Historical Fiction; Family Drama
Roots is a classic example of historical fiction—you'd find it in the same section of the library as Wolf Hall, Number The Stars, and The Witch of Blackbird Pond. It blends historical fact, genealogical conjecture, and literary invention to create a work that shows us the history of a country through the eyes of one family. That's just about the textbook definition of historical fiction, folks.
This focus on familial relations also makes Roots a family drama. We meet generation after generation of the Kinte line, after all, and watch them stick together through traumatic experience after traumatic experience (after traumatic experience). As much as we're coming to the novel for historical reasons, we're kept entranced by the intertwining relationships of its central family.
…because when it comes to families, you really can't beat the Kinte clan for sheer force (and strength) of character.