The Vanishing Half by New York Best Selling Author Brit Bennett is a beautifully written book that describes the lives of twins Desiree and Stella Vignes growing up in Mallard, Louisiana in the 1950s.
Mallard was a small town resurrected in 1848 by their great-great-great grandfather, a freed slave who reserved the town entirely for black residents with light skin color like himself. Eventhough Mallard was their legacy, Desiree and Stella Vignes jump on the chance to run away at the young age of 16.
While their initial journey may have begun together, Stella’s decision to pass as white leads them down two separate and entirely different life paths.
Through their journeys, Brit Bennett eloquently explores the importance of family, self identity, and racism based on varying levels of skin color. A thought provoking must read for this summer! u