Feb 2025 Read

 

Feb book 1: A short book with fewer than 200 pages

(Third book of my 2025 project: 6 classics before turning to 60)

Passing

Author: Nella Larsen

Genre: Harlem fiction

Number of pages: 125

First published: 1929

Setting: New York, Chicago

Rating: 5 stars

First sentence: It was the last letter in Irene Redfield’s little pile of morning mail.

One sentence comment: The theme of this book is not generally understood as the issue of discrimination against Black people; rather, I think it is about a universal human topic: insecurity and what we have to pay to combat it.

 As I read, I found myself repeatedly thinking, "This is the mark of a classic." The work confronts a fundamental human experience: fear, the attitudes it engenders, and the inevitable consequences.

 The story centers on three individuals: Irene, her husband, Brian, and her childhood friend, Clare. Initially, Clare appears as a rebellious figure, distancing herself from the Black community, while Irene seems more grounded in her origins. However, the second part of the story reveals Irene's deep-seated fears and how her perception of the world contrasts with Brian's. Though Brian's perspective isn't directly presented, we understand through Irene's observations that he experiences oppression and restlessness. Irene grapples with a common fear among women, pushing her to the brink of madness, all while navigating the complexities of racial issues. In the third part, the narrative reveals the true source of malice and manipulation within the group.

 I find myself sympathizing with Clare. She suffered deeply, wounded by her white father and facing contempt from her family for her Black and mixed-race heritage. Her desire to change her circumstances feels understandable, even a right. While her deception of her white husband stems from a lack of love for white people, it's important to note that she didn't harm her Black community. In fact, she longed to return to it. Tragically, she was met with suspicion and remained an outsider, even among her own people.

 We all harbor fears of various kinds. Some, like Irene, choose avoidance, preferring not to acknowledge them. Brian and Clare, on the other hand, confront their fears, albeit in drastically different ways.  This book delves into the complex psychological landscape of those grappling with fear, exploring the diverse emotions and attitudes that arise. It's a truly excellent book, one that lingers in the mind long after reading.

 

 

Feb book 2: A book with a short title, 1-2 words

Rebecca

(Fourth book of my 2025 project: 6 classics before turning to 60)

Author: Daphne du Maurier

Genre: gothic fiction

Number of pages: 441

First published: 1938

Setting: Monte Carlo, Cornwall

Rating: 4 stars

First sentence: Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.

One sentence comment: While the writing is inimitable, the theme doesn't interest me, but Sally Beauman’s reiew enlightened me afterwards.

 I wasn't very engaged in the story until about page 150.  The "poor girl meets prince" trope initially felt cliché and unappealing. However, my connection to the narrative deepened when the narrator met the old, blind granny. I began to appreciate du Maurier's contemplation of the cruel realities of aging and abandonment. The flashback to an old woman's youth, strolling the estate with her young son, was poignant. It highlighted how everything around her remained seemingly unchanged, while she herself was cast aside by time, as if by a brutal, inescapable force. This resonated with my experience of accompanying my old father to a park where elderly individuals who live alone gather. While they seem to find some connection with each other, I perceive a deeper loneliness. Their failing health is a constant concern, and exercise is their primary focus. They belong to a generation that deeply desires the company of their children, perhaps without fully realizing that those visits, like Beatrice's in the novel, are often seen as a duty, a way to ease the children's consciences.  As an observer, I've noticed that aging individuals are often profoundly alone on their life journey.

 My appreciation of the book changed drastically after I read the afterword, which is a review by Sally Beauman. The review offered a penetrating view of the book. Before reading the review, I underestimated the book, sharing the view of contemporary critics that it was simply a love story with tropes I dislike. However, through the review, I realized why du Maurier named the man "d'Winter" and how both heroines were destroyed by him. In du Maurier's time, these themes had to be expressed subtly so that the book could be published without being rejected for its forward-thinking vision.

 There's another interesting connection. When I was reading the book, it was the Chinese New Year period, and I had to listen to rockets being shot off all night. I then perfectly understood the phrase "the foolish rockets burst and fell" when the narrator felt a sense of disturbance at the party. I can relate to her feeling of annoyance.

 

 Feb book 3: A book on TBR for a short amount of time

Heidi

(Fifth book of my 2025 project: 6 classics before turning to 60)

Author: Johanna Spyri

Genre: children’s literature

Number of pages: 173

First published: 1880

Setting: The Alps

Rating: 4 stars

First sentence: The little old town of Mayenfeld is charmingly situated.

One sentence comment: It is an inspiring story about a little girl, Heidi, changed the lives of people around her.

 This book, one of the Collins Classics that arrived in this month, is a great company in the recent chilly weather.

 I was amazed by Heidi’s astute senses as I read how she saw, heard, or smelled things in the Alps. I felt as if I was there hearing the mesmerizing fir trees swaying, and the loud, sharp screams of the eagles. The perfume of the air and the pungent, herbaceous scent of the goats created a refreshing atmosphere.  Not to mention the awe-inspiring image of the mountain and sky ablaze with color.

 Heidi's soft heart for the old grandmother was most touching. She was stricken with sadness when she learned that Grandma was blind. She immediately realized how sorrowful it must be to be unable to see the beautiful scenes Heidi had recently experienced. She worried about the old woman's needs, such as soft bread and warm clothing, as if she herself were undergoing privation. Her empathy seemed to travel through an unseen wire to my heart.

 At the end of the book, it is truthfully stated, even by a rich man: “Before God, we are all equally miserable and poor if He should forget us!”