Sunday, February 15, 2015

The Complete Fiction of Nella Larsen

The Dusky Literati recommended Nella Larsen to me for the Harlem Renaissance Reading Challenge, and I'm really glad she did - I really enjoyed Larsen's writing. This book is deceptively slender, which is a shame, as Larsen was a very talented writer. Because I tend to prefer novels to short stories, I must say I enjoyed the two novels, Quicksand and Passing, that are both included in this volume, a bit more than the stories, but only just. I wish I had read Larsen in college, as comparing the two novels would have made for a great thesis. I think both are really about security, and what one might give up to feel secure. I don't want to say more lest I provide spoilers, but I urge you to read for yourself, and then leave me a comment so we can discuss :) I see there is a biography called In Search of Nella Larsen that I need to add to my virtual TBR pile for future reading. Recommended.

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