Kindred by Octavia Butler

Written in 1979 by Octavia Butler, winner of multiple Hugo awards, Kindred tells the story of Dana, a young black woman living in 1976 California. One day she is inexplicably transported back in time to antebellum Maryland, where she saves a young white boy named Rufus from drowning before being whisked back to her own living room, still dripping wet. She makes this journey to the past several times over the course of the summer, each time seemingly to rescue Rufus at various points throughout his life. The duration of her visits to the past is unpredictable, ranging from minutes to months and while she is there, she is forced to live as a slave. As she unravels her connection to Rufus and his family, she also experiences the consequences, both mental and physical, of slavery.

Readers who usually avoid science fiction should not be put off by this book. Time travel is simply used as a device to view slavery from a 20th century perspective and this novel will appeal to anyone interested in historical fiction, especially relating to race.

Kindred is also available as a graphic novel adaptation.