A review by jenwestpfahl
Passing by Nella Larsen

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

3.0

I honestly can’t decide if I liked this book. While it does a good job of exploring the freedoms and perils of passing, when it comes to the actual characters and plot, it is “maddeningly ambiguous,” as another reviewer put it.

For all the time we spent in Irene’s head (which felt like way too much in he third act), I still feel like I don’t know her at all. And there are so many unanswered questions about the motivations and actions of the main characters. 

The ending was also ambiguous and shockingly abrupt.
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