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A review by maeverose
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Racial slurs, Slavery, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Misogyny, Rape, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Blood, Ableism, Child abuse, Medical content, Murder, Vomit, Gun violence, and Sexual assault
Minor: Police brutality
Drowning, Brief but graphic description of a violent birth in which both the mother and child are murdered. The ableism actually comes from Dana and Kevin, who use the r slur and act as if being mentally disabled is such a horrible thing. Dana also refers to being deaf as a ‘defect’.