KINDRED is about Dana, a young Black woman who is mysteriously pulled back through time to the antebellum South. The original novel is one of the most captivating and heartbreaking books I’ve ever read, and it was also my introduction to Octavia Butler’s work. After watching and discussing the tv show adaptation with a friend, we decided to buddy read this graphic novel adaptation. 

 

Before I read this I thought that this adaptation might feel rushed because it’s hard to translate all of the nuance and depth of the original story into a comic. So I'm surprised by how well this graphic novel captured the essence of the novel, and I thought it worked well. I was captivated and impressed by how well it highlighted and condensed important conversations from the original book. That said, this worked well for me because I’m already familiar with the novel. I think it would be jarring to read this without having read the novel first. 

 

The storytelling thoughtfully portrays Dana’s empathy, intelligence and awareness of her situation. One aspect clearly missing from the tv adaptation was Dana’s inner monologue (which is crucial to the story), but the graphic novel places this at the forefront and readers are never left guessing what she’s thinking. This adaptation also does a great job of portraying character personalities and relationships, and I enjoyed those aspects more here than I did in the show. 

 

Everything about the artwork is amazing—the colour choices set the mood and accentuate the story, and the facial expressions perfectly convey the intense emotions experienced by the characters. The art was the highlight of my reading experience. 

 

This graphic novel manages to be a succinct adaptation with thoughtful choices and emotional storytelling. I recommend picking this up after you’ve read the novel and/or watched the show.