Beyond Passing

Irene Redfield, a light-skinned Black woman, finds her carefully constructed life in Harlem disrupted by the reappearance of Clare Kendry, a childhood friend who has chosen to 'pass' as white. As their lives intertwine, Irene becomes increasingly fascinated and disturbed by Clare's choices, forcing her to confront her own identity and the boundaries of race and class in 1920s New York. The novel explores the psychological complexities and societal pressures faced by women navigating racial identity during the Harlem Renaissance.