First published 1900
Two young African Americans face a difficult choice in late 19th century America. They possess light enough skin to cross the color line, and they decide to abandon their Black identity to live as white people. This transformation opens doors that would otherwise remain closed to them. They can pursue better jobs, education, and social standing. But their decision comes with a heavy cost. They must cut ties with their families and communities. They live in constant fear of discovery. Every relationship becomes complicated by deception. The protagonists navigate a world where they belong neither to the white society they inhabit nor the Black community they left behind. Their pursuit of the American dream forces them to sacrifice their authentic selves and live as strangers in their own lives.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, african-american, 19th-century, african-american-historical-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, identity-crisis, passing
Setting: America
Period: Late 19th Century
224 pages · Paperback · Penguin Publishing Group
Content warnings: racism