A review by helendipietro
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

emotional 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

What a beautifully crafted novel about race, identity, family, class, motherhood, gender and secrets – I loved it! I found it to be so moving; Bennett is an outstanding storyteller and I will be seeking out more of her writing immediately. The Vanishing Half provides intriguing and interesting characters, a thought-provoking and enticing plot and beautifully descriptive writing. I love the whole concept of this book – light-skinned black identical twins on two very different journeys/ paths set in 1950s US. I also love to read about complex relationships and emotions so this book really delivered on that front. Bennett cleverly depicts the characters through the years which is very satisfying for the reader; we get to move back and forth between three decades and learn about an array of diverse characters. Would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys detailed character studies, social commentary and loves to be filled with questions while reading a book.