The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG, what a read--I was shocked and saddened by the many decisions of the mothers and daughters in this historical fiction novel about passing, families, racism, and history. The Vigne twins live in Mallard, made up of only light skinned blacks, their family unit is torn apart when their father Leon is murdered before their eyes, taken to a hospital because he is not dead, and the same white killers finish the job. Imagine your happy life is swept away by racism and it is never explained to you as 10 year olds and how that shatters and changes you...thus begins this awesome historical fiction look into passing and the life changing decisions Desiree and Stella make when they flee Mallard for New Orleans. Flashing back and forth between characters and years this book consists of 6 parts dealing with time periods of 1968, 1978,back to 1968, 1982, 1985 to 1988 and last 1986. This must read says so much about all things---twins, sisters, family, racism, secrets, mysteries, love, and decisions. Mother, Adele, is racist but Desiree and her daughter Jude return to Mallard after her husband's continued beatings. Stella passes as white and marries (and lies to) Blake her boss, and her Kennedy is raised with so much but her Stella's lies change her and how she treats her daughter. Early and Reese (and Jude) are probably my favorite characters: they have pasts but they live with them better than everyone else in this taut, sad, visceral novel. I loved the dynamic between Kennedy and Jude; hated Stella--she was evil in so many ways but she chose her life and all it did was provide loneliness, alcohol, and a warped woman. I wished Desiree and Early the best and Jude and Reese; I would love another novel about their love and life with each other. A compelling book, I will be discussing this with my Albright College Zoom club Wed 3/31, I can't wait!

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