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A review by noonjinx
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I thought this was OK but not amazing. Toni Morrison’s Beloved was far more upsetting and thought provoking.
The antagonist is unpleasant and petty and does some awful things but doesn’t really have any sort of character arc. Because of his relationship with the protagonist I thought he might redeem himself but it never happened. Maybe Butler was trying to show how ordinary and natural slavery felt to white people.
Also, the science fiction element is very light, not really explored, and ultimately pointless. The idea of a mixed race 20th century couple dropped into a 19th century slave plantation is really interesting but I never really believed how they reacted or how they were treated.
I felt like Butler thought of a cool idea but then didn’t know where to go with it, ending up stuck in a melodrama. For me, that’s the worst sort of science fiction and this would have worked better as a historical story.
The antagonist is unpleasant and petty and does some awful things but doesn’t really have any sort of character arc. Because of his relationship with the protagonist I thought he might redeem himself but it never happened. Maybe Butler was trying to show how ordinary and natural slavery felt to white people.
Also, the science fiction element is very light, not really explored, and ultimately pointless. The idea of a mixed race 20th century couple dropped into a 19th century slave plantation is really interesting but I never really believed how they reacted or how they were treated.
I felt like Butler thought of a cool idea but then didn’t know where to go with it, ending up stuck in a melodrama. For me, that’s the worst sort of science fiction and this would have worked better as a historical story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Racism, and Slavery
Minor: Rape