Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Passing

Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Passing by Nella Larsen

9 reviews

wytnie's review against another edition

4.5

I liked the book i was mainly interested in it because I'm black and wanted to see how this subject would be addressed in the past. I think the writing was interesting given how old it is but not bad. Thinking about reading "quicksand" that's also by Nella Larsen. Lastly, idk if its just me but sometimes it kind of felt like Clare and Irene liked each other because at times it gave "ex-girlfriends who still love each other" instead of old kinda sorta friends.

I will say, personally i am so happy that who died in the end did, i feel like it was the only way for things to get better for literally any of the other characters, I also think its kind of what she wanted in her own way.

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faith99's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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lateromantic's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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laindarko2's review against another edition

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challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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toffishay's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I am surprised that I waited so long to read this book; I really enjoyed it! This book explores themes of race, identity, and what we own others who we are in community with through the story of a Black woman "passing", moving through society as a white woman. Really though, the plot is about the relationship between Clare and Irene, what these two woman want out of their lives...and what they are willing to do to get it. If you like Sula by Toni Morrison (which I love) you'll like this book :)

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bibliocinephile's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

so incredibly good at capturing what it's like to be in love, to hate yourself and to hate the places your mind takes you, and to be filled with regret over things you cannot change. irene's deep sense of regret seems to fill her narration of even the happiest moments in the book, and the entire text thrums with melancholia

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elenatamsen's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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jessiebertram's review against another edition

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reflective

3.5

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thebakerbookworm's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I had somehow never heard of this classic until last year (or at least had no recollection of hearing about it), which I think is a great failing of all those American Lit classes I took in high school and college. At barely over one hundred pages, it somehow manages to pack a lot in the story and would be great for discussion.

The story is told from Irene’s perspective, but we get a pretty clear picture of Clare’s struggles too, and both women are compelling leads, complex and far from perfect yet you still wish for their happiness. There were scenes where I sat with Irene in that feeling of “is this really happening right now,” and other scenes where I just wanted her to be kinder to Clare! And then sometimes I wanted to yell at Clare to stop making reckless choices and other times I just wanted to hug her.

This one is more character-driven than plot, though the plot does have its moments to shine. The ending is a bit open-ended, which I don’t usually love but I thought it worked well here. It’s up to the reader to decide how certain things play out.

I haven’t read a classic in a while, but this book reminded me why I love classics, and I’m so glad I finally read it!

Read if you like: The Vanishing Half, the 1920s, women’s lit, gray areas.

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