Passing by Nella Larsen, 141 pages.
Irene Redfield, who normally lives in the thriving Harlem of the 1920s, is on a trip to Chicago when she meets her childhood friend, Clare Kendry, by chance at a hotel. Clare has been passing as white for decades, even marrying a racist white man who doesn't know her secret. What follows is a meditation on race in early 20th century America.
I'm afraid I was pretty disappointed in this book. I found the prose pretty stiff and hard to get through, and Irene's mind a pretty unpleasant place to be. I also found the entire last act confusing and abrupt, and the ending even more so. This won't be making my list of favorite books I'm afraid.
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