Originally published on June 22, 2024 | Last updated on June 22, 2024
When I read the blurb for The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett in the Kindle store, I instantly wanted to read the book due to its interesting themes. And, I was not disappointed! Read on for my full review:
Plot
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett follows the lives of Desiree and Stella Vignes, light-skinned black twins who grow up in a small town called ‘Mallard’ in Louisiana in the 60s. Mallard is unique due to the fact that all of the black community who live there have light skin. After dreaming of escaping their town, the twins decide to do just that and run away to New Orleans. When the twins are in desperate need of money, Stella pretends to be white in order to get a job as a secretary. But, passing for white opens new doors for Stella and she begins a relationship with her boss. She then decides to leave her twin behind, cut all contact with all who knew her, and start a new life passing as white in Los Angeles. But her false, created life is threatened when, years later, Desiree’s dark-skinned daughter, Jude, and Stella’s blonde, blue-eyed daughter, Kennedy, meet each other.
Review
I found the main theme of this book, ‘passing,’ to be very interesting. Stella is a very fascinating character. You do wonder how she could abandon and betray those who love her, and live her whole life as a lie by playing the role of a white woman. But, Bennett shows us that Stella has internalised a lot of anti-blackness. She is also desperate for a chance of a better life. However, this clearly comes at a cost. In order for Stella to maintain her façade, she has to continuously make an effort to “act white,” is terrified of being found out and does not let anyone get too close. This results in her coming across as distant, even to her own daughter. The theme of “passing” is also explored in a few other ways. As well as passing for white, Bennett portrays characters who pass for straight, and pass for a different gender — conveying the notion that people may not be how they appear.
Despite being identical, Stella and Desiree take two completely different paths. Desiree ends up marrying a dark skin man and having a daughter with him and then returning to Mallard, while Stella decides to pass as white, marry her white boss, have her daughter and settle down in a wealthy white community in California. Bennett shows that even though the twins share the same DNA, they are in two vastly different worlds — where one exists as white and the other as black. Stella lives in an affluent bubble in California where racism is the norm, while Desiree lives in a much humbler in Louisiana, in a unique town where colourism is a way of life. This is very thought-provoking and conveys how race can shape your course of life and also perceptions of ourselves and others. This theme continues into the next generation as the story follows the twins’ daughters, Kennedy and Jude.
This book is well-written and has a very compelling plot. Bennett effectively tells the story from the alternating perspectives of Desiree, Stella, and their daughters, and is able to excellently capture the emotions of the characters. Bennett also deals with some heavy themes including race, identity and class, and does this masterfully.
The Vanishing Half Rating – 5/5
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The Vanishing Half is an excellent exploration of “passing” and delves into the reasons why some may feel pulled to live as something other than their true selves. The story deals with the themes of identity, race, roots, secrets, transformation, and more. With its strong characters, compelling thought-provoking plot and beautifully written prose, this is a brilliant read that I would highly recommend.
If you have read this book, I would love to know your thoughts 🙂
