Contemporary Fiction: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Today I will be covering the second novel from Brit Bennett, The Vanishing Half. Honestly, I bought this one on a whim. It was one of those Amazon purchases I made quickly, before I could change my mind, because I knew this book would be somewhat of a trial for me to work through. 

The Situation: Desiree and Stella Vignes are identical twins born in the small southern town of Mallard: a town founded specifically for light-skinned black people, so light in fact, that many of them could pass for white. After losing their father to a lynch mob while they are still young, the two sisters will grow up under the watchful gaze of their hardworking mother, Adele. But after being forced to drop out of school, something they both enjoy, and made to work cleaning houses, Desiree decides enough is enough, and manages to convince Stella to leave for New Orleans. When Desiree returns to Mallard 14 years later, it will be as much as a surprise as the day she and her sister left, but now she has a small child with her. The people of Mallard are having a hard time believing the little girl to be Desiree's daughter, mostly because her skin is so dark. And as many questions they may have about little Jude, they have just as many about Stella.

The Problem: When Desiree had to convince Stella to leave Mallard when they were teenagers, she had no idea her sister would then leave her while they were working in New Orleans. Both girls always had the ability to pass for white, and it did not require much effort. Given the right circumstance, many people would assume they were white without either one of them saying a word. So when Stella made the decision to pass over, it was not all that difficult, or even surprising. But it would be a secret she would have to keep forever, from everyone, and never again make contact with anyone from her past, including the woman who looks exactly like her. It is only after her own daughter, Kennedy, has grown up and began performing on stage that the past begins to haunt her. It seems Kennedy's life has somehow intersected with Jude's, Desiree's daughter. And now the careful and fragile lie that Stella has maintained all those years is in danger of being exposed.   

Genre, Themes, History: The is a fiction novel that takes place between the years 1968 and 1988, though it jumps back and forth through time between sections. There is plenty going on here, the most obvious of which being race relations, identity, and the idea of passing. Also included are explorations of gender, and the mother/daughter dynamic. The twins are identical, and though they run away together, their lives take different courses. Stella decides to pass for white and disappears for good, and Desiree marries a dark-skinned black man with whom she has Jude, a girl whose skin is so dark she is teased with names like Tar Baby, and ends up returning to Mallard. When each of the twins' daughters grow up, their paths cross with only one knowing the truth. All of the issues in this book are complicated, though almost every character will search for the simple answer, claiming it is out there and easy to hold onto. Stella wants to desperately maintain her lie, despite the effort it takes, the pain it causes, and how it effects her daughter.

My Verdict: As I already said, there is a lot going on in this book. It is not only about a black woman passing for white and the identical twin that returned to their hometown, though I almost wish it had been. There are many points in the book where I felt like there was too much to keep track of; too many issues and threads to follow; and ultimately, not enough resolution. But of course, that is also how life is. The characters are complicated, nothing is straight-forward, and Bennett captures the feeling of confronting someone with the truth, expecting all to be revealed and resolved at once, but instead it is all followed by confusion, sometimes anger, and more lies. Of all of the people that will lie to us in our lifetime, it is perhaps the most problematic when those people come from our own family, the people we are supposed to trust the most. I am not all that fond of the ending, and I would have preferred more focus on Desiree and Stella, and Jude and Kennedy. But it is an interesting story that will keep the reader guessing.

Favorite Moment: Jude experiences a revelation after she has moved away from Mallard that I think is really well-done. I do not want to get more specific for fear of spoiling it, but I think readers will know it when they find it.

Favorite Character: Early may be a bit of a wanderer who cannot stay in one place for too long, but he treats Desiree and Jude well, and is even able to get past the obvious disapproval of Adele.

Recommended Reading: There is not a book quite like this one out there, and I have not read Bennett's previous book, The Mothers. So I will simply recommend Dread Nation by Justina Ireland for those interested in a YA adventure set in post-Civil War America.