Kindred, or Dredded Kin?
Dana, a modern black woman, is celebrating her twenty-sixth 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
Perhaps the greatest benefit to English 173 (Science fiction and the portrayal of race, gender, and society… or something similar) was my introduction to Octavia E. Butler. She’s a fantastic sci-fi novelist and my go-to gal for racial commentary in a fantastical context. I thoroughly enjoyed Dawn, despite the embarrassment I faced carrying my copy of Lilith’s Brood (the collection of the trilogy) on the bus (for it had a cleavage-showing gal covered by bed sheets as the cover… oh cover art designer, how I loathe you!). Fledgling was also a delectable treat, though the thought of a sexually active vampire with the appearance of a 10 year old (and an onslaught of suitors/lovers) made me slightly uncomfortable...
Kindred has been on my mental “To Read” list for almost a year. The greatest compliment I can give to this quick read is that Butler’s narrative never fails. It never stalls, gives great insight into the mind of strong womyn of color, and the character’s voice is always firm and interesting. However, that can also be a problem. If you’ve read Dawn and Fledgling, you’d notice that the voice of the female protagonist is practically the same. It gets tiring; only the premise differs. However, I must give Butler props on her quick-wit and crazy premises. The idea of a modern black womyn transported back in time to the Antebellum East coast to confront her ancestor (a slave owner who rapes her great-great-great-grandmum) is definitely an alluring concept.
Overall, it was a great read–very standard Butler fare though. I enjoyed it just as much as I enjoyed her other work. Butler never offers a reason for the fantastical element — the time travel, multiple timelines, etc. — but I was still content with the way everything played out.
8/10
