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A review by bookwormlukas
Passing by Nella Larsen
5.0
For such a short and tight narrative, ‘Passing’ certainly manages to pack a punch from its scant 150 pages. Highly focused on its main two characters and their motivations, fears - and desires. Nella Larsen manages to tell a story from all angles while never seeming judgmental of her characters motivations. From reading the synopsis, you would think that the character of Clare would be tragically sympathetic, but Larsen explores not only her estrangement from the black community but her choice to remain outside of it, simply for life’s simpler pleasures.
In truth, ‘Passing’ can sometimes feel like a bit of a melodrama, with its unspoken rivalry and barbs hidden behind smiles. It’s not just about the racial issues that Larsen concerns herself with though, with the themes of friendship, sexuality and jealousy all playing their part in the underlying narrative. In truth, she manages to pack so much into the page count that I couldn’t dream of what she could do had she had the length of a full novel.
This is very easily one of the easiest ‘recommends’ I’ve done in a while, it’s great and you can read it it one sitting, what more could you really want?
In truth, ‘Passing’ can sometimes feel like a bit of a melodrama, with its unspoken rivalry and barbs hidden behind smiles. It’s not just about the racial issues that Larsen concerns herself with though, with the themes of friendship, sexuality and jealousy all playing their part in the underlying narrative. In truth, she manages to pack so much into the page count that I couldn’t dream of what she could do had she had the length of a full novel.
This is very easily one of the easiest ‘recommends’ I’ve done in a while, it’s great and you can read it it one sitting, what more could you really want?