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A review by pocketsized_pageturner
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
5.0
I was blown away by this book! I have heard some reviews limiting this book to a character-driven story. But, while this book does focus on the characters, I think that it is an unfairly narrow view of this book.
The plot points might have been more subtle than other books - but I was on the edge of my seat. I needed to know how certain aspects of the story played out. I was tied to the progression of each character and emotionally invested in what happened to them.
The Vanishing Half is about two sisters, who are Black but white-passing, and how their decisions to embrace this part of themselves shape their futures. Desiree, who is originally desperate to leave their home town - eventually returns with her dark-skinned daughter. Stella made the decision to live as a white woman - and we watch her deal with the burden of living as someone you aren’t.
The decisions that these two sisters made shape the lives of all of those around them - their children, their significant others, and their friends.
With so much on the line, this book was addicting. You could see so much of each sister in their children, but not in the ways you would expect. You felt the weight of each decision that was made and how it impacted the next moves that were made.
And don’t get my started on Jude and Reese!
I loved this book. I can’t recommend it enough. It is written beautifully and it is addicting. Everyone read this book.
The plot points might have been more subtle than other books - but I was on the edge of my seat. I needed to know how certain aspects of the story played out. I was tied to the progression of each character and emotionally invested in what happened to them.
The Vanishing Half is about two sisters, who are Black but white-passing, and how their decisions to embrace this part of themselves shape their futures. Desiree, who is originally desperate to leave their home town - eventually returns with her dark-skinned daughter. Stella made the decision to live as a white woman - and we watch her deal with the burden of living as someone you aren’t.
The decisions that these two sisters made shape the lives of all of those around them - their children, their significant others, and their friends.
With so much on the line, this book was addicting. You could see so much of each sister in their children, but not in the ways you would expect. You felt the weight of each decision that was made and how it impacted the next moves that were made.
And don’t get my started on Jude and Reese!
I loved this book. I can’t recommend it enough. It is written beautifully and it is addicting. Everyone read this book.