To say that [Longtime Passing] is an example of a fairly common and by now fairly hackneyed type—the family saga—is in no way to devalue it. The story is partly autobiographical; the material is obviously very close to the author—and this comes out in the affectionate quality of the writing. There is a sensitive delineation of place and the effective, memorable drawing of character. However, probably because its plan is strictly chronological, the book lacks subtlety. (p. 251)

Nevertheless, the understanding shown in the chronicling of the unequal struggle between the old and the new, the sense of the passage of time and the relationships between the generations made me think—and the linking is not, I am sure, outlandish—of writers such as [Thomas] Hardy, Chinua Achebe and Raymond Williams. This book will probably appeal to girls rather than boys; however, any child between ten and fifteen will find the reading of it a rewarding experience—as will many adults. (pp. 251-52)