The Vanishing Half

Locations
Call Number: Fiction / Bennett, Brit, Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Bennett, Brit
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Traverwood Branch, Westgate Branch

"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? Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing."--Provided by publisher.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

lived up to the hype. submitted by AGAPHD on June 25, 2020, 8:06pm This was excellent! Captivating story and beautiful writing.

Complex Characters, Choices and Circumstance submitted by sVfGI7Glt2pz7GZgVB90 on August 19, 2020, 6:48am Having read 'The Mothers' by Brit Bennett last year and realizing what an exceptional writer she is, I've been eagerly awaiting her new novel published in June. 'The Vanishing Half' is about estranged twin sisters who live very different worlds, one black and one white.

Powerful and Different submitted by flemingj on June 28, 2021, 8:39pm Very strong story about a family going in very different directions.

Set of twin chose different paths submitted by kathrynsiu on July 16, 2021, 6:53pm The writing was great, emotions and complexities of a new story from a wonderful author

Popular for a reason! submitted by avandeusen on July 17, 2021, 10:47am I was skeptical of this book because I thought it couldn't be as good as it is hyped to be....but the storytelling is amazing and Bennett really knows how to spend time with characters.

Engaging story and characters submitted by lqwang on July 22, 2021, 8:33pm I found myself deeply invested in the characters, and the book is very well written.

Powerful Story submitted by alemmon100 on August 8, 2021, 9:51am I loved this book. Looking forward to more from Bennett.

Vanishing half submitted by nmrhoads on August 9, 2021, 9:26pm I really enjoyed this story. Diverse characters all with interesting paths in life

Identity submitted by kath on August 16, 2021, 11:43pm Wonderful story of twins who lead very different lives. Wonderful characters and great plot addresses issues of race and gender identity. The author was especially sensitive to gender and trans identity. The book is great all the way to the end and never disappoints.

What a story! submitted by Xris on November 29, 2021, 2:55pm Such an interesting story about twins, with kids on the opposite sides of the light/dark spectrum. I also like that the daughter Jude's boyfriend represented trans people in this story.

not really. No patience going thru the sea of insignificant trivia. Returned it after reading the first few pages. submitted by Tassos on December 3, 2021, 9:01pm Poor writing, disorganized, wasting time with worthless trivia, Is this a prerequisite for a "chick book"?

She's not the late great Toni Morrison.

and no way this is in the "top 100" books of 2020. "Top 100 PC Books", maybe. OR top 100 books by women authors, I don't know.

All the parts are there, but it didn't do much for me submitted by Susan4Pax -prev. sueij- on June 12, 2022, 12:15pm 3/5 stars. I want to love this book, and I really understand why people do. The story is interesting, the characters have depth, and the twists and turns hold interest. Unfortunately, this is the second Bennett novel that just doesn’t grip me. I never minded putting the book down, and when I did, I never felt tremendously drawn to pick it back up. I just can’t put my finger on why… because all the pieces are there. So something about it isn’t quite the right magic for me… but overall people seem to love it, I can really see why, and you probably will too. Good but not great in my reading experience, but I think I’m somehow the exception and it’s worth more than that description.

Slow start but loved the characters stories submitted by alisonhatch94 on June 21, 2022, 4:29pm I really liked this book and enjoyed reading each character's journey. For me the beginning was really slow and although I liked it, I didn't find the book super engaging. It just didn't grab my attention but I'm glad I finished it. Definitely not very plot driven but I do feel like I learned a lot from the characters.

This was great submitted by bcartm01 on June 21, 2022, 8:36pm I was hesitant at first to read this one because of how popular it was, however I’ve already told two people that this is my favorite book of 2021. I honestly could not put it down.

Excellent read submitted by Kbolling on July 19, 2022, 7:54am A beautifully told story

Complex and powerful submitted by zbo919 on July 28, 2022, 9:13pm Such an engaging and interesting story, haven't read something like this in a while

Slow start but worth it! submitted by ekalish92 on July 29, 2022, 10:03am This book got off to a bit of a slow start but was ultimately worth it! It's a story of two worlds; one black, one white. One wealthy, one poor. Bennett's writing allows you a peek into the psyche of most of the major characters and how sometimes seemingly minor choices can impact major life outcomes.

Actually worth the hype submitted by clk.9123 on August 21, 2022, 5:11pm Another great pick by Brit Bennett. She really does not disappoint with her books and I would recommend picking up this one, before or after The Mothers it doesn’t matter - but I do think reading both is so worth it!

Amazing submitted by zwachtel50 on June 9, 2023, 2:29pm Genuinely one of the best books I’ve ever read. I recommend this to anyone who asks me for book recs, and so far all of my friends have also loved it.

Great read submitted by melaniekv on June 17, 2023, 8:15pm This was on my list to read for awhile and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the story and the characters.

A great book submitted by akrieg15 on July 4, 2023, 10:23pm It was a page turner and I couldn't put it down. I finished it in less than a week. The story was so intriguing and made you think deeply about race, class and gender.

Very good submitted by Mtadams on July 30, 2023, 12:56pm I enjoyed this one and have been told to also read Passing with a similar storyline