Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

Passing by Nella Larsen

64 reviews

justcallmeemily's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I have really mixed feelings about this book. And I can't really explain why. 😕
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booksillremember's review

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challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-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

5.0

Masterful, loved the complex layering of emotions, themes and social identities. 
It's a gripping story with sapphic undertones, an unreliable narrator and an ambiguous ending. Would love to read the novel from Clare's point of view. 

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hjb_128's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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wytnie's review against another edition

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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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gracej66's review

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dark mysterious reflective tense medium-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

5.0

I enjoyed how detailed the descriptions of Clare Kendry were. Larsen really went into a lot of detail showing her odd mannerisms, expressions, etc. She also spent a lot of time describing the protagonist Irene Redfield’s conflicted thoughts and struggles. The plot, while relatively simple and short, was engaging and kept me turning pages. The immediate tension created by Clare’s husband not knowing of her Black ancestry got me hooked from the beginning. It was a pleasure to read Larsen’s indirect style of storytelling. She didn’t spell everything out on the page. Rather, she took her time hinting at what was going on and gradually clarified what had happened, such as in the last scene of the book or when Irene has a tragic realization about those around her. This book was intriguing, exciting, and artfully constructed. I hope to read another book by Larsen!
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threeundertwopnw's review against another edition

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reflective sad 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 was not prepared for the ending. Overall a fascinating slice of history. 
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maraudergrl90's review against another edition

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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rieviolet's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective 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

This novella packs a lot into a little more than one hundred pages. 

In the foreground there's race and the concept of passing, with all of its moral implications. I think the theme is explored really well, and through the different characters we can observe all of its nuances. 

The author is also good at delving deep into the main character's psychology. The relationship between Irene and Clare is fraught with conflicting emotions, and it is build upon in a very clever way until the shocking breaking point.

I really appreciated the themes and the prose, but I wasn't completely swept away by the story, hence the 4-star rating. 
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mothling's review against another edition

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3.5

interesting! nice, clear prose and engaging all the way through + obviously very thought provoking and since it's short, it's quite quick paced and doesn't drag. i did feel like some events were murky and muddled by the pov which may have been intentional, but left me thrown off a bit ?? i'm also not sure i quite got the point of a certain plotline which is probably a me issue. it's a classic that would probably serve me well to delve into some analysis on, but we'll see.
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dreamreader's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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

4.25

Very glad I finally read this classic! The story itself is haunting and tense, and the slow build of suspicion and doubt is expertly done. The characters themselves are drawn well and realistically, and the character that readers follow, Irene, is an excellent example of an unreliable narrator. Parts of this book were very uncomfortable, intentionally. I would like to read Larsen's other novel, Quicksand, which sounds very compelling. 
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