A review by onegin
Passing Strange by Ellen Klages

sad medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

A snapshot into a past San Francisco, where the characters survive in a society that is hostile to them. The subject is ugly, but the characters and the language is beautiful, and a sprinkle of magic adds a glow to the story.
I don't like stories where the main source of conflict is homophobia, racism and / or sexism - the characters face obstacles only because the world is unjust, and there's no chance for them to overcome it. Stories like these have their place, I just don't personally vibe with them. In this book, the main characters were faced with certain jail, indirectly due to homophobia, and the only way for them to escape, and to get their happily ever after, was to use magic. Had they not had access to the secret magic recipe, this story would have had a tragic ending. The magic gives hope, but what hope is there for those who don't have magic?
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