When Jade Eby Isn't Writing...

Originally published at my blog Chasing Empty Pavements

This book was like Time Traveler's Wife and The Help put together... it was SOO good. It takes such a talented writer to be able to write about slavery in the south and have it sound so authentic. Octavia Butler has mastered the line between science fiction/historical fiction. The premise is that Dana who is black in 1976 lives with her white husband. One day she becomes dizzy and travels back in time where she find a young boy drowning. She helps him...and thus begins a incredible cycle. There are so many wonderful things about this novel that make it work. First off- a writer who writes about things that are not possible (time travel) have the daunting task of making a reader believe it. If you write well enough, you can make a reader believe ANYTHING. (example...falling in love with vampires and werewolves). Butler effortlessly weaves the time traveling aspect into the novel without even a second doubt. By the end, I was wondering if I could do it. Secondly- The image of slavery in the south was so well researched that I was amazed with the exactness of it. The dialect, the culture, the "norms" of that time are all explored and done so very well. This was by far one of the best books I've read in a while and I so recommend it. I give it an A!