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Kindred Paperback – January 1, 2003
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Octavia E. Butler
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Octavia E. Butler
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Print length288 pages
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LanguageEnglish
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PublisherBeacon Press
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Publication dateJanuary 1, 2003
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Reading age14 - 18 years
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Dimensions5.4 x 0.8 x 8 inches
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ISBN-100807083690
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ISBN-13978-0807083697
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Lexile measure580L
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Octavia Butler is a writer who will be with us for a long, long time, and Kindred is that rare magical artifact . . . the novel one returns to, again and again.—Harlan Ellison
"One cannot finish Kindred without feeling changed. It is a shattering work of art with much to say about love, hate, slavery, and racial dilemmas, then and now." —Sam Frank, Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
"In Kindred, Octavia Butler creates a road for the impossible and a balm for the unbearable. It is everything the literature of science fiction can be." —Walter Mosley
"Truly terrifying . . . A book you'll find hard to put down."—Essence
"Butler's books are exceptional . . . She is a realist, writing the most detailed social criticism and creating some of the most fascinating female characters in the genre . . . real women caught in impossible situations."—Dorothy Allison, Village Voice
"Butler's literary craftsmanship is superb."—Washington Post Book World
"One of the most original, thought-provoking works examining race and identity."—Lynell George, Los Angeles Times
This powerful novel about a modern black woman transported back in time to a slave plantation in the antebellum South is the perfect introduction to Butler's work and perspectives for those not usually enamored of science fiction. . .A harrowing, haunting story." —John Marshall, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"No other work of fantasy or science fiction writings brings the intimate environment of the antebellum South to life better than Octavia E. Butler's Kindred." —Kevin Weston, San Francisco Chronicle
"A celebrated mainstay of college courses in women's studies and black literature and culture; some colleges require it as mandatory freshman reading." —Linell Smith, The Baltimore Sun
"Kindred is as much a novel of psychological horror as it is a novel of science fiction. . .a work of art whose individual accomplishment defies categorization." —Barbara Strickland, The Austin Chronicle
"A startling and engrossing commentary on the complex actuality and continuing heritage of American slavery." —Sherley Anne Williams, Ms.
"Her books are disturbing, unsettling… In a field dominated by white male authors, Butler's African-American feminist perspective is unique, and uniquely suited to reshape the boundaries of the sci-fi genre." —Bill Glass, L. A. Style
"One cannot finish Kindred without feeling changed. It is a shattering work of art with much to say about love, hate, slavery, and racial dilemmas, then and now." —Sam Frank, Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
"In Kindred, Octavia Butler creates a road for the impossible and a balm for the unbearable. It is everything the literature of science fiction can be." —Walter Mosley
"Truly terrifying . . . A book you'll find hard to put down."—Essence
"Butler's books are exceptional . . . She is a realist, writing the most detailed social criticism and creating some of the most fascinating female characters in the genre . . . real women caught in impossible situations."—Dorothy Allison, Village Voice
"Butler's literary craftsmanship is superb."—Washington Post Book World
"One of the most original, thought-provoking works examining race and identity."—Lynell George, Los Angeles Times
This powerful novel about a modern black woman transported back in time to a slave plantation in the antebellum South is the perfect introduction to Butler's work and perspectives for those not usually enamored of science fiction. . .A harrowing, haunting story." —John Marshall, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"No other work of fantasy or science fiction writings brings the intimate environment of the antebellum South to life better than Octavia E. Butler's Kindred." —Kevin Weston, San Francisco Chronicle
"A celebrated mainstay of college courses in women's studies and black literature and culture; some colleges require it as mandatory freshman reading." —Linell Smith, The Baltimore Sun
"Kindred is as much a novel of psychological horror as it is a novel of science fiction. . .a work of art whose individual accomplishment defies categorization." —Barbara Strickland, The Austin Chronicle
"A startling and engrossing commentary on the complex actuality and continuing heritage of American slavery." —Sherley Anne Williams, Ms.
"Her books are disturbing, unsettling… In a field dominated by white male authors, Butler's African-American feminist perspective is unique, and uniquely suited to reshape the boundaries of the sci-fi genre." —Bill Glass, L. A. Style
About the Author
Octavia E. Butler (1947-2006) was the author of many novels, including Dawn, Wild Seed, andParable of the Sower. She was the recipient of a MacArthur Award and a Nebula Award, and she twice won the Hugo Award.
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Product details
- Publisher : Beacon Press (January 1, 2003)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 288 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0807083690
- ISBN-13 : 978-0807083697
- Reading age : 14 - 18 years
- Lexile measure : 580L
- Item Weight : 12 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.4 x 0.8 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,600 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
6,990 global ratings
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2017
Verified Purchase
I am a 72 yo white male who was born and raised in the deep South. I left that environment as a teenager, which probably made the difference in my attitude toward the significance of race. Butler made me feel like I was that 26-year-old black woman. Her skillful writing transported me to a place and time that I am certain truly existed in the manner she constructed. I found myself doing some soul-searching after reading the novel kindred. I wish I had been exposed to her while she was still alive, But I will probably wind up reading all of her books now.
356 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars
An atypical sci-fi novel dealing with time travel, slavery, and familial connection. A Gem.
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2018Verified Purchase
I love sci-fi, so when I first heard about Octavia Butler, I jumped on Amazon and bought the first book I saw.
In Kindred, Dana, a modern young African American writer who recently married an older white man, gets mysteriously transported back in time to a pre-Civil War plantation owned by the family of her oldest known relative, Rufus. Dana is called back to save Rufus’s life over and over again, presumably preserving her own life in the process. What happens to her in the past stays with her in a very real way.
This novel is incredible. I couldn’t put it down. It was written in 1979, but it could have been written last year. Elements of Butler’s own life and frustrations with race issues during her life shine through in parts.
This novel deals with love, familial connection, loss, time travel, slavery, and the complex emotions that arise when these things interconnect. To quote Dana:
"Strangely, they seemed to like him, hold him in contempt, and fear him all at the same time. This confused me because I felt just about the same mixture of emotions for him myself. I had thought my feelings were complicated because he and I had such a strange relationship. But then, slavery of any kind fostered strange relationships. Only the overseer drew simple, unconflicting emotions of hatred and fear when he appeared briefly. But then, it was part of the overseer’s job to be hated and feared while the master kept his hands clean."
This is a great book. It makes the deep personal toll slavery takes on its victims very real. I’m seeking out more of Octavia Butler’s books in the near future.
In Kindred, Dana, a modern young African American writer who recently married an older white man, gets mysteriously transported back in time to a pre-Civil War plantation owned by the family of her oldest known relative, Rufus. Dana is called back to save Rufus’s life over and over again, presumably preserving her own life in the process. What happens to her in the past stays with her in a very real way.
This novel is incredible. I couldn’t put it down. It was written in 1979, but it could have been written last year. Elements of Butler’s own life and frustrations with race issues during her life shine through in parts.
This novel deals with love, familial connection, loss, time travel, slavery, and the complex emotions that arise when these things interconnect. To quote Dana:
"Strangely, they seemed to like him, hold him in contempt, and fear him all at the same time. This confused me because I felt just about the same mixture of emotions for him myself. I had thought my feelings were complicated because he and I had such a strange relationship. But then, slavery of any kind fostered strange relationships. Only the overseer drew simple, unconflicting emotions of hatred and fear when he appeared briefly. But then, it was part of the overseer’s job to be hated and feared while the master kept his hands clean."
This is a great book. It makes the deep personal toll slavery takes on its victims very real. I’m seeking out more of Octavia Butler’s books in the near future.
123 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
First, I am not a big fan of science fiction. For a reading challenge, I was tasked with reading a work of science fiction by an author of color or with a main character of color. Two birds, one book with Octavia Butler’s Kindred. Plus, it gives me a reason to read a prolific writer who I have been ignoring. Extra bonus, I would consider this Sci Fi light. There are no aliens, no robots, and no weird machines. Only time travel with no devices required.
The novel is set in 1976 in California. African American Dana is newly married to white guy Will. They are both writers, he more successful. They move into a new home. Dana feels dizzy and poof—there she is in antebellum Maryland saving a white boy named Rufus from drowning. Task accomplished and she returns home, finding that she was gone for only a few seconds in 1979 but for a longer spell in the 1800’s. Rufus is the young son of a plantation and slave owner and is also a distant relation to Dana. Whenever he is in danger (which is often) she is somehow summoned to save him. Her visits to the south last for longer periods of time and sometimes her husband Will accompanies her. Dana believes she must continue to save Rufus otherwise he will not be alive to father a child with a slave; that child being one of Dana’s ancestors. No Rufus, no Dana. Dana obviously does not fit in and passes herself off as a free black from the north, though Will is her “master” and lover. On the plantation she is often treated as a slave because there is nothing more threatening to slave owners than an educated black woman. She herself is often in danger and suffers atrocities along with the other slaves.
This was a quick read and an interesting story, but I did not love it. I’m not a fan of time travel in novels, but that was a very minor part of the story. It was fairly easily accepted by all involved, including those on the plantation. Most of the book takes place on the plantation and these are the most compelling sections. That said, I don’t think that those scenes were much different than any other book set in that period. Toni Morrison and Kathleen Grissom (The Kitchen House and Glory Over Everything) are much better writers. Also, some of the interesting dynamics were not explored in enough depth for me. Dana’s love/hate relationship with Rufus, her relationship with her white husband both in current and past times, and her fear that her husband would be altered by his exposure to conventions in the early 1800’s. In fairness, this book was written in 1979 and the author may have gone as far as one could go with those issues. This book is 3.5 stars for me. I am unlikely to read another of Ms. Butler’s books.
The novel is set in 1976 in California. African American Dana is newly married to white guy Will. They are both writers, he more successful. They move into a new home. Dana feels dizzy and poof—there she is in antebellum Maryland saving a white boy named Rufus from drowning. Task accomplished and she returns home, finding that she was gone for only a few seconds in 1979 but for a longer spell in the 1800’s. Rufus is the young son of a plantation and slave owner and is also a distant relation to Dana. Whenever he is in danger (which is often) she is somehow summoned to save him. Her visits to the south last for longer periods of time and sometimes her husband Will accompanies her. Dana believes she must continue to save Rufus otherwise he will not be alive to father a child with a slave; that child being one of Dana’s ancestors. No Rufus, no Dana. Dana obviously does not fit in and passes herself off as a free black from the north, though Will is her “master” and lover. On the plantation she is often treated as a slave because there is nothing more threatening to slave owners than an educated black woman. She herself is often in danger and suffers atrocities along with the other slaves.
This was a quick read and an interesting story, but I did not love it. I’m not a fan of time travel in novels, but that was a very minor part of the story. It was fairly easily accepted by all involved, including those on the plantation. Most of the book takes place on the plantation and these are the most compelling sections. That said, I don’t think that those scenes were much different than any other book set in that period. Toni Morrison and Kathleen Grissom (The Kitchen House and Glory Over Everything) are much better writers. Also, some of the interesting dynamics were not explored in enough depth for me. Dana’s love/hate relationship with Rufus, her relationship with her white husband both in current and past times, and her fear that her husband would be altered by his exposure to conventions in the early 1800’s. In fairness, this book was written in 1979 and the author may have gone as far as one could go with those issues. This book is 3.5 stars for me. I am unlikely to read another of Ms. Butler’s books.
54 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries
Scarlet Aingeal
4.0 out of 5 stars
I'm keen to read more by Octavia Butler, but I'm left with questions...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 8, 2017Verified Purchase
I went into this expecting it to blow my socks off as I've seen many people raving about it, but that's not what happened. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed it, it was engaging, the plot was great, and I flew through it in no time, but it wasn't what I was expecting.
The writing was simplistic and easily readable. It didn't require much concentration or dedication to get through and I wasn't expecting that. I don't know if I am disappointed because my expectations were too high, or because the author approached the important topics of race relations and slavery using such simplistic language and writing style.
I went into it with something more complex in mind, a deeper hard to read story and message, but I feel it was overly simplified and somewhat dumbed down in order to entertain or make it a lighter read. I highly doubt it was used as a plot device for entertainment purposes, but at times it felt that way. Perhaps it's a victim of its time, had it been written more recently this wouldn't have been the case as today's readers are more open to the truth of the brutality and realism of slavery.
The above makes it sound like I didn't enjoy it, I did and I'm keen to read more by Octavia Butler, but I'm left with questions. The time travel just happens, there's no explanation given for Dana being pulled back in time. How was Rufus able to pull Dana back to his time? What effect did her interactions with her past relatives have on her present timeline, family, and bloodline?
The writing was simplistic and easily readable. It didn't require much concentration or dedication to get through and I wasn't expecting that. I don't know if I am disappointed because my expectations were too high, or because the author approached the important topics of race relations and slavery using such simplistic language and writing style.
I went into it with something more complex in mind, a deeper hard to read story and message, but I feel it was overly simplified and somewhat dumbed down in order to entertain or make it a lighter read. I highly doubt it was used as a plot device for entertainment purposes, but at times it felt that way. Perhaps it's a victim of its time, had it been written more recently this wouldn't have been the case as today's readers are more open to the truth of the brutality and realism of slavery.
The above makes it sound like I didn't enjoy it, I did and I'm keen to read more by Octavia Butler, but I'm left with questions. The time travel just happens, there's no explanation given for Dana being pulled back in time. How was Rufus able to pull Dana back to his time? What effect did her interactions with her past relatives have on her present timeline, family, and bloodline?
22 people found this helpful
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Navanski
4.0 out of 5 stars
I must be missing something
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 28, 2020Verified Purchase
There are some absolutely golden reviews for this book.
I found the way the book was written was simple and easy to read. This created a distinct impression that this book was aimed at an audience which were still at school. The fact that the book covered the subject of slavery, a subject which should be explored by young students, added to the impression that this was a school text book.
The book breaks no new ground in terms of the way it handles time travel. I had worked out the connection between the first and last chapters very early in the book.
Kindred covers the subject of slavery as it should, with pain, hate and distaste. I think the problem I have is that this topic, due to my personal chronology, has been well covered by the likes of Roots by Alex Haley. If I had read Kindred in the late 70s, when it was written then perhaps the reverse would be true.
I enjoyed the book, don't misunderstand me, but Kindred did not generate the enthusiasm that I was expecting.
I found the way the book was written was simple and easy to read. This created a distinct impression that this book was aimed at an audience which were still at school. The fact that the book covered the subject of slavery, a subject which should be explored by young students, added to the impression that this was a school text book.
The book breaks no new ground in terms of the way it handles time travel. I had worked out the connection between the first and last chapters very early in the book.
Kindred covers the subject of slavery as it should, with pain, hate and distaste. I think the problem I have is that this topic, due to my personal chronology, has been well covered by the likes of Roots by Alex Haley. If I had read Kindred in the late 70s, when it was written then perhaps the reverse would be true.
I enjoyed the book, don't misunderstand me, but Kindred did not generate the enthusiasm that I was expecting.
4 people found this helpful
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Anne bonny book reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a powerful novel. It is intelligent and generates deep thought 5*
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2018Verified Purchase
Kindred is such an exceptionally difficult novel to describe. Especially when it comes to the area of genre. It has themes of historical slavery, time travel and at it’s heart a beautiful romance between Dana and her husband Kevin.
Although it is tricky to describe and review, I urge you to buy a copy! You won’t be disappointed.
It is June 9th 1976, Dana’s 26th birthday when she first meets Rufus. She saves his life from drowning in the river and is met with the threat of death via the barrel of a gun!
Dana then reappears in the modern day (1976). Was this a dream? An hallucination? Dana desperately tries to piece it all together. Rufus’s southern accent, the scenery etc.
Dana continues to be drawn and pulled back into the past every time Rufus encounters trouble. When Dana plays close attention to Rufus’s language and the dialogue of his conversations, she then realises, she is in a dark era of time. Dana is being transported back to 1815. Also not just any location but the Weylin Plantation where 38 slaves are held. This is an extremely dangerous era for Dana to be pulled into.
‘The possibility of meeting a white adult here frightened me, more than the possibility of street violence ever had at home’ – Dana
‘Paperless blacks were fair game for any white’
In the modern day (1976) Dana is married to Kevin Franklin. The story of who they met and fell in love is incorporated into the story. He is the only person to have physically witnessed Dana’s journeys into the past and has deep concern. It may be worth noting Dana is African American and Frank is white. Something Rufus refuses to believe, when she attempts to explain the future to him.
‘Rufus fear of death calls me to him, and my own fear of death sends me home’ – Dana
There are violent scenes and scenes where you see the KKK in all their evil glory. They are painful to read but describe the violence and dehumanisation that was inflicted upon slaves and free black people in 1815.
‘Strength. Endurance. To survive, my ancestors had to put up with more than I ever could. Much more’ – Dana
In the lucid moments in the present day (1976) Dana and her husband frantically search for a link between her past and Rufus’s. Their research leads them to believe there is in fact a biological connection of some sort between Dana and Rufus but how?
‘I was the worse possible guardian for him – a black to watch over him in a society that considered blacks subhuman. A woman to watch over him in a society that considered women perennial children’
This is a powerful novel. It is intelligent and generates deep thought. The hierarchy of slavery and violence is fully explored.
I shall leave some of the thought-provoking quotes I noted below. 5*
‘I never realised how easily people could be trained to accept slavery’ – Dana
‘There was no shame in raping a black woman, but there could be shame in loving one’
‘It was so easy to advise other people to live with their pain’ – Dana
‘I had no enforceable rights. None at all’ – Dana
Although it is tricky to describe and review, I urge you to buy a copy! You won’t be disappointed.
It is June 9th 1976, Dana’s 26th birthday when she first meets Rufus. She saves his life from drowning in the river and is met with the threat of death via the barrel of a gun!
Dana then reappears in the modern day (1976). Was this a dream? An hallucination? Dana desperately tries to piece it all together. Rufus’s southern accent, the scenery etc.
Dana continues to be drawn and pulled back into the past every time Rufus encounters trouble. When Dana plays close attention to Rufus’s language and the dialogue of his conversations, she then realises, she is in a dark era of time. Dana is being transported back to 1815. Also not just any location but the Weylin Plantation where 38 slaves are held. This is an extremely dangerous era for Dana to be pulled into.
‘The possibility of meeting a white adult here frightened me, more than the possibility of street violence ever had at home’ – Dana
‘Paperless blacks were fair game for any white’
In the modern day (1976) Dana is married to Kevin Franklin. The story of who they met and fell in love is incorporated into the story. He is the only person to have physically witnessed Dana’s journeys into the past and has deep concern. It may be worth noting Dana is African American and Frank is white. Something Rufus refuses to believe, when she attempts to explain the future to him.
‘Rufus fear of death calls me to him, and my own fear of death sends me home’ – Dana
There are violent scenes and scenes where you see the KKK in all their evil glory. They are painful to read but describe the violence and dehumanisation that was inflicted upon slaves and free black people in 1815.
‘Strength. Endurance. To survive, my ancestors had to put up with more than I ever could. Much more’ – Dana
In the lucid moments in the present day (1976) Dana and her husband frantically search for a link between her past and Rufus’s. Their research leads them to believe there is in fact a biological connection of some sort between Dana and Rufus but how?
‘I was the worse possible guardian for him – a black to watch over him in a society that considered blacks subhuman. A woman to watch over him in a society that considered women perennial children’
This is a powerful novel. It is intelligent and generates deep thought. The hierarchy of slavery and violence is fully explored.
I shall leave some of the thought-provoking quotes I noted below. 5*
‘I never realised how easily people could be trained to accept slavery’ – Dana
‘There was no shame in raping a black woman, but there could be shame in loving one’
‘It was so easy to advise other people to live with their pain’ – Dana
‘I had no enforceable rights. None at all’ – Dana
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a powerful novel. It is intelligent and generates deep thought 5*
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2018
Kindred is such an exceptionally difficult novel to describe. Especially when it comes to the area of genre. It has themes of historical slavery, time travel and at it’s heart a beautiful romance between Dana and her husband Kevin.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2018
Although it is tricky to describe and review, I urge you to buy a copy! You won’t be disappointed.
It is June 9th 1976, Dana’s 26th birthday when she first meets Rufus. She saves his life from drowning in the river and is met with the threat of death via the barrel of a gun!
Dana then reappears in the modern day (1976). Was this a dream? An hallucination? Dana desperately tries to piece it all together. Rufus’s southern accent, the scenery etc.
Dana continues to be drawn and pulled back into the past every time Rufus encounters trouble. When Dana plays close attention to Rufus’s language and the dialogue of his conversations, she then realises, she is in a dark era of time. Dana is being transported back to 1815. Also not just any location but the Weylin Plantation where 38 slaves are held. This is an extremely dangerous era for Dana to be pulled into.
‘The possibility of meeting a white adult here frightened me, more than the possibility of street violence ever had at home’ – Dana
‘Paperless blacks were fair game for any white’
In the modern day (1976) Dana is married to Kevin Franklin. The story of who they met and fell in love is incorporated into the story. He is the only person to have physically witnessed Dana’s journeys into the past and has deep concern. It may be worth noting Dana is African American and Frank is white. Something Rufus refuses to believe, when she attempts to explain the future to him.
‘Rufus fear of death calls me to him, and my own fear of death sends me home’ – Dana
There are violent scenes and scenes where you see the KKK in all their evil glory. They are painful to read but describe the violence and dehumanisation that was inflicted upon slaves and free black people in 1815.
‘Strength. Endurance. To survive, my ancestors had to put up with more than I ever could. Much more’ – Dana
In the lucid moments in the present day (1976) Dana and her husband frantically search for a link between her past and Rufus’s. Their research leads them to believe there is in fact a biological connection of some sort between Dana and Rufus but how?
‘I was the worse possible guardian for him – a black to watch over him in a society that considered blacks subhuman. A woman to watch over him in a society that considered women perennial children’
This is a powerful novel. It is intelligent and generates deep thought. The hierarchy of slavery and violence is fully explored.
I shall leave some of the thought-provoking quotes I noted below. 5*
‘I never realised how easily people could be trained to accept slavery’ – Dana
‘There was no shame in raping a black woman, but there could be shame in loving one’
‘It was so easy to advise other people to live with their pain’ – Dana
‘I had no enforceable rights. None at all’ – Dana
Images in this review
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dustspeck
4.0 out of 5 stars
Has probably lost some of its impact
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2020Verified Purchase
This feels like a book that would have had more impact when it first came out. The slavery scenes, while harrowing, now feel like scenes that have been done before while they were much more original when this book first came out. Similarly some of the ideas of the time travel have been explored since but were much more original at the time the book was written.
Having said that it is still a good book. My main issue is that it is one of those books where the main protagonist is looking back at what has happened. As soon as that happens, the feelings of danger which would have been much stronger are diminished as you know she must survive. It is probably a 7 out of 10 book for me but 3 out of 5 feels much too low hence the mark of 4.
Having said that it is still a good book. My main issue is that it is one of those books where the main protagonist is looking back at what has happened. As soon as that happens, the feelings of danger which would have been much stronger are diminished as you know she must survive. It is probably a 7 out of 10 book for me but 3 out of 5 feels much too low hence the mark of 4.
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Kat Davis
5.0 out of 5 stars
highly recommend
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2021Verified Purchase
Firstly, this is not a scifi read despite the time travel. I'd call it historical speculative. There is no explanation for the mechanism behind the time travel, and one isn't needed, because it's not science fiction.
I read this in a single sitting, even dragging it into the kitchen to read while I made dinner. I could not put it down. It's powerful, with a strong psychological element that pulled me into Dana's character and had me thinking and feeling like her. I seriously doubted if he able to cope with what Dana had to endure both physically and mentally.
Kindred is also disturbing. It speaks to something highly relevant to many, especially at the moment, which in itself is horrifying considering the book is over 30 years old. It raises the question: how much and for how long must people of colour continue to endure? The same wounds fester and weep today as they did in 1979 and 1815.
This is a very raw read, and I imagine quite a number of people don't want to hear its message. It is, however, a message that needs to be heard. Highly recommend.
I read this in a single sitting, even dragging it into the kitchen to read while I made dinner. I could not put it down. It's powerful, with a strong psychological element that pulled me into Dana's character and had me thinking and feeling like her. I seriously doubted if he able to cope with what Dana had to endure both physically and mentally.
Kindred is also disturbing. It speaks to something highly relevant to many, especially at the moment, which in itself is horrifying considering the book is over 30 years old. It raises the question: how much and for how long must people of colour continue to endure? The same wounds fester and weep today as they did in 1979 and 1815.
This is a very raw read, and I imagine quite a number of people don't want to hear its message. It is, however, a message that needs to be heard. Highly recommend.
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