lmgestes's review against another edition
4.0
Incredible writing style. So easy to immerse yourself in the story.
hanmur's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
kber1013's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.5
reaflores's review against another edition
4.0
i think only a specific type of person can really understand and appreciate this book, i heard some people call it confusing, that there was too much going on, that it just wasn’t that good. i think they’re wrong. completely wrong and ignorant to think and say so. i liked the book a lot, a but confusing but if you really understand the book it isn’t so hard to follow.
rmr172's review
reflective
tense
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
4.0
henren's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.0
notesonbookmarks's review against another edition
4.0
This is powerful and accessible and difficult, all at once. Feels completely contemporary. Absolutely a fantastic replacement for Gatsby (or accompaniment) in this tiny, Golden age novel! I wish it were a tad longer though. The ending is so abrupt!
spaceforcewife21's review against another edition
4.0
My book club read The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett a few years ago. I was intrigued by the idea, but completely underwhelmed by the actual story. When I found this book on a best short story list it reminded me of The Vanishing Half. Short stories can be a hit or miss with me, but I was intrigued by the idea so I gave it a chance in hopes that it would deliver where The Vanishing Half fell short.
The author did a wonderful job writing this book. It's difficult to believe that it was written in the 1920s. It withstood the test of time well ( it didn't feel outdated and sadly still feels relevant). The N word is used quite frequently, which was difficult to read and showed it's age a little. However, I really liked this book. I think the author did a wonderful job showing the issues both women faced - one living as a woman of color and the other as a "passing." I wish it was more than a short story so the author could have added more depth, but overall it is really good. The ending was unexpected.
The author did a wonderful job writing this book. It's difficult to believe that it was written in the 1920s. It withstood the test of time well ( it didn't feel outdated and sadly still feels relevant). The N word is used quite frequently, which was difficult to read and showed it's age a little. However, I really liked this book. I think the author did a wonderful job showing the issues both women faced - one living as a woman of color and the other as a "passing." I wish it was more than a short story so the author could have added more depth, but overall it is really good. The ending was unexpected.
la_yuli's review against another edition
emotional
tense
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? No
4.0
mokelly's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.0