The Vanishing Half- Brit Bennet
I have had this book for a while and have been meaning to read it. To help myself, and try and do something a bit different I’ve decided to do a read-along diary thing. Every so often as I read my way through it I’ll write a bit about my thoughts without, revealing the plot, (don’t worry).
Each segment, rather than dates (because I read awfully slowly and don’t want to be embarrassed) will be my page progression.
Beginning- Page 30
Ok. So I went into this book knowing not an awful lot about it apart from knowing it was about twins and set in America. It is not at all what I expected anyway. The story begins in 1968 in small town America. One twin, Desiree has returned to her hometown and we get reactions from the townspeople about her return. We are told, fourteen years ago, her and her twin Stella, ran away to the big city, New Orleans, so Desiree rocking up again surprises a lot of people.
The Town is unique. It is a town with a majority black population, but it is unique in the sense that those black people who live in this town, are so light-skinned that they can ‘pass as white’. This is especially true of the twins, who are the ancestors of the Towns founder, who born into slavery was freed and founded this town.
This was not at all what I was expecting. I knew it was about twins and race. But the time period surprised me. But I guess it works, given the history of race in America, particularly through the 1950s-60.
Page 30-61
I’m not really melding with this book at the moment, and usually at this point I’m fixed. That’s not to say I’m not drawn back to the book, but there is something very loose about the plot. The time of the book flits from when the twins ran away, to the present day, and one of the twins, Desiree turn.
There is a mystery of a rift between the sisters, but from an occurrence in the plot (all I will say now to not spoil it), it seems nothing exciting or gripping will happen with this, to resolve or save it….
At this point, I have faith still that the plot will pick up… I hope !!!
pages 61-91
It is really unintentional that I am stopping to make notes in almost equal sections, but there we go, maybe it shows where I get tired haha.
I think I’m seeing more of the message of this novel. More than racism experienced by African Americans in America, this is about colourism prejudice, both within, and more broadly outside this group of people.
Colourism, differently to racism, is concerned with the shade of someone’s skin colour. We know from the beginning, that despite their African American Heritage, like much of their town, The twins are ‘light-skinned’, most plainly speaking they look more white than ‘black’.
From this, arises a unique problem which I think may come to fruition and make this more interesting. How far is skin colour, the shade of your skin tied up with your identity. From a young age, Stella realises she can ‘pass’ as a white girl. In 1960’s America, this certainly has it’s advantages, namely she has the possibility of being paid more and basically being treated more respectively by society.
We are shown that whilst she appears white, Stella adopts a white persona, to aid her ‘passing’. The narrative warns how long can she do this before, it stops becoming an act and begins to be just her? And is there anything wrong with this ? morally or otherwise.
Equally, upon her return home after 14 years, Desiree brings her young daughter Jude. The darkness of Jude’s skin, amidst this very ‘white-passing’ and ‘light-skinned’ town is heavily drawn attention too. She is different from the tight-knit community, from her mother, and therefore is a subject of ridicule and gossip from the townsfolk.
Jude presents a stark contrast to her Aunt, Stella (whom she has never met). Stella has the option through her natural appearance, and with a little acting, to receive better treatment from society, than she would as her actual identity as a black woman. Jude cannot her identity as a black girl, even if she wanted too.
Anyway just little thoughts- will need to read on to see.
I think the setting of this books is deliberately in a time of stark racial tensions in America. Saying that though, from my wider reading I have seen the issue of colourism and I am under no illusion as a white woman, that Racism still exists at all levels of society.
pages 91-130
Well, well, well this book certainly has taken a turn! We completely switched for a huge chunk and the story is now following Desiree daughter, Jude as she moves to University in LA or ‘college’.
Jude meets and becomes close with a transman. I think this character is great as it draws into the novels theme of having a ‘vanishing half’ of your identity. Reece, a trans man in 1970s America lives as a man, concealing his female body to the world.
Jude is very sympathetic to his identity, despite not similarly having the ability to conceal her identity if she wanted too.
pages 130-200 plus ??
I did not expect this story to follow the second generation, so the twins lives, right into their adulthoods too. I am definitely enjoying it more. Rather than just being about race and personality, the author shows how all people have sides of themselves they choose to conceal in front of people.
It is nice seeing the cousins interacting, that despite their differences, and certainly their Mother’s estrangement, they are almost righting the wrongs of the past by meeting one another…
The relationship between the twins and their own daughter is particularly interesting. Stella conceals all as she passes as white in her rich all-American appearance family- where her daughter Kennedy is spoiled rotten with everything she didn’t have as a child.
I CANNOT Believe the page I just read- an apology does not heal all…sorry mum
Alright I am about to go away and finish this book and then will give my final thoughts right after!
(I wonder if this would have been more over every day- oh well).
I have finished !
I feel bad for ever having doubted this book. I did not think much of it all the way through. The ending however and the way the author drew all the little threads together was well-crafted and simply mesmerising to read. There was an oddness to the twins separation, but maybe this comes from the racialisation of their identity, I am not sure. I felt often separated from the characters experiencing any emotion.
I don’t know. But each character struggled with parts of themselves they wanted to hide from the world or make vanish..!
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