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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
whew i need to debrief and talk to someone about this book. felt like i was the anxiety in irene’s brain while reading this. there is so much in this book i found myself appreciating…. not a book where the plot is the main focus which was definitely a shift for me n idk how much i like that but the plot itself was almost the experienceof the plot… subtle moments of queer shyness… the commentary on race and sexuality and passing as an existence and privilege and weapon too… whew… someone please read this so we can talk abt it. also the edition i read had footnotes that were so helpful im a footnote fan 4 sure now..
This book was thought-provoking, challenging, and unexpected in so many ways. More so than [b:Quicksand|78257|Quicksand|Nella Larsen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386924645l/78257._SY75_.jpg|27633], which I read over a decade ago, this novel inspired me to think about different degrees of racial passing, how Black people who don’t pass physically can pass socially, and the ways racial passing can intersect with other forms of passing. Because I saw pieces of myself in Irene’s obsession with stability and safety, the book also forced me to reflect on times when I’ve chosen to be inauthentic due to some perceived benefit. That forced self-reflection helped me have a little bit more empathy for Clare than I anticipated. All in all, my big takeaway from this story is that all forms of passing come with a cost that we can't always see until we're forced to pay it.
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A story about two women who are pretending to be something/someone they are not: Clare being white and Irene being as perfect as she claims. What’s ironic is in Clare pretending to be a different race, she therefore acknowledged the reality of racism whereas Irene hoped to remain in her own little bubble away from that reality, as shown through her aversion to Brian educating their kids on the lynchings and hate-crimes happening in the world. All the characters had both positive and negative attributes that made them human, as well as desires that lead to their own downfall; I can’t really say who was right in the end, just that in a way they were all stubbornly wrong. Irene pretended to be in a happy, content marriage, further closing herself off from the world, as she wouldn’t accept anything that might shake this reality. In the end, this was what made her unhappy and caused her to have such chilling thoughts about Clare. Clare lied and pretended to be White to allow her more opportunities, but this ended up closing off the opportunities she already had, or more-so the community she longed for again.
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Exceptional writing that left me wanting to spend more time with all the characters.
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Hmmmm ok. The writing here is brilliant and just moments of greatness in storytelling and commentary of race. I think I’m letting my lack of love for the actual plot in the way. So I’m rating it 4 stars even though I’m tempted to go lower, cause as a piece of literature this is truly excellent.
dark
informative
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated