Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

44 reviews

samanthaleereads's review

challenging emotional inspiring sad tense fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Abandonment, Racism, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Death, and Racial slurs

Minor: Medical content

savreads28's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Racial slurs, Medical content, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Racism, Death, Abandonment, Classism, Grief, and Dysphoria

cakrolik'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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Classism, Grief, and Racism

Moderate: Dementia, Death of parent, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Dysphoria, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Sexism

glammster's review

adventurous challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Dementia, Bullying, Classism, Homophobia, and Transphobia

Minor: Dysphoria

Graphic description of lynching

lpdx's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Bullying, Classism, Death of parent, Dementia, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, and Homophobia

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic and Transphobia

annamk1704's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Sexual assault

Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexism, and Domestic abuse

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

midnightmarauder's review

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

Even though The Vanishing Half is a work of fiction, a lot of the subject matter can overlap into issues many of us still face today: racism/colorism/featurism, identity issues, the overwhelming desire to become someone other than yourself, etc. This book covers in all in just under 400 pages.

Some of the things I loved include the insertion of a trans man in a time period where they didn't really exist, nor are they mentioned often in historical fiction (Reese quickly became one of my favorite characters in the story; he and Jude's love story was a beautiful thing to watch unfold), how colorism and racism can lead to such big consequences amongst the black community, and the nonlinear writing structure; a style that left me staying up, just to see what would happen next.

Some things I would've liked to know more about include Stella, Kennedy, and Blake's fates. Did Stella and Kennedy

go to Adele's funeral? I know that Jude was the one to call Kennedy and tell her that she died, but she wasn't mentioned ever again.

As for Stella,

she is last seen leaving Mallard after placing her wedding ring into Early's palm and telling him to "take care of her Mama." There is a part afterwards that shows Blake brushing off Stella's missing ring and telling her that he's going to replace it, but, that's all. Did they choose not to call Stella, or did Stella simply go back to make herself feel a little better for leaving her family, relished in their grief, only to disappear again and cut off all contact like before?

Lastly, Blake:

Did Stella ever come clean about her past, or did she come home and act as though nothing had happened? She couldn't leave behind the life that she had built for herself—the money, the marriage, the privilege—for a family she had known much longer than Blake. No, ma'am.

All in all, this book was one that was very hard to put down. All I can really say is wow. Brit Bennet is a marvelous writer, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Racism, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, and Grief

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Terminal illness, Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Dysphoria, Transphobia, Death of parent, and Sexism

brassmonkey's review

emotional reflective tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Sexism, and Death

Minor: Transphobia and Religious bigotry

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

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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