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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
For a little while, I thought this book was all over the place; it jumps around scenes and characters and perspectives as a big collection of interesting but not necessarily meaningful vignettes. And then it twists together into a story, and finishes up as a really good story, pretty strange but very loving.
Things I liked:
- The lead characters are all great, personality and style-wise
- The love story is very sweet and convincing
- the ART sounds so good, there's something about the description of these paintings that's so vivid, it really succeeds
- nice writing, short book, has some fun (horrific) facts about the time
Things I did not like so much:
- Characters blend together a bit; there are a lot, it's a novella, some like Franny, Babs and Polly do not really rise above the mob
- the perspective jumping was disorienting
- the magic really didn't seem necessary, except for the ending, I guess? But there was so little magic, it made Franny very odd to me. Like, why this, and just this.
- this is just a pet peeve of mine but I don't like Real People in my fiction, it really breaks the fantasy for me
Anyway it's good, super lesbian, strong recommend
Things I liked:
- The lead characters are all great, personality and style-wise
- The love story is very sweet and convincing
- the ART sounds so good, there's something about the description of these paintings that's so vivid, it really succeeds
- nice writing, short book, has some fun (horrific) facts about the time
Things I did not like so much:
- Characters blend together a bit; there are a lot, it's a novella, some like Franny, Babs and Polly do not really rise above the mob
- the perspective jumping was disorienting
- the magic really didn't seem necessary, except for the ending, I guess? But there was so little magic, it made Franny very odd to me. Like, why this, and just this.
- this is just a pet peeve of mine but I don't like Real People in my fiction, it really breaks the fantasy for me
Anyway it's good, super lesbian, strong recommend
Fantasy. Magical realism. GLBT.
Story: In San Francisco Helen Young, an old woman, takes a cab looking for a hidden item. The story behind this item is wrapped in a tale of magic, mystery and love.
Language: Set in the 1940's, this book tells of San Francisco underground and hidden societies. With a strong cast of GLBT characters this book has an atmosphere of mystery and danger, shadows and hidden secrets. Told in third person from the perspective of one or two characters.
Characters: The main characters of this novel are on the edge of society, living underground and in fear of discovery.
At first I was thrown by the setup of this book. It starts in the present, then jumps to the past, and the characters switch around, and the chapters are arranged by title, not number. At first I wasn't sure if this was a novel or short stories and how everything connected. But once I got into the story and pieces started falling together, I enjoyed the noir and magical elements.
Story: In San Francisco Helen Young, an old woman, takes a cab looking for a hidden item. The story behind this item is wrapped in a tale of magic, mystery and love.
Language: Set in the 1940's, this book tells of San Francisco underground and hidden societies. With a strong cast of GLBT characters this book has an atmosphere of mystery and danger, shadows and hidden secrets. Told in third person from the perspective of one or two characters.
Characters: The main characters of this novel are on the edge of society, living underground and in fear of discovery.
At first I was thrown by the setup of this book. It starts in the present, then jumps to the past, and the characters switch around, and the chapters are arranged by title, not number. At first I wasn't sure if this was a novel or short stories and how everything connected. But once I got into the story and pieces started falling together, I enjoyed the noir and magical elements.
”I love you,” she said. “I’d follow you to the end of the world. Any world.”
This book is like magic on paper. I don’t know how else to describe it. You feel the atmosphere in every scene—you can imagine yourself there, watching the sights as our characters do. They are as enthralled by the city as anyone would be, and you are enthralled by them. I sort of really freaking liked this book. It was short but it was, how shall we put it? A whirlwind of love. Yeah. That works.
”Please don’t die on me today,” Haskel said.
“I’ll do my best.”
I think I fell in love with these characters as they fell in love with each other. It was that sort of realization near the end when you’re like, “oh. I do care about you a lot. I’m glad I got to know you.” They are so, so deeply interesting to me. They have so much personality that you feel like you can imagine them at their home, in their habits and routines. This story is so short, but it feels like the world. Their world. And I loved their world.
Emily whispered, “We’re not their kind of women, are we?”
“I hope we never are.”
I genuinely wish this was longer. I really think this is my favorite open ending of all time, but my heart aches to see them again. For them to be happy with each other, that’s all I want (and probably will ever want). I don’t know. It works, though, which is why I’m not complaining that much. I love, Love my gay girls in love. When it started, I had no idea where it was going, but I loved it. I’m glad I stuck it out.
”Jesus,” she said, part oath, pert benediction. She leaned back and held out her arms. “No, I don’t think I want you to leave.”
P.S. i looooved Helen from the beginning and was really expecting her to be in the flashback and that didn’t disappoint so Yay!
P.S.S. The cover was what drew me in, and the cover was a big part of the story. I love how it connects I’m just so 💗💗💞💞💖❤️💓💘❤️💗💕
This book is like magic on paper. I don’t know how else to describe it. You feel the atmosphere in every scene—you can imagine yourself there, watching the sights as our characters do. They are as enthralled by the city as anyone would be, and you are enthralled by them. I sort of really freaking liked this book. It was short but it was, how shall we put it? A whirlwind of love. Yeah. That works.
”Please don’t die on me today,” Haskel said.
“I’ll do my best.”
I think I fell in love with these characters as they fell in love with each other. It was that sort of realization near the end when you’re like, “oh. I do care about you a lot. I’m glad I got to know you.” They are so, so deeply interesting to me. They have so much personality that you feel like you can imagine them at their home, in their habits and routines. This story is so short, but it feels like the world. Their world. And I loved their world.
Emily whispered, “We’re not their kind of women, are we?”
“I hope we never are.”
I genuinely wish this was longer. I really think this is my favorite open ending of all time, but my heart aches to see them again. For them to be happy with each other, that’s all I want (and probably will ever want). I don’t know. It works, though, which is why I’m not complaining that much. I love, Love my gay girls in love. When it started, I had no idea where it was going, but I loved it. I’m glad I stuck it out.
”Jesus,” she said, part oath, pert benediction. She leaned back and held out her arms. “No, I don’t think I want you to leave.”
P.S. i looooved Helen from the beginning and was really expecting her to be in the flashback and that didn’t disappoint so Yay!
P.S.S. The cover was what drew me in, and the cover was a big part of the story. I love how it connects I’m just so 💗💗💞💞💖❤️💓💘❤️💗💕
Finding out that the author of a book that I LOVED as a kid also wrote queer-centric fantasy was such a great surprise! “Passing Strange” is a unique historical novel laden with magical realism, centered on the the gay community in 1940s San Francisco. Brought together by their friends in a close-knit group called The Circle, painter Loretta Haskel and performer Emily Netterfield reject the unhappy endings of their previous love stories and forge their own tale.
Really sweet lesbian historical romance set in San Francisco in the 40s, with juuuust a sprinkle of magical realism. The second of 4 LGBTQ+ novellas I got for free from Tor. Short, and good. First book read in 2020!
4/5 stars
4/5 stars
This book needed some serious structure editing and magic system development and I'm sad it didn't get it because it had potential.
Lovely. A story about the lesbian scene in San Francisco in the middle of the Swing Era would be great enough, but add in some magic, some art, and a visit to the World's Fair? I'm smitten. Just beautiful.
I like that this book both makes me really wish I was a lesbian in a different time in history and really glad I'm a lesbian now instead.
adventurous
lighthearted