So good I read it in hardback.

Genre: Fiction / drama

Pages: 352

First published: 2020

Original language: English

The plot: Two twin sisters mysteriously disappear from Mallard, Louisiana. Many years later, one sister, Desiree, returns with her young daughter, having become separated from her sister years before. Their lives have taken very different paths, with Stella, her twin, now passing for white in Los Angeles. Separated by distance, the sister’s lives remain intertwined. Years later, the lives of their daughters – Jude and Kennedy – intersect, in a story spanning 4 decades that encompasses racial identity, bigotry, colorism and the complications of living a life filled with lies.

What did I think of this book?

The Vanishing Half is an incredibly powerful novel. I loved the relationship between Desiree and Stella, and how they continued to live on in each other’s hearts despite being separated by distance. I loved how they still continually thought of each other, long after life had separated then. Desiree and Stella are two very different women, but their decisions ultimately lead history to repeat itself in the next generation, as the adult Jude (Desiree’s daughter) develops relationships with Reese, her trans partner (passing for a man, just as her aunt Stella passes for white) and Kennedy, Stella’s daughter who befriends Jude, neither realizing that they are cousins.

It’s the first book in a long time that I couldn’t wait to pick up again each day, to find out what happened next.

What was most interesting about this book?

This novel spans four decades in total, but the themes it conveys feel timeless. There’s a lack of minute period detail that gave me the impression that certain scenes, and certainly some themes of the novel, could take place in any time period. The movement between different time periods kept me intrigued. The theme of disguise, of masking our true identity, is not confined to one time period or era – any time we disguise our true selves we’re doing it, whether that’s physically or metaphorically. Several characters in the book mask their true identity in order to present as someone else, but true authenticity comes in the form of Desiree and her daughter Jude.

I was shocked to read how racism comes not only from white people, but from within the black community also. Light skinned black people in The Vanishing Half are treated very differently to those with darker skin. Colorism is not a subject I’m well versed in, and this novel was an invaluable education piece for me.

What am I going to take away from this book?

I am privileged, in a way that I hardly realize, in that I am white, female and will never experience racism or bigotry. This book led me to reflect on my privilege, and step into the shoes of people who feel forced to adopt a different identity, merely so they can live in comparative peace. The emotions felt by some of the characters in the novel left me profoundly moved. Our life is ours to design, and we can choose to live a life of authenticity (which in Desiree’s case comes with a side order of deprivation), or a life of plenty, which in the case of Stella, is ultimately a dishonest one, filled with lies.

Will I enjoy this book?

Absolutely. It’s a beautifully written novel, and if you enjoy historical fiction (as I do) it will be right up your street. Some elements of the story are shocking, but the writing is top notch. The characters are beautifully drawn, the narrative never drags or feels slow, and it is a story that when it ends, feels finished.

Rating : 4/5

What did you think of The Vanishing Half?