The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
I first heard about this book on BBC2’s ‘Between the Sheets’ and before the programme was over, I had reserved it using the LibrariesNI App – a great tip for staying up to date with popular books.
The Vanishing Half tells the story of twin sisters Desiree and Stella and their struggle to belong in a world where everyone sees things (and people) as black or white. Having escaped their small town in Louisiana at the age of 16, the girls eventually go their separate ways, one choosing to be black and one choosing white. The book really brought home to me the extent of racism and prejudice from all sides. I particularly loved how the author gave a back story to every person in the book, even the minor characters, so no one was thought of as insignificant. Each time a new character was introduced, I was immediately drawn into their story as I began to understand some of the reasons for their actions and personality. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed The Help.
Submitted by Aileen
