A story of generational trauma, healing, and splitting in two.
The Vanishing Half tells the story of two sisters, Stella and Desiree, after they escape from the small, deeply colorist town of Mallard, Louisiana. While Desiree finds herself back in the town that stole her father's life and made hers a living hell, Stella vanishes into thin air––choosing to live her life as a white woman.
From the very first page, the depth of each and every character is palpable. Each central figure is as complex and dynamic as the last. While the premise is vaguely similar to the Nella Larson novel, Passing, author Britt Bennett carves a unique world in the pages, making it completely her own.
The most compelling story is that of Desiree's daughter, Jude, a dark-skinned Black girl who doesn't fit into the narrow mold set by town standards. Jude's story eventually intersects with a trans man finding his identity in the unforgiving era of the 60s and 70s. Through this line and their contrasts with Stella (who is forced to live a lie in order to preserve her social status), we observe oppression and liberation in their many forms. Jude and her boyfriend Reese face discrimination and obstacle after obstacle, but they are also able to live freely as themselves, not burdened by a need to be anything but themselves. Stella, on the other hand, lives a lie that permeates even her daughter's life––forcing both of them to become lifelong actors.
With motifs of acting (and what it means to disappear into a role), passing, and transitioning, Bennett tells a dynamic story that avoids cliche altogether. While Stella is a sympathetic character, Bennett also makes clear that she isn't completely innocent. At various times in the novel, Stella becomes the perpetrator of racial violence in order to keep her secret. This novel is told in grey space. No clear villains, trajectory, or happy endings tied up with bows. Instead, The Vanishing Half dares to exist in the in-betweens.
5/5
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