readingrinbow 's review for:

Quicksand by Nella Larsen

5.0

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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A searing glimpse into the impossible choices society presents to a young Black woman and the impossibility of choosing any authentic choice. Helga Crane is dissatisfied and Larsen paints her dissatisfaction in rich and vibrant colors and textures but at the end asks us the question - in order to be truly happy, what delusions must we take to heart? The prose is beautiful, and I especially loved the evocative descriptions of the wrappings of high society, all the more affecting when it becomes clear that all the seductive trappings of success for a woman, especially a woman of color, can only be that - a trap. Helga’s innate need to break free sets her apart from her compatriots and tragically, unable to attain happiness.