Apart from the obvious themes of the novel being racism, slavery, sexism, survival and retribution, I have found this novel's other major theme is of people and their relationship to the past - be it their past, or the past of the history, the past of their relatives.

Dana is a 26-year old black woman married to slightly older Kevin (who is white), who are both writers. Due to inexplicable time shifts, she gets involved with the history of her ancestors in 19th Century Maryland, which include white owners of black slaves, black people who live in freedom, plantation community, among others. In the beginning, she time travels only for a few moments, but as the novel progresses, her stays in 19th Century Maryland get progressively longer.

Our heroine has to endure much of the harsh realities of 19th Century America, where she experiences the cruel and unrelenting nature of being a slave. Over the course of the novel, she has to make many tough decisions. The novel ends on a rather bittersweet note.

Dana's struggles seem to conjure the everpresent influence of past on her life. In the beginning, she wants to figure out why is she always transported in time to the same white boy, and later finds out some things in her past (which include not only her ancestral past, but the past with her husband Kevin) continue to haunt her. She doesn't reach her goal, and has to accept that some things might be lost forever.

I found this novel really compelling and quite harrowing, to be honest. The descriptions of the whippings, the constant use of n-word - it was all a bit of a shock to me. However, despite the reading experience being relatively unpleasant and uncomfortable, this is an important book to read, especially if you're non-black and want to see how slavery, despite all, still affects the black population of the US.