Octavia E Butler - Bloodchild and Other Stories
Publisher – Seven Stories Press
Published – 2005
Price – £8.99
A newly expanded edition of Octavia E. Butler's only collection of short stories. """"Butler graces new mansions of thought with her eloquent, distinguished and poignant prose. Although this book is little in size, its ideas are splendidly large."""" - Booklist """"The title story is justly famous. Splendid pieces, set forth in calm, lucid prose with never a word wasted."""" - Kirkus Reviews This New York Times notable Book includes the Hugo and the Nebula awards winner Bloodchild and the Hugo Award winner Speech Shounds.
Octavia E Butler admits they prefer writing novels but over time a few short stories have been collected. I found Bloodchild and Other Stories a fascinating collection of themes we see throughout their work. Falls and rises in societies, strange bonds between aliens and humans but also uniquely an opportunity to hear Butler’s own voice talking about themselves which made it a hugely enjoyable collection.
In ‘Bloodchild; the collection tells an unusual tale of humans living a very restrictive life with aliens who have a complex reproduction cycle. We see it through Lien a human teenager and the strange insectoid many legged T’Gatoi who looks after their family. Butler makes us understand the world not through clumsy infodumps but making us see connections – why are the humans made to eat eggs that make them spaced out; why is Lien’s parent so hostile to T’Gatoi. The story ramps up a gear when a human male is brought in a dangerous condition and that reveals the secret bargain the humans and aliens have come up with in order to survive. As always with Butler our view of what is normal and acceptable is challenged- this is alien in the truest form and yet the solution makes sense. No easy answers but that makes it stay with the reader for longer.
Human society and our attitudes to human illness and disability are explored in ’The Evening, Morning and Night’ here Butler has a world where an illness known as Duryea-Gode disease has a terrible prognosis for those with the gene. Often leading to violence and death. Our narrator tells us matter of factly how her parents died brutally from it and yet she tries to make a life. She even falls in love with a fellow sufferer. What is then fascinating is when the couple find a home that specialises in the treatment of the disease and has a very different approach. This links to issues of control, groups bonding and how treating people as human beings not dangerous non-humans can lead to better results. There are fascinating hidden dimensions to this disease that off all sorts of questions. Few get straight answered but it’s a story that gets you thinking.
Butler doing a heartwarming tale of family reconciliation seems too good to be true but in ‘Near of Kin’ a daughter is processing her unloved mother’s death. Her beloved Uncle is trying to help her see the other side of a woman she did not really understand. This tale goes into an unexpected direction with the family bonds that manages to be sympathetic without saying people acted that wisely. Readers will get confronted but ultimately it is a tale about understanding rather than saying the subject a matter is fine.
There are two standout essays. In ‘Positive Obsession’ Butler walks us through her life and the key moments that made her a writer. Ultimately, she had no choice this was all she wanted. Its passionate, insightful and very much reminds us of all the barriers Butler faced that she would ensure none would stop her. She even explains what to her Science Fiction means. In ‘Furor Scribendi’ it’s a more writer focused piece of work as to how Butler felt authors should write. Taking on other ideas and constantly writing. You can feel the passion for the subject and the appreciation on effort is well worth noting.
The fi al story I loved was ‘The Book of Martha’ its very different to what I’ve expected from Butler and yet also crosses themes of freedom and choice. Martha a struggling author is approached by God to make decisions on humanity. We get debates between them on free will; how our perceptions are altered by others (God changes throughout) but also how easy answers can lead to bigger pain. As Butler notes their view of a perfect world is a unique pone but really works well.
Each story has Butler’s notes on the tale’s inspiration and creation, and it is a pleasure to hear the voice behind the books I’ve been reading at last show themself. This is an engrossing, varied collection that is also very representative of the author Strongly recommended!
