Questions about identity are considered in The Vanishing Half

Twin sisters, born in a small town in Louisiana, grow up with very different ideas. While the residents of the town are all African-American, they are so carefully chosen, they are nearly White. Many have blonde or red hair, green or blue eyes and they find themselves preferring their light-skinned neighbors over other African-Americans. One sister goes on to “pass” into White society while the other chooses to marry, and later leave, a very dark-skinned husband. Both have daughters who are not expected to meet each other, but they do.

Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half is set in the South of the 1960’s and beyond, and shares a strong theme of identity. The dark-skinned daughter feels out of place in her mother’s light-skinned community and the daughter whose father is White knows nothing of her mother’s secret heritage.

Dealing with race and gender issues, this book tackles concepts of identity in a variety of ways. There are surprising twists and turns in the plot and some unlikely coincidences, but the story is thought-provoking and the characters are, for the most part, likeable.

If this book seems interesting to you, copies are available through the public library or for purchase via Amazon or Barnes & Noble.