The Vanishing Half

Name: The Vanishing Half

Author/Director Name: Brit Bennet

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Coming-of-age story, Psychological Fiction

Date Released: June 2, 2020

Date Reviewed: January 16th, 2023

Overall Rating:  4/5

This story is about twin sisters who grow up in a colorist town in the middle of nowhere. They’re very well known due to their family’s legacy in the town. The town is so colorist that no dark skin people live there, only light skin. One day, the twins decide to run away together to start a new life in New Orleans. They struggle to find their way at first, but because they have each other, they decide to stick it out. One of the twins decides to pass as white to get a job as a secretary. No one at the office even considers the fact that she may be black, and this allows her to experience what it’s like to live as a white woman. The twin ends up disappearing without saying a word to her sister, and she’s never seen again…..or so we thought.

This was a great read in my opinion. It puts a spotlight on the inner workings of racism and the impact it had on the black psyche in regards to how we view ourselves and each other. It really showcases the desperation that comes with trying to survive a Jim Crow south, and some of the decisions people chose to make just to have a fair shot at a decent life.

I’d also like to mention how great this author is at conveying pain and sorrow through her writing. I could feel the heartbreak of the mother who doesn’t know where her daughters are. I could feel the emptiness and pain of a twin missing her sister and not knowing where she is for years upon years.

I do feel like the ending was rushed and a bit clumsy. It left me feeling empty and a bit confused. There were many loose ends I feel could’ve been wrapped up cleaner but it’s definitely still one of my favorite reads of 2022.