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marinnelilly's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Violence, Domestic abuse, Bullying, and Rape
mekholm's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime and Racism
Moderate: Rape
nbritt's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Rape
mortimer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Rape
natgzmun's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Xenophobia, Child abuse, and Racism
innastholiel's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Abandonment
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Physical abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, Hate crime, Violence, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Sexual content
Minor: Sexism, Sexual assault, Dysphoria, Medical content, Rape, and Sexual violence
mabelsyrup's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
WOW WOW WOW I STILL CANT BELIEVE I RANDOMLY PICKED THIS UP FROM MY LIBRARY SO I WOULDNT LEAVE EMPTY HANDED
what a great story, so much depth in character and plot. Each separate story was wonderful and exciting and heartfelt and engaging, Brit Bennett crafted these characters in a perfect way, giving them separate and distinct personalities and backgrounds that imo made the story flow so much easier; even Kennedy ended up being an interesting character whom i enjoyed reading from.
if you were to ask me who my favorite character is the number 1 spot would be Desiree, Jude, Reese, Stella and Early.. all together
the discussions of colorism and racism and poverty were interesting and at times echoed experiences i’ve had in the latine community as a mixed person. Stella is a very interesting character when it comes to this conversation; she is very flawed, disturbed and haunted by the choice she made, it was crazy seeing her not recognize herself, not recognize her people and sometimes not even recognize the family she had created. She said it wasn’t about being white but about being free, and in 1960’s USA those two are one and the same. And like Kennedy said her having a black family doesn’t mean she herself is black; her life experience is still that of a white woman, but Stella is black and in choosing to be white she had to try to blend in with them which left her even more stand-offish.
another thing i loved is how the twins had very different daughters physically but they all share so many things in common; Jude and Stella being rational and calm, Desiree and Kennedy being lively and spunky. but then all four of them had that spark in them to need to run off and away; never attached to one place, physically they look like their fathers but that’s were it ends.
things i didn’t like were that sometimes the pov’s or time skips were a little jumbled, and that i needed more.. of everyone… i wouldn’t mind if this book was 600 pages i’d read it.
“We always love our hometowns,… Even though
we're always trom the worst places. Only white folks got the freedom to hate home."
“You didn't just find a self out there waiting- you had to make one. You had to create who you wanted to be”
“That was the thing about death. Only the specifics of it hurt. Death in a general sense, was background noise.”
what a great story, so much depth in character and plot. Each separate story was wonderful and exciting and heartfelt and engaging, Brit Bennett crafted these characters in a perfect way, giving them separate and distinct personalities and backgrounds that imo made the story flow so much easier; even Kennedy ended up being an interesting character whom i enjoyed reading from.
if you were to ask me who my favorite character is the number 1 spot would be Desiree, Jude, Reese, Stella and Early.. all together
the discussions of colorism and racism and poverty were interesting and at times echoed experiences i’ve had in the latine community as a mixed person. Stella is a very interesting character when it comes to this conversation; she is very flawed, disturbed and haunted by the choice she made, it was crazy seeing her not recognize herself, not recognize her people and sometimes not even recognize the family she had created. She said it wasn’t about being white but about being free, and in 1960’s USA those two are one and the same. And like Kennedy said her having a black family doesn’t mean she herself is black; her life experience is still that of a white woman, but Stella is black and in choosing to be white she had to try to blend in with them which left her even more stand-offish.
another thing i loved is how the twins had very different daughters physically but they all share so many things in common; Jude and Stella being rational and calm, Desiree and Kennedy being lively and spunky. but then all four of them had that spark in them to need to run off and away; never attached to one place, physically they look like their fathers but that’s were it ends.
things i didn’t like were that sometimes the pov’s or time skips were a little jumbled, and that i needed more.. of everyone… i wouldn’t mind if this book was 600 pages i’d read it.
“We always love our hometowns,… Even though
we're always trom the worst places. Only white folks got the freedom to hate home."
“You didn't just find a self out there waiting- you had to make one. You had to create who you wanted to be”
“That was the thing about death. Only the specifics of it hurt. Death in a general sense, was background noise.”
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Racial slurs, and Violence
calais_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
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
5.0
Early has made me feel that there is no problem dating a hitman. As a society we should just accept the profession.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Rape
Moderate: Drug use
caitlinderocker's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Grief, Hate crime, Medical content, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Classism, Death of parent, Sexism, Rape, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, and Cultural appropriation
storykath's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Vanishing Half tells the interweaving stories of Desiree and Stella Vignes, light-skinned Black twins whose lives diverge drastically, Desiree returning home and Stella passing as white. As each twin starts a family, we see just how different their lives have become, as well as the ways they remain inextricably linked.
I enjoyed the perspective shifts throughout the story, as well as the wide-ranging timeline. The story felt expansive and intimate at the same time. Not everything was wrapped up neatly or narratively satisfying, which I think is part of what makes the characters' stories feel real. There's no perfect ending after the messy beginnings, only an attempt to pick up the pieces and make the most of what's left. Everyone goes on with their lives, and the impact of others on them varies as each character tries to do what's best for themselves.
I sometimes got confused with timelines towards the end - we jumped around between memories and the present, and it wasn't always clear to me what was happening when.
I enjoyed the perspective shifts throughout the story, as well as the wide-ranging timeline. The story felt expansive and intimate at the same time. Not everything was wrapped up neatly or narratively satisfying, which I think is part of what makes the characters' stories feel real. There's no perfect ending after the messy beginnings, only an attempt to pick up the pieces and make the most of what's left. Everyone goes on with their lives, and the impact of others on them varies as each character tries to do what's best for themselves.
I sometimes got confused with timelines towards the end - we jumped around between memories and the present, and it wasn't always clear to me what was happening when.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault