Although I enjoy reading historical fiction, I do occasionally read fiction and discovered a new author, Brit Bennett. On another visit to see our son and his fiancé in San Clemente, a book on their desk caught my eye. The cover was designed with pink, blue, orange, ochre, and green curved shapes blending two figures in a mosaic pattern were the twin sisters in The Vanishing Half, Bennett’s second novel.
Bennett’s graceful writing made a smooth transition between the past and present, spanned forty years and distant miles of multiple cities in the South, West, East, and Midwest. The twin sisters Desiree, dark-skinned, and Stella, light-skinned, left their hometown of Mallard led separate lives, running from their past and living lies. Stella chose to pass as a white woman, while Desiree embraced her Black identity returning to Mallard after leaving an abusive husband. Desiree’s daughter, Jude, and Stella’s daughter, Kennedy, ultimately become intertwined and ask questions about their identity and family.
I could not put this book down as I was drawn into the complex relationships between the characters, their past, and confrontational issues of race and sexuality, written with compassion. Desiree and Stella’s choices influenced their relationships between themselves, their husbands, and future generations (their daughters) who wanted to know the truth. The truth was not only about their mothers but also themselves when they learned they were related.
Since we were staying in San Clemente for a long weekend, my ambition was to finish this book while there. It was not hard to do as I could not put down this “page-turner”. The garage apartment had a dining nook surrounded by windows where I spent most of my time reading, along with the cats, who shared their favorite hang-out with me. Immersed in The Vanishing Half, Dillon and Moose frequently jumped over my shoulder and out the window to cruise the neighborhood via their rooftop escape.
Brit Bennett’s first book entitled The Mothers I have not read yet, but I highly recommend The Vanishing Half!
https://britbennett.com/the-vanishing-half
