Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

69 reviews

lpdx's review against another edition

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emotional 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

4.0


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theskyboi's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

When I say that this book had everything, I feel as though I'm not exaggerating in the slightest. Overall, I had such a fantastic time with Brit Bennett's impactful second novel.

Desiree and Stella Vignes are two identical twin sisters who grow up in Mallard, a town too small to have ever made it onto the map. Perhaps too big for their britches or too ambitious for their surroundings, they let out for greater destinies: Desiree as a Black woman and Stella passing for White.

At the center of this novel lies the struggle that Desiree faces in trying to find her long-lost twin, yet there are so many interlocked stories that sprout from this search. Jude, Desiree's daughter, inevitably sparked my interest with her lifelong journey of love and self-discovery.

Although I will refrain from revealing too much of the intrigue contained between the covers of this magnificent book, I will say that I was delighted to read a story that so effortlessly weaved its way through the intersecting identities of its characters: Black, White, trans, gay, and cis.

Bennett's care for these characters shines brightly on every subsequent page, and the attention that she paid to crafting such a satisfyingly connected, intergenerational exploration of identity formation was much more than I could have ever hoped to find.

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kateyhb's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Gosh, this book will stick with me for a long time. A book about self-discovery, self-destruction, self-preservation, and the masks we all make for ourselves as we decide who we want to be to the world. At what point do you lose who you truly are behind the mask of who you desire to be? 

This book is about loss, and the way people grieve the choices they make and the ones that are made for them. Family is family, but real, lasting love comes from relationships where both parties continue to choose each other each day. Chosen family can be blood too.

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cheerstochels's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging 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

5.0

it’s just so beautiful and such a delicious read. 

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mia_pevensie's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective 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

3.0


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chattie_the_mad_chatter's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense 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

4.25

This book is very characterbased exploring the choices of two twins who escape the small colourist town. 
The Book structure flips from present to past and between characters, so if you enjoy a nonlinea  structure you will appreciate this. 
I enjoyed how we were made to care about some chatacters strongly just within one chapter.
The Book explores freedom, performing and passing, family and choices. It also includes transman representation, which i fekt was authentic and positive. Although colourists is explored, it is not the main focus it is much  more about the characters and their individual situations.

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adelal's review against another edition

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emotional 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

5.0


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shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition

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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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beegster16's review against another edition

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reflective tense medium-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

3.75


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angievansprang's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective fast-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

5.0

This was such a great read, I can hardly put my review into words. Bennett has such beautiful imagery and colorful writing that paired with an enamoring plot, makes the perfect stand-alone novel. The commentary on racism, colorism, + misogynoir in this book is complex yet delivered so eloquently. Run don’t walk to pick this up if you haven’t read it yet!

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