Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

36 reviews

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.

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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

ashely_56's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

I choose to read this story for black history month, and this story takes you on an emotional journey as guides you through intergenerational African American search for identity and how severing one connection to their past and identity can lead to them feeling lost and alone.

It demonstrates how whiteness is purely a creation of perspective. Yet it proves how deadly and cruel that perspective is.

Stella makes a choice and she has to live with the consequences of that choose everyday. 

While climax of the story was a quieter storm than I anticipated it didn't make it any less impact full or the grief less palpable.

The story does not end as neatly or with the amount of closure most readers like myself were hoping for. However that is more reflective of real life, our complicated relationship often don't end with the right amount of closure we need and we end of living with that grief.

This story is one of how each women lives with her grief and how that impacts their relationships with other.

This book is definitely a new  favorite. 

It felt like it took quite a while for the story to get started, but once it did it was outstanding and gripping!

 Overall an impressive and impact read for Black History Month.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Racism, Hate crime, Murder, Racial slurs, and Violence

beeasinbumble's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Death of parent, Racism, Racial slurs, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Terminal illness

Minor: Addiction, Medical content, and Dysphoria

lemonflower's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Dementia, Classism, Death of parent, Murder, Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Death, and Racism

dnvrdnvr's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Death, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Transphobia and Sexual assault

michaelion's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.5

Trying to find reasons not to give this 5 stars is very, very hard. I'm biased because immediately it reminded me of Toni Morrison's Paradise. Whether or not that was intentional, I'm not gonna look it up, but I love it even more for that.

Passing is a thing that happened and I'm sure there are still many, many quadroons and hexadecaroons walking around without a clue. I've always felt sympathy for the people who passed, and this book definitely gave me a new / another understanding. (I mean, who can be mad at you for wanting better for your life and your family?) To be moved so much by a book show just how good it is. That being said though I do not feel sympathy for Stella!

After what she did to Loretta and Reg?!

This one's definitely staying on my bookshelf.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Grief, Racism, and Outing

Moderate: Sexual assault, Bullying, Classism, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Dysphoria, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Self harm, and Gaslighting

Minor: Terminal illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Stalking, Blood, Deadnaming, and Medical content

ekclar's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Murder, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Terminal illness

Minor: Transphobia and Homophobia

mezzoanddolce's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

At first I honestly did not think I'd enjoy this. I got the characters mixed up a lot and didn't know what was going on, but then I got to the last 20% of the book.

Wow. This book is SO. GOOD.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Racism, Death, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Alcohol, Terminal illness, and Cursing

Minor: Medical content and Dementia

shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexism, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Hate crime, Dementia, Terminal illness, Bullying, Classism, Medical content, and Sexual content

amorales107's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, and Grief