Passing, by Nella Larsen, is a beautiful novella about racism in the 1920s. Light skinned Irene's life turns upside down when she meets an old school friend Clare Kendry, who admits that she has been "passing for white" and that her racist husband also believes her to be a white person. Simmering with tension as Irene is drawn into Clare's lie and Clare into Irene's life, the novel is absorbing. A t only 94 pages it makes a great single sitting read. Also one of David Bowie's favourite books apparently.

Irene and Clare are old school friends, whose lives have taken very different paths. Irene lives as a black woman, married to a black man. Clare, however, has "passed" as white, and is married to a white man who is an extreme racist with a deep hatred of black people. Clare has lived her life hiding her past, her heritage, her race and her truth, for the "privileges" that being white brings. When Irene and Clare's paths cross, it forces them both to confront the secrets in their lives, their relationships with their husbands, each other, and themselves and leads to consequences that will change everything. I really enjoyed this. It was well written and extremely thought provoking. The act of "passing" was not something I was familiar with, so it really opened my eyes to this way of life and the consequences of it. Really well developed characters for such a small book, and it packs a mighty punch.