I didn’t realize we weren’t required to read Kindred in its entirety. If I had I think I would’ve read it all the way through, anyway. I couldn’t put it down after I’d started it.

I’ve heard a lot about Octavia Butler but had never read anything by her before. I’m not a huge sci-fi person (Vonnegut is the only science fiction author I can think of that I truly love). I do love a good historical fiction novel so I was taken with Kindred from the beginning.

I am a white person. Being an ally to people of color is really important to me.  I’ve found that reading about race issues from as many perspectives as possible helps me in my quest to be Not a Terrible Person. I’m bummed it took me so long to read Butler. This book was really good!

I haven’t felt so ragey towards characters in a book since Dolores Umbridge. You know an author is good at characterization when you want to reach into the world of the book and strangle someone. But, while Umbridge is intentionally malicious, the asshole-ishness of people like Rufus and Margaret are coming from a place within and they both completely lack self awareness. Dana and Rufus certainly forged a bond during her ideal but he was comfortable being a total dick to her despite their friendship which is maddening but also illustrative of the dynamic within the power structure before the civil war.

I’m really glad this novel exists to show the day to day realities of the enslaved. Much of it was horrific- seeing your family being split up and sold, being whipped and beaten, being sexually assaulted by gross old white dudes, your body being property. It also showed the fundamental humanity we all share. Despite all the awful things they had to endure there were still so many of the fundamental aspects of being human- community, falling in love, protecting each other, having children, celebrating Christmas. Experiences that transcend the boundaries of race.

Still, the experiencing this novel was incredibly harrowing for me. My ancestors didn’t have to deal with this- being enslaved and marginalized and dealing with the repercussions of that to this day. As a white American I have benefited from atrocities like these and I must acknowledge that. Kindred brought that to the front of my mind yet again, which is important. Those of us that have benefited from such horrors need to be consistently aware of it, thinking about it, being uncomfortable with it. We need to get rid of our crappy ideas like “reverse racism” and “color blindness” if we want to contribute to effort to end oppression.

I cried several times during this book. And then I thought about all the people in my life that need to read it. I passed it on to my mom, she read it almost as quickly as I did. Now it’s on to the next person.

Also, Dana is a BAMF. I would’ve killed Rufus way earlier if I had been in that situation, willing to risk negating my existence. Unlike Dana, I give up easily.