Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Passing by Nella Larsen

17 reviews

kayladaila's review

dark informative 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death and Murder

Minor: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry

kazzhiggs's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Racism, Murder, and Misogyny

zombiezami's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Murder, and Outing

Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol

Colorism

srm's review

challenging emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Death

natashasf1's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Racial slurs

words_and_coffee's review

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Infidelity and Toxic relationship

Minor: Murder, Suicide, and Death

linesiunderline's review

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This is one of those classics that I have wanted to read for a long time and there is such a sense of satisfaction in finally having done it.

You finish Passing with the awareness that Nella Larsen didn’t waste a single word. This book is a study in how to create tension and impact with nothing added. It’s impressive. The novel has a theatrical quality. It’s easy to imagine it translating to the stage or screen. And you can definitely appreciate how many contemporary thriller writers owe inspiration to Larsen. She succeeds where plenty of them only try, in my opinion.

Read Passing for a deep dive into the psychology of two women who choose paths that are at once, very different, but at the same time, possess parallel qualities. It will make you think about identity, belonging, and the complexities of female friendship.

Oh, and the ending. That’s an ending that is made for discussion and interpretation. For me, it was too abrupt to be completely successful, though I did admire the boldness of it.

An unmissable classic.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic relationship