Boston : Beacon Press, [2004], c1979.
287 p. ; 21 cm.
Kindred is a great novel. I had to state that before saying anything else about Butler's novel, such as how it is very creative science-fiction, well thought-out historical fiction, and an exciting read. It really is a wonderful book.
The premise of the plot involves an African-American woman in the 1970s who is suddenly and involuntarily thrown back into the early 1800s where she has to navigate the incredibly dangerous world of antebellum slavery in Maryland. She bounces back and forth several times, usually against her will, and the duration of time is very different in the past and present dimensions. I don't want to give away much more since many of the details of the time-travel are tightly woven into the plot of the novel.
It was serendipitous that I picked this book right after reading Twelve Years a Slave - they make perfect reading companions. The book, though written in the 1970s, is very timely with it's deep exploration of US slavery - exploring its effects on society, family, the psyche, ethics, and relationships.
Butler's accomplishment is to create a thrilling, fascinating and deeply disturbing story that is hard to put down. It's well-written, engaging, creative and...well, like I said, a great novel.
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