Reviews with content warning for Classism - Kindred

Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

47 reviews

thevioletfoxbookshop's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

Kindred is one of those books that feels like it should be required reading for all Americans. I've never read a book that makes the suffering, the complexities, and the last effects of slavery feel so real and so clear. Octavia Butler has a way of bringing history and the present world awfully close together. The characters feel real, like people you know. And the story is layered in a way that will leave you thinking about the book long after you've finished it.

This was an absolutely heartbreaking story to read, as it should be. And although it was written in 1979, it makes it very clear that even now (in 2023), the systemic racism, the learned behavior and roles, and the lasting impact of the slavery system in the US is still very present and very real. You realize how easily we might slip backwards and how important it is that we actively and purposefully make change, educate ourselves, and be better.

Beyond being important and valuable work, Kindred is also an incredible story. I was a little afraid that I would struggle through it (like I do with some "classic literature"), but I flew through this book! I found myself having read 20 pages at a time and not even realizing it. You become so invested in the characters and what's going to happen next! Prepare to really feel all the feels in this one!

Kindred is a 5 star read. Absolutely pick this one up!

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perfictionistreviews's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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smkelly1997's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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? Yes

5.0

This book was captivating. A tough but good read.

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storytimejess2's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Really incredible book! I love how it gets right to it and breaks a lot of tropes we’ve come to expect from time-travel stories. I will be thinking about this for a long time.

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jenmcreads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is one of those books that is so good you lose any access to words trying to describe it. The word that comes up most for me is visceral. The experience of reading this book was so visceral for me. I think this does an incredible job of showing both individual responsibility in the midst of horrifying injustices (in this case, slavery, so among the very worst imaginable), however also emphasizing the way individuals can get swept up in such a large system. The narration was clear that individuals (such as Rufus) were not solely responsible for the overwhelming brutality and injustice of the system, but it also did not exonerate the characters for the acts they were responsible for. Something about this book more than anything I have ever read really drove home the relentless and lifelong brutality of life for those who were enslaved in the antebellum South, and while horrifying, this was a truly remarkable read. I feel so dumb trying to write about this book, just read it.

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kimasenbeck's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad 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

4.25

I think I was expecting a bit more, something unpredictable, a satisfying twist. But the story was pretty consistent throughout, and the only real surprise was

that Alice had killed herself.

That said, I think this book did a better job than any other that I’ve read making American slave history feel real, relatable, and immediate. It’s a fascinating setup for a book, and I’m glad to have read it.

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