Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

592 reviews

bluelilyblue's review against another edition

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adventurous dark reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.25

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dreamer626's review

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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proftoddreads's review

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challenging dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Synopsis
Easily one of the best, most impactful novels I’ve read this year. Kindred follows main character Dana, a Black woman just starting her career as a writer in California in the late 1970s, who travels back in time to a plantation in 1815 where she must save Rufus, the son of a white slave owner, from drowning. This becomes the first in a series of time traveling events for Dana, each one tied to a moment in time when Rufus’ life is in danger. Dana quickly discovers Rufus is one of her ancestors, meaning her own existence is tied to her ability to keep Rufus alive. As Rufus grows into an adult and becomes increasingly more corrupted by the time period and system of slavery he lives in, Dana struggles more and more with the moral dilemma of keeping him alive.

Analysis
Through Dana we see not only the visceral horrors of slavery, but also the ways in which racism and slavery as systems of oppression destroy everyone they touch, even the white slave owners. Butler complicates our feelings by providing white slave owners who have moments of goodness, perhaps even kindness, and juxtaposing those scenes with the gruesome cruelty they inflict upon their slaves. Slavery is a system that corrupts absolutely, Butler shows us. No one and nothing can flourish within it. Love, family, and friendship are all ultimately destroyed. 

Review
Though this novel was written and set in the 1970s, its messages about racism and the power of our history and past on the present remain relevant today. Butler demonstrates the impact of generational trauma; the ease with which we, as a nation, can be easily pulled back into old systems and patterns of racism, despite our belief that we have progressed beyond them; and the importance of understanding how pervasive the legacy of slavery is on every facet of our nation still today. 

This is not an easy read (please check trigger warnings), but the experience is well worth it. The writing and characters are so impactful and moving, the themes and messages so powerful, it’s easy to see why this is one of Butter’s most celebrated works.  
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badbadwolf's review

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challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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adisiki's review

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4.5

Wow this was incredible! I’ve been meaning to get into Butler’s work for a while, and I’m glad I started here. So well-written and an unflinching, honest, and brutal look at slavery and racism and its lasting effects on everyone involved. I just wish there had been an explanation on how and why Dana was traveling through time, but I get that’s probably part of the speculative fiction that leaves it open-ended.
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alrauna's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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hinoki's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I knew of this book, but never felt the need to pick it up because the premise seemed too... basic. It just felt to obvious to have a Black person time travel to a time when being Black was the worst.
Then I saw that there was an adaptation of the series on Hulu. I decided to give it a try because, why now? I could always turn it off. I ended up really liking it and it ended on a cliff hanger, so I knew I would have to pick up the book.
It turns out that the book is really different, but I still really enjoyed it.
The most shocking difference is the plot line with Dana's mom. That's just not in the book at all and I wonder why they added it to the show.

My favorite aspect of the book is Dana. I think Dana is such an interesting character, I haven't read may books with a protagonist like her. She is very confident/self-assured, but not in a "badass" kind of way. Like she's no Katniss but she still holds her own. There's something mature about her that many protags are missing.
One thing I liked about the show, that I think enhances the book is child Rufus. The actor who plays him needs an Emmy because he's so cute even when he's annoying. I kept this image in my mind so when
Rufus gets older and much worse it's honestly heart breaking to see how he's changed.

Although I did like this book, I do have to subtract one star because of the book's attitude towards
sexual assault. When Rufus assaults Alice I was confused as to whether it had actually happened or not because Dana seemed so unconcerned. I also didn't understand her treatment of Rufus after all the horrible things he did, especially at the end. I guess you could say it was some sort of commentary on the Stockholm syndrome effect of slavery, but also I tried to read Wild Seed and it really makes we question the author's intent.
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sabripolin's review

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reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Totally transported (pun not intended…) by the vivid imagery of Dana’s experience in two time periods, but mostly by the complex, conflicting emotions and ethical dilemmas she encounters and how to manage situations in a period-appropriate manner. 

Minus points (?) for all characters’ lack of FREAKING OUT and Dana’s seemingly emotionless disposition all throughout. We also don’t really get a “why” to why this all happened or what triggered her first transportation. 
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dixiecarroll's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This was so interesting and horrific at the same time. I took off half a star because the complexities of slavery and how easy it *seemed* to be to adapt to horrible circumstances were a little too pointed in the first half, but the second half weaved this in very well. I listened to this and was audibly gasping left and right because I was so invested and heartbroken. Can’t believe I didn’t have to read this in school and hope that this can be required reading one day for everyone, especially white Americans. 
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miss_vonnegut's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

Butler is an incredible writer. I loved getting a time-travel novel in which the main character is a black woman. As you can imagine, this book gets really dark, but even as someone who has a hard time with certain types of dark books, this was fine. Not a bad idea to check content warnings, but nothing felt gratuitous. 
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