A review by remindmetoread
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 I found this book captivating. I think the author managed to really bring a story to life and there were a lot of parts in it that I adored. I definitely recommend it as good read and stimulating family story. I found this book to be great with pacing, but toward the ending I felt the author was clearly trying to wrap up the story in a nice bow and the bow was pretty but the wrapping paper was a little ripped. I enjoyed the 3rd person perspective of this book, it was just the time jumping that was a tad confusing. And there were parts where she tells you the future and I just felt that was an unnecessary interjection. I would have preferred an epilogue to these one off sentences that were forgettable. One thing I feel was missing was a conversation about the twins hair. I feel as Black women, our hair is a big deal and although they're white passing Black girls, I couldn't imagine the twins with bone straight hair. And the entire book I was curious of how Stella styles her hair with no mention of hot tools or chemical straighteners. No awkward trip to a white salon. Just perfect assimilation. I don't recall the author saying much besides long hair so I left it up to my imagination. This book did a great job of the racism and colorism of the time periods. Even the brief interracial dating was spot on. And I liked how the book title relates to multiple vanishing halves in this book. Of course the twins are the most obvious but you spot more throughout the book, which I felt were beautiful themes to notice. And the most beautiful of them all was the Character, Reese. I love Reese so much. He deserves nothing but the world. Seeing him through the 3rd person perspective of Jude were my favorite parts. I don't have much else to say without giving away major parts of the story but Stella and Jude's arcs were also the most satisfying to me. We saw the major point of views of 5 characters, the twins, the daughters, and a character named Early. Stella's daughter didn't get much love in this book. I felt so sorry for her. It was honestly a perspective that deserved a lot more attention than it got. I felt she was lost and I felt lost for her as well. Another vanishing half. 
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