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A review by plantladyreader
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
5.0
I don't even know where to start with this book. What a powerful story, exposing the realities of our world and the way we view and approach different races.
The Vignes twins grew up in a southern Black community, in a small town you couldn't even find on a map, surrounded by people who saw being light-skinned as the way to make it through life. While they are identical, their personalities couldn't be more different - Desiree is known as the stubborn, hard-headed dreamer, whereas Stella is the quiet, easy-going pushover type. Stella loves school and dreams of university, whereas Desiree dreams of leaving Mallard behind and never looking back. When their mother decides to pull them from school to start working at 16, the two decide to run away. Suddenly 10 years later, Desiree comes back to town with her daughter, and hasn't heard from Stella in years. Stella has been living as a white woman in suburbia, with her blonde haired, blue eyed daughter, and a big secret. Even her husband has no idea of her past or background. Having to disguise who she is and cut herself off from her family has weighed on Stella, but in her mind it was the only way to achieve the best for herself and her children. When Stella's daughter Kennedy and Desiree's daughter Jude end up meeting and becoming friends, Stella is afraid her entire world is going to come crashing down. But would losing the mask, and once again embracing who she is really be the worst thing?
I could not put this book down. The difference between these two twins was remarkable to read about, and the immense strength it would have taken for Stella to leave her life behind and live a lie for all those years made for a page-turner. It really cast the privileged lives of white society into glaring spotlight - the ease that I have been able to move through life, obtain what I've wanted, and live free of prejudice is certainly a privilege. The fact that Stella felt the need to make the choice she did, because she was light-skinned enough, is heartbreaking. Cutting yourself off from your family would be a tough decision, but doing so only so you could live a lie is horrifying. Watching the twins grow up separately, but inadvertently being thrust back together again, was such a beautiful journey to read about. I can't recommend reading this book enough.
5
The Vignes twins grew up in a southern Black community, in a small town you couldn't even find on a map, surrounded by people who saw being light-skinned as the way to make it through life. While they are identical, their personalities couldn't be more different - Desiree is known as the stubborn, hard-headed dreamer, whereas Stella is the quiet, easy-going pushover type. Stella loves school and dreams of university, whereas Desiree dreams of leaving Mallard behind and never looking back. When their mother decides to pull them from school to start working at 16, the two decide to run away. Suddenly 10 years later, Desiree comes back to town with her daughter, and hasn't heard from Stella in years. Stella has been living as a white woman in suburbia, with her blonde haired, blue eyed daughter, and a big secret. Even her husband has no idea of her past or background. Having to disguise who she is and cut herself off from her family has weighed on Stella, but in her mind it was the only way to achieve the best for herself and her children. When Stella's daughter Kennedy and Desiree's daughter Jude end up meeting and becoming friends, Stella is afraid her entire world is going to come crashing down. But would losing the mask, and once again embracing who she is really be the worst thing?
I could not put this book down. The difference between these two twins was remarkable to read about, and the immense strength it would have taken for Stella to leave her life behind and live a lie for all those years made for a page-turner. It really cast the privileged lives of white society into glaring spotlight - the ease that I have been able to move through life, obtain what I've wanted, and live free of prejudice is certainly a privilege. The fact that Stella felt the need to make the choice she did, because she was light-skinned enough, is heartbreaking. Cutting yourself off from your family would be a tough decision, but doing so only so you could live a lie is horrifying. Watching the twins grow up separately, but inadvertently being thrust back together again, was such a beautiful journey to read about. I can't recommend reading this book enough.
5