Reviews with content warning for Vomit - Kindred

The premise of the story is brilliant, but there are times that I felt like explanations were lacking.

I love historical fiction but am not in love with science fiction. I thought the way Bulter wove the two together was really impactful.

It's a easy read from the standpoint of the vocabulary and literary devices used, but hard to digest the reality of the entitlement that white people in the US felt (and still feel) toward black people to provide them labor, deference, comfort, and children. Those implications are the reason that people should read this book.

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barbarella85's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad 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

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hamstringy's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional slow-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

4.5

Octavia E. Butler has always been someone I said I should read, and boy is there a reason. This was a thoughtful and harrowing book all the way through. The characters have so much story to them, and the sci-fi/spec fic becomes more and more powerful as time passes.
I read Rick Riordan’s goodreads review and I think it sums the greatness of the book up:

We may be lulled into the feeling that we have advanced, that we have made progress as a society. But at any moment, we may be yanked back into the past and reminded of where we came from.

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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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maeverose's review against another edition

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4.5

I really do not have the words to properly review this. This book was just so good. I stayed up till 5am to finish it and should really be sleeping 😅

I love time travel stories and I think using that trope to discuss slavery in this way is so genius. It felt so real. The characters felt believable, particularly Rufus who was a very nuanced antagonist. Someone you could totally picture actually existing in that time. This was different than I expected in that I assumed Dana would have to be more covert and keep it a secret that she was from the future, but I think it was much more interesting this way. Alice’s story was so heartbreaking. I didn’t think it would go that way.

I think if you can handle the heavy content, you should read this. Especially if you’re a white American.

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