Book Review: “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett

“The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett (2020)

Genre: Fiction, Historical

Page Length: 343 pages (hardcover edition)

Synopsis:

The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it’s not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it’s everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Ten years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters’ storylines intersect? (description from Goodreads)

Review:

I had been hearing a lot of buzz about this book prior to it’s release so I was excited to read this for my local book club’s pick for August. The novel follows the narrative of two twins, Desiree and Stella Vignes that come from a small town named Mallard. Once they turn eighteen they leave their home to live separate lives. Stella passes for White and lives a completely new life while Desiree ends up eventually moving back home.

The readers are take on a journey through time spanning the 1950s through the early 1990s following the narratives of not only the twins, but their daughters’ lives and how they intersect. Having the shift in viewpoints really gives the reader a deeper look at the characters innermost thoughts, emotions, and views of the world. Peering into their heads allowed me to connect with the characters but also to understand them on a deep level and why they chose those paths for themselves.

Bennett is such a fantastic writer and I love her lyrical writing style that has such depth. The way she created these relatable and complex characters and their narratives was amazing. I was constantly invested into the plot and wondered how the story would play out in the end (I personally liked the ending). I also like who she explore race, colorism, sexuality, and identity through a variety of lenses she presents. It has some themes of self-discovery that are incredibly deep.

I felt like the each character made their own choices whether it was right or wrong and it had a butterfly effect on the rest of the narrative. There’s a huge sense of grief as the sisters grow apart over time and immense regret. Even though they are separated from each other they have never forgotten their turbulent pasts or each other. History sees to haunt them their entire lives and it’ always there to remind them of where they came from. I also though it was interesting to see how the world and characters shifted over the course of time, but how certain things stay the same.

An emotional but very deep novel that I highly recommend!

Final Verdict: