I loved Brit Bennett's first book and was SO excited to see this second one from her! Bennett is such a talented writer - I strongly recommend this book!

The Vanishing Half grabbed my attention with its stunning cover, and the beautiful storytelling inside held me to the end. This story of two twin sisters whose lives go in very different directions because of their choices explores notions of family and belonging, race, class, and gender. Bennett's exquisite writing transports the reader into the different settings and communities as she traces the connections and disconnections which make us who we are.

#NetGalley, #TheVanishingHalf

Captivating and thought-provoking, as it touches on difficult subjects of lynching, prejudice, betrayal, and trauma. The characters are beautifully drawn with all their complexities and inner lives capturing the spectrum of their experience.

Twin sisters raised in the small southern black community where each generation strives to become "lighter." At 16 years old, the girls flee town and choose completely opposite paths. Great characters, plot, and family dynamics with lots of food for thought.

I did not think that Brit Bennett could top The Mothers but I think I was even more blown away by The Vanishing Half. Desiree and Stella Vignes are twin sisters who leave their small southern town to find different paths in life. This story looks deeply at racial identify, how our personal history informs so many of our life choices, and what it means to find your true self in the world. Brit Bennett’s writing style is both beautiful and powerful. I reread several paragraphs just to let her words truly sink in. This book is thought-provoking, heartbreaking, and uplifting all at once. I cannot recommend The Vanishing Half enough.

Thank you to Brit Bennett, Riverhead Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Inseparable, identical twins Desiree and Stella run away from home at age 16. When Stella takes off on her own, the two end up living very different lives. Spanning decades, The Vanishing Half deftly explores race, family ties and how the past shapes the future. If you liked Bennett's The Mothers, this is even better!

Bennett has done it again. This book tells the story of a family, sisters and a town. But really it tells the story of race in America and all the insidious and damaging ways it’s used to harm. Bennett is a storyteller, through and through. She also is a lover of history and interweaves the impacts of that history lovely into everyday families. Well done. Stirring and moving,

So beautifully written. This book is about families, race in America, secrets, and more. The characters come to life. It is an outstanding novel and deserves a wide readership.

I recieved an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Light-skinned twins leave their small Louisiana town for New Orleans where one leaves the other to blend into white society. Lies and hurt follow Stella as she lives with her lie and struggles to find happiness. The other sister, Desiree, returns to her hometown a battered woman with a small child and finds peace with her mother and an old flame. In a chance of fate, their daughters discover each other and forge a friendship of sorts which forces out Stella's lie somewhat.

From the start of the novel, Bennett is able to grab the reader and draw them into this emotionally charged story. The Vignes twins have had their share of heartache since childhood. When they leave their community at sixteen, they don't look back. Yet, what happens is unexpected, with one disappearing into a world that is the opposite of what she knows, while the other ends up with child, right back where they started. This gripping tale of family, weaving in and out of past and present, is only solidified by the unbreakable bond of sisterhood, and shows that regardless of trying to run, the past always comes back to find you.
Fans of The Mothers, Bennett's debut novel, will not be disappointed! This pick is great for those that enjoy a true literary fiction piece, with a hint of history and family tragedy. Multiple themes present themselves, such a loyalty, family, and self-acceptance, that any type of reader can relate to.

This was a fascinating read about racial and gender identity, raising the question of who we are based on who we think we are. Or are we bound by societal expectations of this is how this shade, color, gender, person should be? And would we choose to throw away all we are to try a different persona? Great storytelling with believable characters who stayed with me after I was done.

So I was lucky enough to get early access to this novel through NetGalley and it was one of those books you simply will stay up past your bedtime. Bennett nails so much within this one tale and she does so with effort. Definitely will be recommending to my friends.

Sometimes I wish I could give a book more than 5 stars. Brit Bennett not only writes with extraordinary grace, she is a compelling storyteller. Diving smoothly into the deep waters of identity and race in America, she gives us twin girls Stella and Desiree, remarkably the same and, ultimately, immeasurably different. Whether this is consequence of of happenstance, choices, and consequences or a deeper division of character, is for the reader to decide.

Terrific book. I gasped aloud at least once. Unique plot, fascinating characters (some more like able than others), and beautifully written. Add this to your to read list! Highly recommend for adults.

Thank you to Riverhead Books and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Riverhead Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is unlike anything I have read before, and it requires you to slow down and really think about the story. The characters are very well-developed and unique, and I really enjoyed the way the book's organization drove the story through the character's lives. All in all, it is an enjoyable, thoughtful read!

Review posted on Goodreads on 4/24/2020.

This is the first can't-put-down book I've read in a while. All of the storylines, all of the characters are compelling. Holds very true to the time periods it covers.

The Vanishing Half was both beautifully written and it also had a propulsive plot that made me keep reading to see what happened next. It was a good exploration of passing for white and of colorism, as well as the sister relationship, and the effects of family secrets. It would be a great choice for a community wide read or a book discussion.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett is excellent. From the characters, to the setting(s), to the unpredictable and varied natures of the plot as time passed... I was enthralled. Though this novel was deep and considered a wide variety of societal issues related to race, class, trauma, and change, as well as the nature of family and sisterhood, this was also a fun, light-hearted read. I loved it!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read an advanced copy. All opinions in this review are my own.

Oh my god, this was an amazing book. It had a bit of a slow start but then it just...whew. Became amazing. It's historical fiction, but the story just feels so modern. In the best way possible.

I really liked Brit Bennett's debut, The Mothers, but you always worry a little bit about sophomore slump. There's no slump here. I can't WAIT to recommend this to people. So good.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Brit Bennett does it again. Her brilliant compulsively readable novel explores the everlasting bond between twins Desiree and Stella Vignes who grow up under the shadow of a vicious hate crime. The Black girls come of age in a fictional Louisiana town populated with people who look like them: they can pass off as white. Bennett explores the fluidity of identity through various angles: “Being anyone else was the thrill. To transform into a different person in plain sight, nobody around her even able to tell,” remembers Stella as she slips into a life unrecognizable even to her own self.