Kindred was a hard read because it’s so emotional, but it’s incredible. It’s partially science fiction, mostly a first-person narrative of enslaved people in America. I think Butler cleverly and successfully uses the science fiction elements to make the story hit harder, to make you feel, vividly, the experiences.
Without seeing it or experiencing it, it’s impossible to emotionally grasp what slavery was like in America, but this book did more for my understanding – if understanding is really the word, maybe what I should say is appreciation of the tragedy of slavery. It’s so well done and so engaging: this was a really good read.