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''Fledgling'' is a science fiction vampire novel by American writer Octavia E. Butler, published in 2005.〔Charles, Ron. "Love at First Bite." ''The Washington Post''. Washingtonpost.com. 30 Oct. 2005.〕〔Doctorow, Cory. ("Octavia Butler's ''Fledgling'': subtle, thrilling vampire novel." )(BoingBoing ). 17 January 2006.〕〔Gates, Rob. ("''Fledgling ''by Octavia Butler." ) Rev. of ''Fledgling'', by Octavia E. Butler. Strange Horizons. 6 March 2006.〕〔Cheuse, Alan. ("Posthumous Sci-Fi: Octavia E. Butler's ''Fledgling''." ) (NPR ) 23 February 2007.〕 ==Plot summary== The novel tells the story of Shori, who appears to be a 10- or 11-year-old African-American girl, but is actually a 53-year-old member of a race called "Ina", or vampires. They are nocturnal, long-lived and derive sustenance by drinking human blood. Though they are physically superior to humans, both in strength and ability to heal from injury, the Ina depend on humans to survive. Therefore; their relationships are symbiotic, with the Ina's venom providing significant boost to their humans' immune systems and extending their lives up to 200 years. However, withdrawal from this venom will also lead to the human’s death. The story opens as Shori awakens with no knowledge of who or where she is, in a cave and suffering from critical injuries. Although she is burned and has skull trauma, she kills and eats the first creature that approaches her. Eating this creature allows her to heal quickly enough to walk and explore on her own. Also she runs into the ruins where a construction worker named Wright picks her up on the side of the road, Shori bites Wright because she finds his scent irresistible and they begin their relationship. While staying at Wright's uncle’s cabin, Shori realizes she’s in need more blood, so she feeds on other inhabitants in the town and develops a relationship with an older woman named Theodora. Shori and Wright return to the burned-out, abandoned village near where she woke up to learn more about her past. They eventually meet Iosif, Shori’s father, who tells her the burned out town was once her home, where she lived with her mothers and sisters. They also learn that Wright and Shori’s mutually beneficial relationship makes Wright Shori’s symbiont. Furthermore, Shori’s dark skin is the result of a genetic modification because the Ina were experimenting to make their kind resistant to daylight; all other Ina are white-skinned. Later before Shori is able move in with Iosif, his settlement is burned down like Shori’s home was. Shori and Wright meet the only two human symbionts who survived, Celia and Brook. Shori adopts Celia and Brook as her own symbionts to save their lives, though their bonding is initially uncomfortable for all of them as symbionts become addicted to the venom of one particular Ina. The four flee to another house that Iosif owns. When they are at this new house, they are attacked by several men with gasoline and guns during the day. Because of the genetic enhancements made on Shori she was awake and they are able to escape. The group travels to the Gordon family settlement, an old friend of Iosif, where they are welcomed and guarded by human symbionts during the day. The attackers also raid their settlement, although Shori and the human symbionts are able to fight back. They capture three attackers alive. The Gordon family interrogates the intruders and finds that they were the same attackers who killed Shori’s parents and were sent by the Silks, another Ina family. The Gordons suspect the attacks on Shori are motivated by disdain for the genetic experimentation that created her. After failing to get a confession from the Silks, the Gordon family calls a Council of Judgment on Shori’s behalf. Thirteen Ina families and their symbionts come to the Gordon settlement to discuss the Silks attack on Shori. While the Council is happening, the Silk representative, Katharine Dahlman sends one of her symbionts to kill Theodora, Shori’s symbiont and succeeds. So in addition to issuing a punishment upon the Silks, the Council must also punish Katharine Dahlman. The Silks have their sons taken from them, to be adopted by other Ina families. Thus, the Silk line will die out. Katharine Dahlman is sentenced to have her legs amputated. Katharine refuses this punishment and attempts to kill Shori, who fights back and fatally wounds Katharine. Katharine was killed by being beheaded and burned. After regaining consciousness, Shori decides to join the Brathwaite family and learn the ways of the Ina to create her own family. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Fledgling (novel)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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