Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

369 reviews

livpaige93's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Dementia, and Death of parent

Minor: Transphobia

cyndi1966's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective relaxing sad tense 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: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Classism

aftereliza's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, Dementia, and Death of parent

leahlovesloslibros's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful slow-paced

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

3.0

The Vanishing Half follows twin sisters, one of whom is darker black and one of whom is lighter black. Colorism is a topic that I haven't read much about, but it was quite interesting to read about that in this story. Additionally, there was a lot of good social commentary, especially surrounding the gay and trans communities. Overall The Vanishing Half was a good story but it wasn't compelling enough that I couldn't put it down. It was mostly curiosity in the ending that kept me coming back to it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Death of parent

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Additional TW/CW: tobacco/smoking, sexual trauma, Alzheimer's

humanskeleton's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual content and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Bullying, and Grief

And Colorism for Graphic content warnings

hf1320's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

it was relatable, but the book didn’t keep my attention. i found myself skimming through pages to find what happened.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

turidt's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Dementia, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, and Murder

euhfubeuh's review against another edition

challenging 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

Why did it end like that

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Stalking

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.

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Content Warnings

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

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

Minor: Bullying and Dysphoria

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

Moderate: Abandonment

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