![]() On the one hand, I love that it surprised me. “When your rage is choking you, it is best to say nothing.” Despite the vampire elements, this is wholly a science fiction story, as further reading will reveal. ![]() This is Octavia Butler’s take on vampirism, blending common tropes and elements known to vampire lore together with her own unique take and twists on the matter. She’s a vampire, and she knows what that means. Slowly, her functions and her memories return. She has no memories, she’s hurting, and she’s hungry. Seriously, I had such high hopes, even before reading the description of this tale.įledgling begins with our girl waking up. Still, I just knew that I had to read her take on vampires. It’ll shake you to your core, as it should.īefore now, I’ve only read one other novel by Octavia Butler, and that was only recently. It portrays a darker side of history, and humanity, all while raising many interesting points and questions. Kindred is a novel to read if you want to be fascinated, horrified, blow over, and more. “Like all good works of fiction, it lies like the truth.” As this is a book that had me crying on more than one occasion. It certainly worked well in regards to increasing the impact. It addresses many issues, but it does so through a specific lens, and I hope that this will make it more approachable. ![]() The combination of fiction and fact makes for a raw and painful read – but it’s also powerful and beautiful. This novel is moving for a variety of reasons. I can already see why Octavia Butler is so highly talked about – and can’t wait to continue reading through her works. I don’t even know where to begin this review. “Repressive societies always seemed to understand the danger of “wrong” ideas.” Over the course of this novel, she learns about the causes for her trips, as well as the history – and horror – of her family’s past. She is the descendant of slaves, a fact that is thrown into the forefront thanks to the unexpected ability to travel back in time. It follows Dana, a woman with a strong connection to a dark time in America’s history. Kindred is a blend of science fiction, and historical fiction, with strong time travel, fantasy, and memoir elements mixed in for added elements. Butler, it’s been a novel sitting on my TBR list for way too long. Her papers are held in the research collection of the Huntington Library.Kindred is one of those foundational science fiction/time travel novels that I’ve been hearing about all of my life. Butler died of a stroke at the age of 58. She also taught writer's workshops, and eventually relocated to Washington state. Her books and short stories drew the favorable attention of the public and awards judges. She soon sold her first stories and by the late 1970s had become sufficiently successful as an author that she was able to pursue writing full-time. ![]() She attended community college during the Black Power movement, and while participating in a local writer's workshop was encouraged to attend the Clarion Workshop, which focused on science fiction. She began writing science fiction as a teenager. Extremely shy as a child, Octavia found an outlet at the library reading fantasy, and in writing. In 1995, she became the first science fiction writer to receive the MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Grant.Īfter her father died, Butler was raised by her widowed mother. Octavia Estelle Butler was an American science fiction writer, one of the best-known among the few African-American women in the field.
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