Kindred is a 1979 novel by Octavia E. Butler that blends science fiction with historical fiction by combining time travel with slave narratives. Dana is a Black woman who is a writer living in Los Angeles. She suddenly finds herself being transported back and forth between the then-present and a plantation in Maryland before the Civil War. During her travels to the past, Dana meets ancestors both enslaved and slave owners at different points in their lives. In effort to ensure that she will exist in the future, Dana tries to balance navigating antebellum society with attempting to have a positive influence on her ancestors.

Media

YouTube Video

Podcast Episode

Show Notes

Coming Soon.

Shop on Amazon

More Content

Disclosure: Noire Histoir is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for the website to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Noire Histoir will receive commissions for purchases made via any Amazon Affiliate links above.

Stylized Kindred title taken from the book's cover art.

Kindred [Book Review]

Natasha

Natasha is a marketer by day and a voracious reader at all other times. She developed a passion for history and storytelling as a child and became increasingly interested in global Black nonfiction and literature as an adult.

Book Reviews

historical fiction los angeles maryland science fiction slavery