Published in 1979, Kindred weaves present day 1976 with antebellum Maryland in the 1800s. Dana, a black woman, is unexpectedly and mysteriously “called” back to her slave-owning ancestors plantation, and she travels back and forth in time to ensure her grandmother is born and her family heritage (and her own life!) comes to be.

Kindred is billed as “science fiction,” but to me it’s mostly historical fiction; it is also classified as a “neo-slave narrative.” The time travel device is easily explained and I was much more intrigued by Dana, her ancestors, and her struggle to understand and live during slavery.

Kindred is a compelling, suspenseful, and fascinating look at the relationship between slave owners and slaves, and the complexity of a contemporary woman trying to understand her family’s place in history.