Passing Strange {novella}

It's been a couple of weeks since I finished this book, and I'm still having issues with articulating how I feel about it. The simple answer is 'I loved it, it's wonderful / fabulous / fantastic (both meanings)'. But this is not a simple book, even though it is short, and that answer misses so much.

I don't remember what it was that caused me to buy this book, and so when I pulled it off the shelf to read, I had the summary on the back cover as my available info. And from that, I took that this was a Fantasy book, and to expect Fantasy shenanigans. Checking back, I realise that the quote is

"Inspired by the pulps, film noir, and screwball comedy"

so I can see where I got the shenanigans from, but not the fantasy (there is a reference show more later to Klages having won a World Fantasy Award, but not for this book). There is a singular reference to magic in the summary, so maybe it is that.

This really isn't a fantasy book. There are some interesting fantasy details, and the plot hinges on them, but they aren't the story that is being told, merely the mechanism by which the disbelief is suspended. What it is, is a warm portrait of a group of queer women in an antagonistic setting, having a wonderful time--as much as is possible. There are some pretty grim elements to the story, but they slide past quickly enough that I imagine some readers miss at least some of them. Including, but not limited to, racism, police brutality, homophobia, toxic masculinity, and domestic violence.

I was fascinated by all the characters, and the ways in which they navigated the complexities of their lives. The compromises that they made for safety, for survival in a culture that didn't want them for their strengths.

And I did love the story that was woven through, of the picture that was used both as escape and as revenge. show less

This story was enchanting. Great cast of characters, a very detailed, lively world in the background (never thought much about 1940s San Francisco as a setting, but this story made it come alive) and a beautiful love story with a subtle thread of magic to help out in times of trouble. I especially liked the frame story in the way it deceives the (unassuming) reader as much as completes and concludes the main arc.

A dreamy, stand alone, slightly magic novella set deeply in queer San Francisco in the 40's and it turns out to be a TOR novella -- go figure. No wonder I loved it to its very bones. Ellen Klages takes us on a trip in time, and brings us to an irreverent, funny, vital lesbian circle of women who are finding ways to remain fiercely themselves despite the horrifying local laws governing their dress, their property, their rights as women and minorities. In addition, there's a little bit of magic, a little bit of satisfying revenge, some wish fulfillment and characters worth their salt. Delightful.

A novella about supportive lesbians in 1940s San Francisco, focusing on the personal life of an pulp fiction cover artist who mysteriously disappears after a relatively short career, and his (her?) last work.

From its first words, I was hooked, and I finished it in a day I hadn't planned to do much reading -- excellently drawn setting and tight plotting. I'd count slight detractions from a few too many characters to flesh out in 200 pages, and a lot of seemingly modern sentiments on race and gender feel (but what do I know, they may not be ahistorical at all). Definitely worth a read for the 1940s, San Francisco, "nice artists", or lesbian fiction crowds -- I barely put it down.

I admit it. The cover of this book is what drew me in. Little did I know it would play a pivotal role in the story. It is absolutely haunting, beautiful, and alluring. Kudos to Gregory Manchess for the art and Christine Foltzer for the design. I didn't realize, when I snapped it off the shelf that the book would take place in a city I love, nor that it was written by an author I've read, or published by one of my favorite houses. These surprises, plus learning that Klages has written before of a magic-infused San Francisco, and will seek out more on this.

But to the book: the story is primarily set in the 1940's, and is a beautiful love story. In today's world, San Francisco is a stronghold for the LGBTQ community. In that time, though, show more queer life was forced even more underground. (I'd never heard of the 3 piece rule, for instance, though the internet tells me it was still being used, even in this century.) The story, which involves everything from art, to cross dressed torch singers, to Chinatown, held my attention. That there was magic thrown in, also helped, but to be honest, the magic was more of a bookend plot device than a true element of the story. The real magic was the love these friends had for each other, lasting decades, and the love between an artist and a singer in a long ago San Francisco. show less

Passing Strange is the first book by Ellen Klages that I have read. By the looks of her extensive list of published works, and her Nebula award winning status, it should not have been the first time I was introduced to her stories. Passing Strange wrangled me in from the very first sentence and the time shifting story line is expertly done.

Starting in the present day, the majority of the story then shifts back to 1940, exploring the relationships between 6 intriguing women, who, despite having a shortened amount of time to leap off the page, still manage to make strong impressions on the reader. Klages flawlessly weaves the women’s stories into one, sweeping story of discovering for who you are, and who your real family is.

The two show more primary figures, Haskel, the artist, and Emily, the performer, are the heart and soul of the group, despite not being familiar with each other at the start of their story, and the rest of the women quickly come together to support them when the going gets tough. While a shorter novel, a novella, theoretically seems like it would be easier to write, I find it is often harder – there is less time and space to convince the reader that the story you, as an author are telling, should stick with them – and so any time it is done particularly well, I appreciate it even more. show less

A charming romance and a portrait of queer community in 1940s San Francisco. There's a lot of love for the city in the writing. The story exists within a framing device in the modern day, but the bulk takes place in the past. I appreciate the way it shows a queer life is possible, even though it doesn't shy away from the reality of the homophobia, racism, and sexism of the time. It contains just a little touch of magic, which, for a novella, I'll accept without much explanation. A nice little glimpse in time.