A review by arianatee
Passing by Nella Larsen

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This short novel told the tale of two women's lives as they reencounter one another after many years. I'd heard others say the style and pacing reminded them of The Great Gatsby and I agree. It felt like a momentary glimpse into the world of these characters as their way of life slowly unravels. The topics of race, and every person's perspective is well-handled. Much like Gatsby, the characters are quite flawed and not incredibly likable--things at times are left ambiguous and the ending is like that as well. At first I thought I had missed something, but as time went on I came to realize I think that's the effect the author was going for; just like our main character, the events and actions at the end are all a bit hazy and out of focus. 

I later also watched the movie on Netflix, and it was interesting to see how some scenes played out differently than how I imagined. The tension was occasionally more heightened and Irene's breakdown is much more obvious as more Claire bleeds into Irene's everyday life. A solid read presenting a more intimate and nuanced view on some serious topics.