Kindred

I really enjoyed reading Kindred by Octavia Butler, a story of time travel from 1976 back to the days of her ancestors in the age of slavery (early 1800s) in the Maryland region.  The protagonist (a black writer named Dana) shuttles back and forth to the past whenever Rufus (the son of the land owner) is hurt or about to die.  Dana is placed in a strange predicament in attempting to help Rufus and at the same time learning about her family heritage.  Her “trips back in time” take little time from her 1976 life, but each time she returns a good amount of time passes in Maryland.  Dana, on one of the earlier passages back, takes her husband, Kevin (a white man), with her to Maryland and this allows Kevin the opportunity to first-hand experience the harsh realities that slaves face.  Dana is beaten and removed from Kevin for a portion of their time in Maryland.  Once reunited, they escape back to 1976.  I think the author does an outstanding job of illustrating today’s racism (Kevin’s family rejects him when he marries Dana) and paralleling this with the treatment of slave owner’s illegitimate children sold to other slave owners.  The “time traveling” adds nicely to the story interweaving the alleged abuse of Kevin to Dana (which isn’t really happening since it is what happens when she is on the farm) and the emotional trauma that happens when Dana is living in her present, knowing she is needed back to make the present happen.  The story captivated me and once again brought forward the issues of how hatred and greed can, and still do, rule our society.  A definite read!