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A review by jrayereads
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
5.0
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ out of 5 stars.
I love it when books live up to the hype surrounding them. I had been hesitant to read The Vanishing Half due to the hype, but after being gifted it I figured I would give it a chance.
And. . . I genuinely thought this book was incredible. Coming from someone who tends to zone out and accidentally to skim over moments in fiction books because I have the attention span of a walnut, I didn't want to miss a single word of this book. I devoured it in two days. Britt Bennett didn't waste ANY words. Her writing is beautiful and impactful and so easy to read all at the same time. She flips through timelines throughout the book so seamlessly without being confusing or feeling unnecessary. The cast of characters is sometimes unlikable while still being so raw and vibrant. This wasn't a clear cut book. I think very different people could have very different opinions on the choices that the characters made and have varying interpretations on the morality of their choices.
I hadn't known about the trans representation beforehand and was so surprised by how respectful and honest that aspect of the book was. I thought the discussions of colorism, gender roles, family ties, and abuse were handled so well without giving hard answers.
Ultimately this book doesn't have what I would call a happy ending. Things aren't neatly wrapped up with perfect conflict resolution and a beautiful reunited family, but I think that is a strength of the book, not a weakness. Some things are impossible to forgive and instead of trying to force an ending that is satisfying in a happy way, Bennett lets the story end in a way that felt realistic based on the actions of the characters.
Obviously, I really liked this book. Brit Bennett has become an autobuy author for me and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes literary fiction and books about complex family relationships.
I love it when books live up to the hype surrounding them. I had been hesitant to read The Vanishing Half due to the hype, but after being gifted it I figured I would give it a chance.
And. . . I genuinely thought this book was incredible. Coming from someone who tends to zone out and accidentally to skim over moments in fiction books because I have the attention span of a walnut, I didn't want to miss a single word of this book. I devoured it in two days. Britt Bennett didn't waste ANY words. Her writing is beautiful and impactful and so easy to read all at the same time. She flips through timelines throughout the book so seamlessly without being confusing or feeling unnecessary. The cast of characters is sometimes unlikable while still being so raw and vibrant. This wasn't a clear cut book. I think very different people could have very different opinions on the choices that the characters made and have varying interpretations on the morality of their choices.
I hadn't known about the trans representation beforehand and was so surprised by how respectful and honest that aspect of the book was. I thought the discussions of colorism, gender roles, family ties, and abuse were handled so well without giving hard answers.
Ultimately this book doesn't have what I would call a happy ending. Things aren't neatly wrapped up with perfect conflict resolution and a beautiful reunited family, but I think that is a strength of the book, not a weakness. Some things are impossible to forgive and instead of trying to force an ending that is satisfying in a happy way, Bennett lets the story end in a way that felt realistic based on the actions of the characters.
Obviously, I really liked this book. Brit Bennett has become an autobuy author for me and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes literary fiction and books about complex family relationships.