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savaging's review against another edition
4.0
"It’s wrong for men to have both money and power; they’re bound to make some woman suffer."
Jessie Redmon Fauset was mentored by W.E.B. DuBois, and in her turn mentored so many other young writers during the height of the Harlem Renaissance that she earned the nickname "The Midwife" (she was the first person ever to publish Langston Hughes and might have even taught a young James Baldwin in high school).
This fascinating person, who was also literary editor of NAACP magazine The Crisis, wrote a novel about race, color, class, and gender in America and subtitled it "A Novel without a Moral." I mostly believe her on that. I think she was reaching towards a literature that could be political without being hardened into dogma, entrenched in condemnation of everyone who isn't good enough. So though we're allowed to hate the rich white racist dude-bro frat boy, Angela's own cruelties in attempting to pass as white are dealt with in a more nuanced, careful way.
Angela, the main character, is an artist, who wants to pass as white because she's bored with racism and wants to pursue beauty and pleasure. In most situations, though, she's forced at some point to make race the big question of her life. I wonder if this isn't indicative of some of Fauset's own desires and experiences, pushing her to create a novel that's deeply about race without being reducible to 'a novel about race.'
Jessie Redmon Fauset was mentored by W.E.B. DuBois, and in her turn mentored so many other young writers during the height of the Harlem Renaissance that she earned the nickname "The Midwife" (she was the first person ever to publish Langston Hughes and might have even taught a young James Baldwin in high school).
This fascinating person, who was also literary editor of NAACP magazine The Crisis, wrote a novel about race, color, class, and gender in America and subtitled it "A Novel without a Moral." I mostly believe her on that. I think she was reaching towards a literature that could be political without being hardened into dogma, entrenched in condemnation of everyone who isn't good enough. So though we're allowed to hate the rich white racist dude-bro frat boy, Angela's own cruelties in attempting to pass as white are dealt with in a more nuanced, careful way.
Angela, the main character, is an artist, who wants to pass as white because she's bored with racism and wants to pursue beauty and pleasure. In most situations, though, she's forced at some point to make race the big question of her life. I wonder if this isn't indicative of some of Fauset's own desires and experiences, pushing her to create a novel that's deeply about race without being reducible to 'a novel about race.'
theinkwyrm's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
cowilks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
carol8's review against another edition
4.0
"Was there something inherently wrong with passing?"
"...As in so many novels written by women, Blacks, and other members of literary subcultures, indirect strategies and narrative disguise become necessary covers for rebellious and subversive concerns...Plum Bun, like the protagonist whose story it tells, is passing. It passes for another novel of passing..." ~Deborah McDowell
"...As in so many novels written by women, Blacks, and other members of literary subcultures, indirect strategies and narrative disguise become necessary covers for rebellious and subversive concerns...Plum Bun, like the protagonist whose story it tells, is passing. It passes for another novel of passing..." ~Deborah McDowell
mnboyer's review against another edition
4.0
I've been on the verge about whether or not this book should get a 3 or a 4 --so I've decided it is a 3.5 and I'll be lenient and give it a 4-star rating here on GoodReads.
Let me explain--
The novel is about a young woman named Angela, who, during the Harlem Renaissance, decides that living her life has become all too complicated because of race. Therefore, she decides that she is going to try "passing" and moves to New York. As one might predict, she still faces trouble and turmoil in New York as she is navigates the problems of being a woman, a white woman, a black woman, etc. Basically... there are no easy answers.
This novel may deserve 4-stars for being one of the first novels to be written on the subject in the 1920s--especially considering it is written by an African-American female author. I think this is one of the reasons we have returned to this novel, because of its historic significance (and the significance of the author). But that aside, the story itself is not "better" than some of the books that come later dealing with the same subject of "passing."
In terms of presenting an overall story, I would probably rate this somewhere around a 3. Sure, the characters are somewhat interesting, and the subject matter is interesting, but the writing style is not unique. There are moments where I wanted to say "well duh" after reading passages that were meant to be super profound. One such example: "She knew that men had a better time of it than women, coloured men than coloured women, white men than white [w]omen" (p88). I'm going to let the typo "momen" slide, but the publisher should have noticed this. I am, however, going to say this is 3-star rating in terms of writing because this moment of "epiphany" from Angela is nothing that should be an epiphany (even in the 1920s when it was written).
Another moment of confusion is when Angela meets Paulette and begins spending time with her. She seems to look up to Paulette, but only because "she has never seen a woman more completely at ease, more assuredly mistress of herself and of her fate" (p105). Why, might you ask, does she feel this way? The best answer is because Paulette has a male lover that spends time at her house (which we know because, gasp, Angela sees his toothbrush) and because Paulette smokes (not just smokes, but is alluring while she does it). Huh?
And of course, Angela has been caught "passing" before as a child. But for some reason, she is convinced this will not happen to her in New York. For real? Fauset tells us that she's been caught before... but Angela doesn't think it could possibly ever happen again? Seems illogical.
As a story, a solid 3. But because of some of the historical context, I'd be willing to give it a 3.5 and therefore round it to a 4.
Let me explain--
The novel is about a young woman named Angela, who, during the Harlem Renaissance, decides that living her life has become all too complicated because of race. Therefore, she decides that she is going to try "passing" and moves to New York. As one might predict, she still faces trouble and turmoil in New York as she is navigates the problems of being a woman, a white woman, a black woman, etc. Basically... there are no easy answers.
This novel may deserve 4-stars for being one of the first novels to be written on the subject in the 1920s--especially considering it is written by an African-American female author. I think this is one of the reasons we have returned to this novel, because of its historic significance (and the significance of the author). But that aside, the story itself is not "better" than some of the books that come later dealing with the same subject of "passing."
In terms of presenting an overall story, I would probably rate this somewhere around a 3. Sure, the characters are somewhat interesting, and the subject matter is interesting, but the writing style is not unique. There are moments where I wanted to say "well duh" after reading passages that were meant to be super profound. One such example: "She knew that men had a better time of it than women, coloured men than coloured women, white men than white [w]omen" (p88). I'm going to let the typo "momen" slide, but the publisher should have noticed this. I am, however, going to say this is 3-star rating in terms of writing because this moment of "epiphany" from Angela is nothing that should be an epiphany (even in the 1920s when it was written).
Another moment of confusion is when Angela meets Paulette and begins spending time with her. She seems to look up to Paulette, but only because "she has never seen a woman more completely at ease, more assuredly mistress of herself and of her fate" (p105). Why, might you ask, does she feel this way? The best answer is because Paulette has a male lover that spends time at her house (which we know because, gasp, Angela sees his toothbrush) and because Paulette smokes (not just smokes, but is alluring while she does it). Huh?
And of course, Angela has been caught "passing" before as a child. But for some reason, she is convinced this will not happen to her in New York. For real? Fauset tells us that she's been caught before... but Angela doesn't think it could possibly ever happen again? Seems illogical.
As a story, a solid 3. But because of some of the historical context, I'd be willing to give it a 3.5 and therefore round it to a 4.
aezhuno's review against another edition
3.0
Her ambition was stressful, then her loss(es) depressing. Happy ending.
j_bones's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
itsrickibobbi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
valdez's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75