Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

248 reviews

imaginefishes's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The book delves into topics of racism and racial segregation, but my main takeaway from the story was about one's desire and attractedness to the possibility of change and metamorphosis. I deeply enjoyed the writing style and characterisation used in the story, and as the separate stories of each individual began to intertwine with each other, culminating in a grand intersection in the final few chapters, I teared up a little. Strangely enough, what stuck out to me most were the parents of the twins, and the two very different

deaths

they experienced,

one more violent and the other more melancholic

. I find this book, although fictive and possibly a little unrealistic, reflects well our human desires to be something more, or even to be someone else. I'm glad the book ended the way it did.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, and Death of parent

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, and Gaslighting

Minor: Dysphoria and Bullying

sighclopss's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

A very thought provoking book, I'd rate it closer to 4.75⭐ 

This was such an interesting read with compelling characters, my main let down was the ending wasn't enough for me. I could have easily read another 200+ pages! I still have so many unanswered questions! But I understand with this type of philosophical story there can't ever really be a satisfying ending. 

I found the topic of colorism/racism and being biracial intriguing. Cultural identity vs ethnic. The theme of 'passing.' It had many confronting themes, some I related too, others that helped further expand my world view. 

This was overall a complicated story, I felt like the author did the complexity justice. The writing style flowed easily, and I loved every second of reading it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Classism, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Colonisation, Slavery, Medical content, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Deadnaming

ynaiita_5896's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Identical twins Desiree and Stella were born and raised in Mallard, Louisiana where the residents are obsessed with  people with light skin. At 16 years old, they run away from home, leaving behind their widowed mother. After choosing to go their separate ways, they also end up choosing completely different lives as adults. Ten years later, one sister returns with her black daughter to the same town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, despite being separated by miles and lies, their fates continue to remain intertwined.

Bennett beautifully paints a historical fiction that intelligently navigates race, identity, colourism, culture and sexuality with careful nuance — highlighting the varied layers in each of these themes through the eyes of something as ordinary as identical twins. A story written so intricately with elements of thrill, suspense and emotional intensity, that you just can't stop reading. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: Hate crime, Transphobia, and Domestic abuse

alicarty's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Hate crime, and Racial slurs

damiscous's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual assault, Hate crime, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

20sidedbi's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Classism, Racism, Hate crime, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, and Physical abuse

oliviapincin's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Racism, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Dysphoria, Death, Grief, and Bullying

Minor: Sexual assault

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was pulled in right away! Its been a long time that a foreword has made me say “oh this is going to be a great book” 💜

A beautiful story that I didn’t want to put down but also wanted to take my time with it! I marked a lot of passages with quotes that struck me or made me think.

Chapters could be a little long for my taste but I didn’t always mind it. I was intrigued and captivated by the well-developed, complex characters! I especially enjoyed the switching POVs and spanning across years/decades to follow the twins and the family. There were times I hated characters and other times I sympathized with them.

I’ve never read a book quite like this and I’ll definitely be reading more from Brit Bennett!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, and Death of parent

Moderate: Dysphoria, Bullying, Grief, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Dementia

jenmtnbike's review against another edition

hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Dementia, Violence, Death of parent, Hate crime, and Racism

nina_mk's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Death, Transphobia, Abandonment, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Medical content, Dementia, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Classism, and Hate crime