Reviews with content warning for Death - Kindred

I had a very hard time reading this book.
The story is so touching, I couldn't stop cringing whenever something bad happened to the main character.
I never hated any character as much as I did Rufus. And that's the magic of it. This book and this story is very much worth the discomfort.

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lay_kone's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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lyndsay_bibliophile's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Kindred is an exploration of race, history, and the nuance of human connection. The female MC processes the brutal realities of slavery and its lingering legacy.

The pace of storytelling keeps you constantly engaged. Butler writes with raw honesty on racism and violence, past and present. There is graphic violence that some may find difficult, but it is impactful and necessary for the story content. This book is not for the faint of heart, but it is important - a must-read for anyone interested in historical fiction, social justice, or exceptional storytelling.

The ending left a lot of unanswered questions, but I think that was the point. It’s a book intended to keep you thinking, long after finishing it.

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aksmith92's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

Wow, this book may be relatively on the short side but it packed a huge punch. Kindred is about Dana, a woman living in the "modern" 1970s who somehow travels through time in the 1800s to save a child called Rufus. We are introduced to the characters in this novel, knowing little about how this time-traveling works or why it is happening to Dana, although around page 20, we begin to gather some pieces.

When all is said and done, this book may be sci-fi/fantasy (I believe Butler noted that she would call it "grim fantasy" in an interview since there was nothing scientific about it), but it's more real than we would like it to be. It's about race and an incredibly dark time in American history. Butler manages to intersect historical records and research with the time-traveling trope in a fascinating and beautiful (but, as most books about this time, horrible) way. It is incredibly well-written and emotional. It pained me to read this, but it was so important to read it at the same time.

As a note, Butler has decided to forgo a lot of explanation around this somewhat science fiction novel and has instead relied on metaphor and allegory during the more "fantastical" times of the novel. We don't get intense descriptions of the time travel or the "science" behind it - we just know it happens and its impacts. This is no spoiler and won't take away from the story, but those who are itching for more detail may find themselves frustrated. But, for a book of this caliber, I don't think it was at all needed.

I loved it and yet hated it so much because America at this time was awful. I had all the feels reading this book, but I thought it was incredibly well done. I'm sure excited to read more of Octavia Butler's stuff in the future.

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racheldallaire's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

This was incredible and every time I had to stop reading, it stayed in my mind until I could get back to it. Butler's unique way of presenting slavery through the eyes of a modern woman was amazing-clever, and so well-written. I grew to love Dana and Kevin. Rufus, Alice, and all the others were so well developed and I started to feel as if I knew them. This book is heartbreaking and honest about chattel slavery and the many, many abuses it allowed and even encouraged. Even so, it's an important book and one I believe you should make time for. I am coming away from it freshly horrified at our nation's history, pained at how little has changed, and introspective about what I can and need to do to change things for the future. I am also coming away with an incredible amount of respect and awe for Butler's writing-I cannot wait to read more of her books.

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