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A review by booksjessreads
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
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? It's complicated
4.25
This is my first Octavia E. Butler's work and I am so excited to explore more of her writing. I really enjoyed reading Kindred and thought it offered a really challenging and tense environment throughout the whole book. There is absolutely no messing around, and you are taken immediately into the time-travelling realm. I have no experience with time travel with my previous books, but I did agree with the foreword, in that Butler has such a seemingly effortless way to bring in time travel to the scenes.
One message of the novel that was very reflective, which is noted by the characters themselves, is how quickly people can adapt to societal attitudes. Transporting back to the slave trade in 1815 meant that Dana had to adapt to living as an enslaved woman and one message that is really dominant is the idea that it is easy to slip into those societal norms, especially in a life-or-death situation. The dialogue was written so honestly here, and I felt that frustration alongside Dana.
This book does have some hard-hitting and raw descriptions of slavery, so please read the trigger warnings. However, if you can stomach gore/slavery etc., then this is an essential read. I think Butler's prose is blunt and honest which alludes to just some of the horror of the time. It is purposefully uncomfortable to read but Butler creates such a strong and absorbing atmosphere.
One criticism I do have is mainly about the structure of the book, although I can absolutely see why it has been written this way. The chapters were very long, and split into smaller parts. Each chapter reflects a specific part of Dana's time travel and so it is understandable that the structure follows closely to Dana's experience. I did find it harder to keep going at times because of this, but the story was so engaging it didn't put me off.
One message of the novel that was very reflective, which is noted by the characters themselves, is how quickly people can adapt to societal attitudes. Transporting back to the slave trade in 1815 meant that Dana had to adapt to living as an enslaved woman and one message that is really dominant is the idea that it is easy to slip into those societal norms, especially in a life-or-death situation. The dialogue was written so honestly here, and I felt that frustration alongside Dana.
This book does have some hard-hitting and raw descriptions of slavery, so please read the trigger warnings. However, if you can stomach gore/slavery etc., then this is an essential read. I think Butler's prose is blunt and honest which alludes to just some of the horror of the time. It is purposefully uncomfortable to read but Butler creates such a strong and absorbing atmosphere.
One criticism I do have is mainly about the structure of the book, although I can absolutely see why it has been written this way. The chapters were very long, and split into smaller parts. Each chapter reflects a specific part of Dana's time travel and so it is understandable that the structure follows closely to Dana's experience. I did find it harder to keep going at times because of this, but the story was so engaging it didn't put me off.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol