What would you do if you were a black woman living today, and suddenly found yourself transported to the antebellum South, where you were forced to live as a slave? That's what happened to Dana in Octavia Butler's Kindred. When the life of Rufus, son of a plantation owner, is in danger, Dana is drawn back to the past to save him. Her stays get longer and longer, and she learns that her family is connected to Rufus's plantation, and gets to meet and mingle with her ancestors.
Butler presents a dark image of plantation life, of which Dana experiences the good and the terrible. From a historical perspective, Kindred is a great introduction to life in the South, specifically the injustices suffered by the slaves. Dana got first-hand experience of succumbing to the abuse and degradation. Even in her relatively short stints, she learned to play-act her compliance, and allow herself to become numb to her plight. My stomach ached to think that just a few generations ago, in my own country, perhaps even my own ancestors owned and abused slaves the way Dana and her forbears were treated.
My only beef with the book, with I thoroughly enjoyed, was the fact that the time travel element was not developed at all. I mean, at least give us a hint as to why the time travel took place, through what means, if there are other episodes involving other people. Kindred is categorized as science fiction, but there is none of the explanatory material a sci-fi reader might expect. This is no more sci-fi than, for instance, Twain's Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.
But don't let this quibble detract you. It's really just an observation. This is a great book, deservedly still in print 35 years after publication.
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