Cover Image: The Vanishing Half

The Vanishing Half

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Member Reviews

I loved this book- it was a story that sucked me in and had me following along with both the sisters, and the tension between them and their shared identities. Really powerful, and the writing is so absorbing. Loved it!

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I love being given the opportunity to update our school library which is a unique space for both senior students and staff to access high quality literature. This is definitely a must-buy. It kept me absolutely gripped from cover to cover and is exactly the kind of read that just flies off the shelves. It has exactly the right combination of credible characters and a compelling plot thatI just could not put down. This is a great read that I couldn't stop thinking about and it made for a hugely satisfying read. I'm definitely going to order a copy and think it will immediately become a popular addition to our fiction shelves. 10/10 would absolutely recommend.

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Incredible storytelling with great themes.
The characters are well developed.
It is well written with great pacing.
Fantastic book

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Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

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"The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett is a well-written and thought-provoking novel that explores issues of race, identity, and family. The story is engaging, with a strong sense of place and character. However, at times the narrative can feel a bit disjointed, with multiple plot threads that are not always fully resolved. Additionally, some readers may find the ending unsatisfying or too ambiguous. Overall, while "The Vanishing Half" is a worthy addition to the literary canon and an important exploration of complex themes, it falls short of being a truly exceptional novel. A solid three-star read.

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A great book. I loved this book so much that I actually bought myself a copy of this book.
Thank you for gifting me this book NetGalley and the publishers

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The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett riffs on Passing by and Nella Larsen and sees two twin sisters from a town in which black people are able to pass as white decide to leave town. One of the sisters goes on to pass as a white woman and one of them ends up returning to the town after things go awry. I did not give The Mothers by Britt Bennett a favorable review a few years ago, and so I had no intentions of reading The Vanishing Half. Had it not been for the Booktube prize, I would not have read this book. In reading this book, I can see how Brit Bennett has advanced as a writer, however I did not particularly enjoy the way that this story used coincidences in order to further its narrative. It's an incredibly short book and I think that that is to its benefit. I think that the author knows what parts of the story need to be included to make the strongest possible tale, however as I say the coincidences put me off. I found it somewhat predictable, but it is a book that I was able to keep reading. I read rather quickly and I was able to recognize why other people might like this book. There was a strong narratorial voice. The Mothers tried to have a strong narratorial voice and I felt as though that was something it fell short of doing. I think that here, Bennett has shown improvement from that and I would look forward to seeing how her career is going to go, and how her writing is going to progress, because I think that here we have something that's done what books should do, and has managed to improve upon that last book. I think that in terms of discussing relationships, particularly familial relationships, it did well and I think that this time we had a story that went through generations and we were able to see this generational shift. It also helped to show us two different parts of society. Now there was something to me that was a bit similar to Double Act by Jacqueline Wilson, in which you had two twins who were decidedly different from one another and we followed them explaining how they were different and how they'd separated from one another. Here, I think that this book is also a good exploration of showing how sometimes we need to separate from what we know in order to truly find ourselves. I think that there is something to be said about the way we believe life could go as opposed how it does go. I think that we get a good discussion on what it means to pass and it doesn't just come in the form of discussing how certain black people are able to pass as white, it also discusses in small ways how certain other communities are able to pass as well and how perception in society is often all it takes to garner respect.

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After reading and loving 'The Mothers' by Brit Bennett, I knew I was in for a treat when I heard about 'The Vanishing Half'. I was not disappointed whatsoever, it was all I hoped for and more. Easily one of my favourite reads of 2020. This book completely exceeded my expectations and it was just sensational. I found myself instantly sucked into the plot and the lives of the characters, everything was so well thought out. I didn't want to put it down, yet simultaneously I wanted to savour every moment because I knew once I finished reading I would want to be able to read it for the first time all over again.

It's difficult to write a review without spoiling any of the story but just know that you're in for a whirlwind of a journey when you pick up this astounding novel. Brit Bennett is 100% an instant auto-buy author for me and I can't wait for more from her. Now it's time for a re-read I think!

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The Vanishing Half tells the story of the Vignes sisters, identical twins, who after growing up in a small southern black community run away in hopes of bettering their lives. Though identical, the twins embark on two different journeys, one sister, who years later, returns home with her black daughter and the other who secretly passes for white and has created the future she has always dreamt of. Despite these two different journeys, their lives are brought together when their daughters meet, colliding their two worlds.

This book was probably one of the most anticipated releases of 2020 and there was no way I was going into the new year without reading it and was able to wrap it up in the last two weeks of the year!

This was a frustratingly beautiful story.

I loved the honesty in this book. A lot of people shy away from discussing colourism in the black community and so the views of the Mallard community was a reminder that there were and unfortunately still are those who view lighter skin as superior, helping us to understand why passing would be attractive to some. So a book like this, delving into the history of passing is important and honestly made me appreciate Passing by Nella Larsen a lot more.

Now let’s get into some characters.

I absolutely loved Jude and Resse. Their relationship was a challenging one initially, but I believe all relationships require work and understanding. They weren’t picture-perfect but they were perfect to me! That’s it!

Desiree - I get she had to run but back to Mallard? Really? Knowing what Jude would experience? I want to call her selfish but maybe that’s a bit too harsh.

Stella - Her transition made sense to me, it was almost inevitable but I just found her to be selfish. However, it would be unrealistic to believe she would sacrifice all she had so 🤷🏾‍♀️

This is the beauty of Brit Bennett’s books - they are perfectly imperfect and you become fully invested in them, even after closing the book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and believe that all the hype around this book was warranted. Brit Bennett is a wonderful author and I am excited to see what’s next!

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The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett was shortlisted for the Women's Prize 2021, Goodreads choice 2020 read,
Sunday Times best seller. Long listed for the Women's Prize 2021 and Long listed for the National Book Award.,
It was a very good read and so well written, especially as Brit is a new author to me. This book was an amazing journey , whilst reading it and did force me out of my comfort zone but I am glad I had a chance to read and review it.

There a lot of topics included in this book which are:
-Self-esteem/self-confidence
- Colourdsm and passing for white
- Racism/bigotry.
- Classism
- Domestic Violence
- Identity issues
- Lying/hiding truths
- LGBTQIA+
- Racism/bigotry.

Thank you to Riverhead Books/Penguin Publishing Group and Edelweiss for this ARC.

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What can I say other than what a fabulous book and I suspect destined to be one of my books of the year! It is a fascinating story full of well developed and interesting characters - Bennett's skill lies in exploring complex and emotive issues in such a readable way. It is a book that had me engrossed from beginning to end and one I have been recommending to everyone.

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Wow. What a book.

Twins Desiree and Stella grew up in an insignificant tiny town in Louisiana where if your skin is dark, you’re practically an outcast although all of it’s inhabitants are of black ancestry. The girls decide to run away, taking themselves off to New Orleans in the middle of the night and ending up in a minuscule apartment and working in a laundry. Stella goes on to find a secretarial job whilst Desiree stays at the laundry and so their lives begin to travel in opposite directions with Desiree returning home one day to find that Stella has cleared out with no indication as to why or where she has gone. As the tale progresses the twins’ daughters become entwined into not only Desiree and Stella’s narrative but their own story is just as mesmerising with each girl fighting their own demons.

When I started this I didn’t think that it would captivate me the way it did but there’s just something about the characters that anchor themselves into your heart. The writer has the talent of writing about every single person/place in such a way that she makes them essential to the entire novel no matter how small or large a part they play. Having finished this beautiful novel I’ve come to the conclusion that the bones of it is about finding out who you are, what you want from life and how far you’re willing to go to achieve your goals.

Huge thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

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This exploration of family, race, gender and its complications deserves all the attention it's received.

Now I want to read THE MOTHERS.

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This book really lived up to the hype. A story that has stayed with me for a long time. Her writing really gets inside your head and makes you feel.

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This is a fascinating story of two sisters, who go their separate ways. Coming from a mixed race community in Louisiana, they can pass as white, yet are effectively regarded as black and therefore are forced to follow the segregation laws of mid-Century America. While one sister chooses to rediscover her roots and marries an african-american man, the other sister, Stella, disappears from her family's sight, passing as white and building a life based on a dangerous lie. Circumstances and coincidences lead to the convergence of the two different worlds and Stella's world threatens to fall apart.

Touching on a rarely talked and written about aspect of american history, this book deals with the one drop theory in n engaging and masterful manner, and it is difficult to put it down. Clearly inspired by Nella Larsen's Passing, this is a must read if you are interested in the civil rights movement and the history of african-american people.

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I found most of this book so compelling that I just couldn't put it down.
I found the story of Stella and Desiree so interesting. The story perfectly reflects the struggles of various groups of people.
However, when the book concentrated more on Kennedy and Jude, I just didn't connect as much. Saying that it's a great story and I'm so pleased that I received an arc of it from Netgalley uk

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A beautifully written book about race, family and identity.
Every character's story is beautifully crafted and developed, showing the complexities and hardships of life, along with the joys.
Extremely moving and, dare I say, life-changing book.

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I remember being drawn to Brit Bennett's previous work, The Mothers, and finding it difficult to get hold of in the UK at the time of publication. I eventually received my copy and the writing just blew me away, I couldn't put my finger on it at the time but The Vanishing Half has done exactly the same. You really get to delve deep into the characters' minds which were interesting yet moving at times. I found the concept ambitious and one that should be read by many!

You follow two sisters that have been brought up in polar opposite ways with the two narrative strands eventually converging, Serious issues regarding class and race were prominent themes throughout and really taught me a lot. Compelling and heart-breaking but one I can't wait to recommend,

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An amazing, thought-provoking and multi-layered book. Beautiful prose but with a gripping plot and wonderful characterisation, a 5 star read.

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Such a well written story, I could have carried on reading and reading. Great characters who you could relate to. Gave you a lot to think about. Highly recommend!

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