A review by jedore
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

dark informative sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

"Slavery was a long slow process of dulling.”

When I heard about this book, which is a blend of historical and light science fiction, I was intrigued. I'm a huge fan of the former and interested in reading more of the latter. 

The portrayal of the master-slave relationship was the most powerful aspect of this book for me. The psychology of it all was extremely insightful and educational. So tragic. 

I didn't like the book as much as the majority of the others who have reviewed it or as much as I had hoped. 

For a couple of reasons...

  • The dialogue sometimes came across as over-explanatory and preachy. It's distracting to me (in both TV and literature) when characters over explain things to each other. In this case, it made the book feel a bit like Young Adult fiction vs Well-Read Adult Fiction. 
  • It was probably intentional on the author's part, but I didn't find any of the characters really lovable. In fact, on numerous occasions, the heroine got on my nerves. 

This book solidified what I already suspected—my highly principled self would not have survived in the time of slavery. I would never have been able to "play along," no matter what my color. My mouth, my actions, or myself would have been the death of me. 
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