Reviews with content warning for Racism - Kindred

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.

Content Warnings

badbadwolf's review against another edition

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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 against another edition

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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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porshainielsen's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Going into this book I was expecting some more uppity-academic-like jargon, but was pleasantly surprised. This story was extremely fast-paced and digestible. It was almost too fast-paced, I wanted more from it.

I knocked down a star just because I felt that Dana was lacking emotional depth. When she is separated from her husband it's kind of an ehh situation and she just keeps moving. At the end of the book, even when there are two violent deaths, it feels like she almost immediately recovers, and not in a way to protect herself. At first, this feels like this is because she simply does not have time to feel these strong emotions as she is thrust in and out of the 18th century, but eventually, you'd think there would be a time for the reader to see some of it. Similarly, with Rufus, he is also lacking growth. Although it is a part of the plot for him to become a "man of the times," there still could have been more emotion from his character. The way that he and the other characters just accept Dana as a time traveler seems pretty crazy for the time; including her jeans, her aspirin pills, etc. I kind of enjoyed that part though, because in other time travel novels, it feels like they beat it over the head how different they are from the time they traveled to.

Overall, would check out more of Octavia Butler's books and might even watch the show!

Content Warnings

sabripolin's review against another edition

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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.

Content Warnings

dixiecarroll's review against another edition

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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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maddyreads89's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Octavia butler sure knows how to write emotionally brutal books

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