Good morning all you wonderful bookworms,
Are you ready for another book review? I sure am! Today’s review is for Kindred by Octavia Butler.
I watched the TV show adaptation of this novel and loved it, so I thought I would enjoy this one. I’ve also heard a lot of praise for Octavia Butler and I wanted to experience her works for myself. Quick note, this novel covers the topic of slavery and has a lot of abuse and sensitive subject matter in it, so if think that may be too extreme for you, you may want to try out another book.
Alright, let’s see how this one went!
Blurb
The visionary author’s masterpiece pulls us—along with her Black female hero—through time to face the horrors of slavery and explore the impacts of racism, sexism, and white supremacy then and now.
Dana, a modern Black woman, is celebrating her 26th birthday with her new husband when she is snatched abruptly from her home in California and transported to the antebellum South. Rufus, the white son of a plantation owner, is drowning, and Dana has been summoned to save him. Dana is drawn back repeatedly through time to the slave quarters, and each time the stay grows longer, more arduous, and more dangerous until it is uncertain whether or not Dana’s life will end, long before it has a chance to begin.
GoodReads
Amazon
***Brief disclosure***
I am an Amazon affiliate and earn a tiny commission for purchases made through the Amazon links in this post at no cost to you. It’s a great way to help me keep things running on my blog if you’re already intrigued enough to make a purchase.
The Review
Holy moly, this book had such an impact on me!
This novel follows Dana, a young black woman and her white husband Kevin. After moving into a new home, Dana finds herself feeling suddenly sick. The next thing she knows, she’s been whisked away in time to the 1800s before slavery was abolished. As she discovers that her ancestors are her now oppressors, Dana struggles to cope with the brutal realities of the era and must find a way to get back home in one piece while preserving her family line.
Man, this book was brutal. There are a lot of sensitive subjects covered in this book: slavery, abuse, torture, self harm, and incest just to name a few. I felt that the author did a ton of research, and while I’m not savvy to the details of slavery in the era covered, the picture painted felt authentic and raw.
Dana was a joy to follow. Her modern sensibilities are constantly challenged in the 1800s and she struggles to maintain her sense of self through the great adversity she must overcome. As her journey progresses, she’s forced to make more and more compromises and difficult decisions, and she had a great sense of morality. Her husband Kevin was a great supporter of her and never gave up on her, even though he couldn’t fully understand her struggle at times.
As for the writing, I tend to avoid anything deemed a classic because the writing often feels outdated, but that wasn’t the case with this one. The writing is clear and to the point, and I really appreciated that because that means anyone can give this book a go.
The plot was complex and intriguing. Dana goes back and forth through time, only allowed brief respites in modern times before she is pulled back again and subjected to extreme and unfair living conditions. At times I wanted to cry for her. Other times I wanted to punch a hole in the wall at the injustice of it all.
This book has all the feels and then some, so if you are looking for a phenomenal classic that doesn’t pull its punches, this book is for you!
That’s A Wrap!
Well that’s it for this book review. I hope you enjoyed it!
Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!
Have a great day!
Join My ARC & Street Review Team | Subscribe
Facebook | GoodReads | Bookbub | Instagram| YouTube