Reviews with content warning for Racism - Passing

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

I actually read this and then immediately proceeded to watch the 2021 film adaptation on Netflix, starring Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga. As a non-Black person, my opinion on this book & film doesn’t matter, but I do recommend that you read it. It’s easy to be judgmental of either of these characters, but I deeply appreciated this nuanced read/watch.

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meagangrace's review against another edition

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challenging reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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sydapel's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective slow-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

Something I'm glad to have read, but would probably have a lot more to say if I had read with a book group or as part of a class. Mainly, it's so impressive to me how much can be discussed from a 200 page novella.

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rberdan's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I read this in my queer lit course in undergrad about 20 years ago. I am speaking as a white woman, and I'm aware that this book may be read differently by those with other identities. I am also aware that it is not the job of Black women to educate me, but this book did. It grounded me in the concept of white privilege in a way that has stuck with me all these years. It is one of many texts that helped me to understand that no community is a monolith, and to see what it means when we say that race is socially constructed.

That was the impact, but what of the content? The relationship between Clare and Irene was richly layered as it examined many tensions... a sexual tension, tensions related to their different life paths, complexities around their respective identities and class location/mobility... I recall the dialogue being excellent, and the story beats highlighting a range of secrets from identity to attraction. It felt deeply intimate throughout, and was heartbreaking in multiple ways. It's one of a small handful of books that has really stuck with me after the fact.

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