, but if you have a book in mind we can do a buddy read.
I’m up to page 103. I think I might be lil but scared. Lol.
Definitely not horror. Below is my review of the book...After hearing great things about Octavia E. Butler's writing/books, I was underwhelmed by this book. The book does address racism, social injustice, genocide, and free will which all can be approached in many ways. (view spoiler)
Books wrote: "Definitely not horror. Below is my review of the book...After hearing great things about Octavia E. Butler's writing/books, I was underwhelmed by this book. The book does address racism, social i..."
I have the paperback version of the book and on the back cover it says how old Shori really is so I was not reading it in the same light you were. I also recognized early on that she had very sophisticated problem solving abilities for an 11 year old child. I'm still not scared and I'm reading chapter 12. I'm enjoying it very much though.
Okay I’m officially on chapter 9 so ready to discuss on Sunday 😬
I’m looking forward to the official discussion too.
Lulu wrote: "Reading Schedule (tentative):**Chapters 1-8: October 6th
**Chapters 9-14: October 13th
**Chapters 15-21: October 20th
**Chapters 22-Epilogue: October 27th
If you are discussing part of the story..."
I'm here!!!! I've been waiting for this day. I'm on the first page of chapter 18. where is everyone else. I look forward to joining in after I get home from church.
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1. Ok, let's just get straight to it. Do you consider Wright a pedophile? Yes or no, why or why not?
2. Shori is actually 53 but has the body of an 11-year-old. Do you think this happened as a side effect of the experiment (combining Ina and Human DNA) or do the Ina age differently than humans?
3. Shori did some research on vampires, do you see any real difference between Ina and the regular vampires that we've all come to know and love?
4. Shori notices her brother, Stefan, right away because of his different skin tone, she asked: "are you an experiment too?" Yet Iosif makes it known that there are Ina all over the world. Do you think all Ina prior to the experiment were white?
5. Do you think the author gave Shori amnesia (constantly having to be educated on different things) in order to help us remember that Shori is so young? What is your take on it?
6. What are your questions and thoughts so far?
Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Lulu wrote: "Reading Schedule (tentative):**Chapters 1-8: October 6th
**Chapters 9-14: October 13th
**Chapters 15-21: October 20th
**Chapters 22-Epilogue: October 27th
If you are discussing part..."
1. Yes, I absolutely do think that Wright is a pedophile. In the beginning, neither of them knew how old she is, or what she is, so if she looks 11 she is jail bait. He knows that much. Then, while they are doing it, she bites him. They say the flower may be pretty, but the nectar is deadly. Now, he's under her inluence and can't let go. He should have never done that to a woman/child.
2. I think she has been alive for 53 years, but her physical body develops very slowly so she will be a child in appearance much much longer than humans are children, She does not have the mind of an 11 year old though. Her brain is at least that of a 53 year old.
3. Yes there are differences, and that is what makes this book so interesting. You have to be born Ina, you cannot turn someone else into a vampire by biting them.
4. Yes, at this point in the book, I do think that all Ina prior to the experiment were whites.
5. I think the author gave her amnesia so that as a vampire should would be more vulnerable and less of a threat than she would be otherwise.
6. I cannot believe how much I'm enjoying it and realizing that I can read it at night, cause to me it's not really scary. I'm not disappointed though. I will finish it quickly and then go to something more traditionally scary to finish out the month. However, I will keep checking back in and going over the questions and discussions with everyone.
Lulu wrote: "****The discussion for Chapters 1-8 starts here, SPOILERS AHEAD****
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1. Yes, I consider Wright to be a pedo. He saw Shori as a child and had sex with her. This is actually very disturbing.
2. I think the Ina age differently than humans. However, I do think the experiment caused her body to develop differently than other Ina and certainly other humans.
3. The Ina seem to be a peaceful people, though. Not going around killing humans.
4. I have no idea. Maybe the Ina in this area were all white.
5. I find it interesting that Shori has to be introduced to certain things, but can remember others. All in all, I think it is an interesting way to tell a story.
6. I am enjoying it! Butler is a very great storyteller. I am interested to see how many other symbionts she takes and how Wright reacts to them.
Darryl wrote: "Lulu wrote: "****The discussion for Chapters 1-8 starts here, SPOILERS AHEAD****
*I agree with you about number 3, they don't go around killing humans in order to feed their bellies.
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1. Yes, I consider Wright to be a pedo. He saw Shori as a child and had sex with her. This is ac..."
Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Darryl wrote: "Lulu wrote: "****The discussion for Chapters 1-8 starts here, SPOILERS AHEAD****
*I agree with you about number 3, they don't go around killing humans in order to feed their bellies..."
Yeah they seem to be peaceful . . .
SPOILERS________________________________
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..except that whoever has killed Shori's mom and dads' communities are for sure super violent. so sad
Lulu wrote: "****The discussion for Chapters 1-8 starts here, SPOILERS AHEAD****
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1.No, I do not think Wright is a pedophile because I don't think he was physically attracted to Shori until after she bit him. Also, I think he sensed something different about her even though she looked like a kid.
2. I think 't maybe it is a combination of both regarding her age and how old she looks. As an Ina in general, they apparently live for centuries and hardly age at all; however, Shori also has the benefit of the experiment which causes her to age even more slowly.
3. The Ina vampires don't kill when they feed, they tend to feed to create bonds between them and symbionts. This is much different than what we've come to know about vampires.
4. I think she notices it right away simply because it is different than hers; I do think however that prior to the experiment all Ina were white. Shori being the experiment her skin color was intentional for the experiment.
***ok i gotta think a little more about the last 2 questions***
I think even tho Wright is not a pedophile it is hard for me to cheer for him the way I feel Butler intended. this is a good read and an impossible write.
Shana wrote: "Lulu wrote: "****The discussion for Chapters 1-8 starts here, SPOILERS AHEAD****
*I can soften up a lil bit on Wright as an accomplished pedo, I don't get the feeling he does this as a way of life, but still.....it still seems to me that he should have gone slower. Her venom must be seriously potent!
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1.No, I do not think Wright is a pedophile because I don't think he was physically attracted to ..."
this convo is great! can't wait for everyone to finish
****The discussion for Chapters 1-8 starts here, SPOILERS AHEAD****
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1. Yes. Because prior to it being revealed that she was an adult, he engaged in sexual relations with her.
2. I think this was a result of her Ina DNA. Evident in her still healing from the initial attack on her family from which she is the only survivor.
3. I didn't see any major differences between Ina and other vampire traits.
4. From the writing it seemed that all Ina were white prior to the experiment of combining DNA of Inas and humans. Especially since there was such an issue/jealousy with the hue of Shori's skin.
5. I thought the amnesia was to aide in identifying Shori as Ina through her actions even in difficult situations.
About #4. It seems to me that all Ina were white too. Shari’s father was white and I bet her mom was too. But they got some black dna and she is aging even slower than the other Ina because Black don’t crack, maybe?
Books R Dynamic, I seemed to have missed the part discussing issue with Shori's skin? Would you please reference me? I'm only on chapter 12 lolButler is so talented.
Back in chapter three, when Renee and Wright got to his cabin, they went into the bathroom and were both thrilled to see her reflection in the mirror (vampires don’t have reflections), and she saw a person with a short fuzz of black hair, a lean sharp faced, large eyed brown-skinned person. She looks like an 11 year old black female child.
Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Back in chapter three, when Renee and Wright got to his cabin, they went into the bathroom and were both thrilled to see her reflection in the mirror (vampires don’t have reflections), and she saw ..."I remember that. Didn't read as an issue though ?
The issue was that there were no other Black Ina and she is an experiment. She is aging more slowly that the other Ina and I think it's because most black people look younger than white people their age, cause Black don't crack,lol.
Ah I see! Haha Black definitely does not crack!
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How are far is everyone in the reading?
Lulu wrote: "I don't wanna judge Wright, but I'm judging him. True Shori bit him because he even had a chance to guess at what was going on, but he still had the ability to walk away.....I don't know. lolHow ..."
I finished it!!!!! And, I still have my doubts about Wright. I will give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's an amateur pedo and was not out on that night lurking and looking for a victim. I don't believe he has made having sex with little girls that appear to be 11 years old a way of life, but still......
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LOL!!!!!
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Books mentioned in this topic
Fledgling (other topics)Fledgling (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Octavia E. Butler (other topics)Octavia E. Butler (other topics)
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