I’m Late To The Party

I read this book in Mid-July when the hype surrounding this book was at its peak. I wanted to review it but a dislocated shoulder prevented me from typing as much as I would have liked during that time. Well, I’m here now late to the party but everything’s fine I'm just a little late to the party.

The Vanishing Half is written by Britt Bennett this is her second novel, her debut novel The Mothers written in 2016. The Vanishing Half chronicles the story of the Vignes Twin sister who decides to run away from their small town of Mallard, LA and ultimately choosing different life paths after running away from their home town.

Stella choosing to pass as white while Desiree chooses to embrace her blackness as both attempt to find themselves while in the Jim Crow era.

Throughout the book, I became more intrigued by the daughters of Stella and Desiree and how their Mother’s decisions affected the trajectory of their lives. Stella making the decision to pass as white ultimately marrying Blake Sanders a white man and having her daughter Kennedy who would rebel against her mother at every turn even though she was privileged in many ways, more then she would not be aware. At least not until years later when Jude enters her life and gives an eye-opener about who her mother really is. In my opinion, her rebellion and denial caused her to run from her questions than face them head-on just as her mother did in the past.

Desiree’s daughter Jude who was forced to move back to Mallard with Desiree felt all of the effects of colorism in the small town of Mallard because of her dark skin. We follow her journey as she grows up feeling the unworthiness and melancholy of being the outsider in the town that does not value the beauty in her physical features. Causing what I believe is an adverse effect on who she chooses as her love interests. The first how bullied her in front of everyone at school and kissed her when no one was watching and later after she leaves Mallard for college falling in love with a man that is emotionally unavailable.

This brought me to the notion of time. As I traveled through the decades of the characters life stories I realized that though it may feel as if Jim Crow was a long time ago it was not this was the reality of our parents and grandparents and our so-called “freedom” and “evolution” still has territories that are uncharted often feeling we’re in an infinite loop of repeating history. Reading this novel brought me to this reality that our history and present are closer than I once believed.

How many out there are still passing like Stella? Leaving all they knew to “have an easier life” leaving all they have ever known behind ultimately robbing themselves and children of a world that DNA says they belong to. Is it really an easy life passing? Now that culture has somewhat changed would they even admit if they were? The world will never know.

On Goodreads, I gave this book 5 stars though I still had unanswered questions regarding the characters and what was next for them by the end I believe this was intentional, their lives will continue as will ours. To sum up, of my thoughts this was a riveting story that takes us on a journey through time and our own personal struggles.

Hopefully, I did not add too many spoilers but you have not yet read this book please take the time to read before it becomes a limited series on HBO which I am excited for!