Symptomatic

By: Danzy Senna

Narrated by: Kristen Ariza

The much anticipated sophomore novel from the bestselling author of Caucasia and the forthcoming Colored Television

A young woman moves to New York City for what promises to be a dream job. Displaced, she feels unsure of her fit in the world. Then comes a look of recognition, a gesture of friendship from an older woman named Greta who shares the same difficult-to-place color of skin. On common ground, a tenuous alliance grows between two women in racial limbo. So too, does the older woman's unnerving obsession, leading to a collision of two lives spiraling out of control.

A beautifully written novel, at once suspenseful, erotic, and tantalizingly clever, Symptomatic is a groundbreaking contribution to the literature of racial identity.

Critic reviews

"A hypnotic psychological thriller." —Essence

"Read this novel." —Glamour

"Thoughtful and exciting. Highly recommended." —Library Journal

"Suspenseful, and the anguish her vividly relaized mixed-race characters feel when confronted with hostility from both ends of the racial spectrum is. sadly, all too authentic." —Booklist

Didn't make much sense

Somebody compared this story to Passing, which is right on point. But in this story, I didn't get a real sense of any of the characters and, other than chalking it up to mental illness, Greta's behavior just didn't make much sense to me. Great performance, though!