Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

151 reviews

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

taylorgraves555's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Violence

mj_86'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: Racial slurs, Racism, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Dementia and Death of parent

erinvasut's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Death, Dementia, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Grief

stefbrignac's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense 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: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Racism, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Violence, and Emotional abuse

egslcgns's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad 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

Literary perfection, idk. One of those books that make you *feel* the characters. Their struggles, joys, fears make them vividly real. Race was discussed deeply and I learnt a lot. The themes of passing, performance/acting, lightness and darkness, departure, are multilayered and handled effectively for the reader to understand. It was also refreshing to have great queer characters in the setting of 1950s-1980s America, that doesn't feel tokenistic and was done with much intention. Chef's kiss.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault and Domestic abuse

achristinething's review against another edition

emotional 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

Great writing, very descriptive, complex characters

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racism, and Racial slurs

jane_cs'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? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Rape and Transphobia

orlagal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Racism, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Violence, Abandonment, Mental illness, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, Transphobia, Classism, and Vomit

starlight_1313's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence

Minor: Dementia, Sexual content, and Death of parent