Loving Her (Northeastern Library of Black Literature)

Rating:
Summary: A CLASSIC, INDEED
Review: Although far from perfect, "Loving Her," is indeed a ground-breaking novel...something the other reviewer doesn't seem to grasp. First published in 1974, "Loving Her" is one of the first novels to feature a black lesbian as its primary character. Shockley captures the cruelly mundane, and completely pedestrian reality of american gender politics of 50's and 60's. Given all the Shockley undertook in this novel, I think she can be forgiven for not doing ground-breaking work on inter-racial lesbian relationships.
Not the greatest piece of literature ever written, but a classic, indeed.

Rating:
Summary: A FAILED CLASSIC
Review: Enter into a world where women are men's objects for sexual desire and exploitation. Renay, a gifted and artistic woman decides to leave this world of abuse. Leaving with her young daughter she goes into the sanctuary of her lover for safety and wholeness.

The trials and tribulations that she endures is the essence of this novel coupled with her own unique background. For you see, Renay is Black and a lesbian. Her lover, Terry is white. Two lesbians of different backgrounds and races defy the sexual and racial mores of their time. What a wonderful tale full of possibilities.

Those possibilities never blossom. All of the characters are predictable in their dialogue and come across as one dimensional. Renay's spurned husband is the stereotypical misoganist with a deep hatred for lesbians. Renay come across as a passive woman needing to find salvation in her white lover's sanctum. Even Terry's love making with Renay comes across as a mechanical exercise in exploring new sexual techniques.

This novel had the seeds within it to explore the relationships of interracial lesbian couples. Instead, it comes across as a boring tome guarenteed to put anyone to sleep. It is a failed classic that could have offered so much more.