Scan barcode
A review by shelvedbysara
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
emotional
sad
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
5.0
Review
More than a story about bloodline, The Vanishing Half is also a story about the search for one's identity and the choices that make us who we are. Brit Bennet explores the complexities of gender, identity and race by writing thought provoking remarks about social inequality and injustice, systemic racism, and the legacy of segregation that continues to shape American society today. Bold, powerful, and deeply respectful of diverse walks of life, The Vanishing Half is a profound representation of privilege and the lack thereof, as well as how it impacts the lives of black people on a daily basis.
Summary
Desiree and Stella are identical twin sisters who grew up in a southern black community during the Jim Crow era (1960s). They had never left Mallard, their small town, but both felt a restless urge to escape — and on their 16th birthday, they did. From then on, their lives follow completely different routes based on the set of choices each one makes about who they want to become and what kind of life they want to lead: one decides to return to her black roots in Mallard; the other decides to live a life passing as white in Los Angeles. But no matter how far one goes, one can never fully escape their origins. Decades after the twins parted ways, their daughters’ paths intersect by chance. What will happen when they find out who the other is?
More than a story about bloodline, The Vanishing Half is also a story about the search for one's identity and the choices that make us who we are. Brit Bennet explores the complexities of gender, identity and race by writing thought provoking remarks about social inequality and injustice, systemic racism, and the legacy of segregation that continues to shape American society today. Bold, powerful, and deeply respectful of diverse walks of life, The Vanishing Half is a profound representation of privilege and the lack thereof, as well as how it impacts the lives of black people on a daily basis.
Summary
Desiree and Stella are identical twin sisters who grew up in a southern black community during the Jim Crow era (1960s). They had never left Mallard, their small town, but both felt a restless urge to escape — and on their 16th birthday, they did. From then on, their lives follow completely different routes based on the set of choices each one makes about who they want to become and what kind of life they want to lead: one decides to return to her black roots in Mallard; the other decides to live a life passing as white in Los Angeles. But no matter how far one goes, one can never fully escape their origins. Decades after the twins parted ways, their daughters’ paths intersect by chance. What will happen when they find out who the other is?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Racial slurs, Rape, and Sexual assault