Reviews

Passing Strange by Ellen Klages

hailstorm3812's review

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

3.25

I didn't really care for this. It has so many elements I like individually but they just ultimately didn't come together for me. I just didn't care. I liked the vibes, the small discussions on Science and Magic, drag kings, and Helen, but I didn't care about the lightning romance that the book hinges on.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Domestic abuse, and Homophobia

decembera's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

kathleenmcg's review

dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

5.0

This was a gorgeous novella. It went from mystery, to historical romance, to fantasy with magical realism, to what should become LGBTQIA classic. The mysterious beginning gives way to a love story between two women in 1940. The action between the two women running in to one another in an all women’s nightclub, falling in love, running into trouble, because conflict is necessary even in the shortest of stories, and escaping trouble, happen within a matter of days. Having friends to rely on, or, found family, are also important aspects to this story. The fantastical and the magical elements leave the book with a mysterious end, that with the beginning, bookend the love story at the heart of this novella. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Police brutality, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Suicide

illusie's review against another edition

2.0

I picked this up because of the beautiful cover. The prose is lovely and I like the splash of magic. I love the setting. It was hard to get into this book though, mainly because it lacks depth.

laurenfro22's review against another edition

4.25

“Don’t science, magic, and religion all claim to reveal worlds of mystery and unexpected possibilities?” p53

plethora_of_ghosts's review

mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

katieinca's review

4.0

A (mostly) sweet novella with fantastic 1940 San Francisco scenery. It really made me wish I had access to a time machine that would allow me to follow these characters to the World's Fair, or to Mona's 440 Club.
I sometimes find it hard to love a novella because things can feel abrupt, or like they're crying to be fleshed out instead of glossed past. I had that a little bit here, especially with the ending (so many parts of the ending). Some of the choices made in the Chinatown portrayal also gave me pause. But helping me feel a little more affectionate towards SF, my nearby famous city that I've never really loved, helped bump this from 3 stars to 4 for me.

bblanka's review

adventurous hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

3.25

swamp_hag's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective fast-paced

3.0

dqrklightning's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

3.5