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Post by Hippiejo on Jul 1, 2021 8:35:27 GMT
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect?
Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.goodreads rating: 4.24
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Post by Hippiejo on Jul 1, 2021 8:37:30 GMT
This book is currently available in paperback in the UK from TESCO.
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Post by Hippiejo on Sept 1, 2021 10:54:10 GMT
Starting this today  |
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Post by Hippiejo on Sept 6, 2021 21:35:08 GMT
Here are the book club questions for 'The Vanishing Half' by Brit Bennett.
1. Despite the fact that Stella takes on a new identity as a white woman, her past is always with her. Do you agree that no matter how far away home is, it never leaves you?
2. How do you think Stella was able to hide the fact that she’s black for so long? How do you think she was able to conceal it from Blake? Do you think she will ever tell him the truth?
3. What did you think about the relationship between Desiree and Early? How does it differ from Stella and Blake’s?
4. Why do you think Jude left Mallard and rarely returned?
5. How did upbringing and environment shape the people Jude and Kennedy became and how did it affect their relationship?
6. If they would have actually developed a true friendship, do you think Stella would have ever told her neighbor Loretta the truth about who she really is? Do you think Loretta suspected anything about Stella?
7. Let’s talk a bit more about Jude and Kennedy’s relationship and dynamic. Why do you think they end up staying in touch after everything is all said and done?
8. Why did Stella finally decide to go home? What did you think about the reunion of Desiree and Stella? Why didn’t Stella stay longer?
9. If you didn't rate this book as a 5 star, what would have made it a 5 star read for you?
10. Overall, did you enjoy this book?[/li][/font]
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Post by Hippiejo on Sept 11, 2021 20:19:48 GMT
1. Despite the fact that Stella takes on a new identity as a white woman, her past is always with her. Do you agree that no matter how far away home is, it never leaves you?
Yes, especially if it's a place you know really well.
2. How do you think Stella was able to hide the fact that she’s black for so long? How do you think she was able to conceal it from Blake? Do you think she will ever tell him the truth?
Stella clearly looked white which removed a lot of the barriers that often faced black people. I imagine that as people would have had no reason to suspect otherwise, it was fairly easy until her daughter started asking questions.
3. What did you think about the relationship between Desiree and Early? How does it differ from Stella and Blake’s?
It seemed to be a respectful and comfortable relationship that was based on honesty and respect for each other which is the main difference between Stella and Blake's relationship.
4. Why do you think Jude left Mallard and rarely returned?
Mallard was a town trying to pass as white so Jude who was so dark would have stood out, probably a very stark reminder to everyone about who they all actually were. Children can be cruel and looking so different would have made her an easy target for bullies.
On top of this, I imagine her home was quite a sad place. Her Mum and her Grandmother would always have been missing Stella. I don't think Mallard would have been a place that held good memories for Jude.
5. How did upbringing and environment shape the people Jude and Kennedy became and how did it affect their relationship?
At first, this was one of the things that kind of annoyed me. I thought it was so cliche'd that the rich, white kid must be spoiled brat. However, as the story went developed, I started to see that the Kennedy was acting up because she knew that her Mum was lying to her and didn't know why.
6. If they would have actually developed a true friendship, do you think Stella would have ever told her neighbor Loretta the truth about who she really is? Do you think Loretta suspected anything about Stella?
She wouldn't tell her Daughter the truth even when her Daughter was confronting her with it so I doubt she' have ever told Loretta. I think she'd lied for so long she wouldn't have even known where to start.
7. Let’s talk a bit more about Jude and Kennedy’s relationship and dynamic. Why do you think they end up staying in touch after everything is all said and done?
I think they ended up staying in touch because despite their differences and their irritations with one another, they both needed that sense of kinship from knowing they were cousins. They were the only two in the family that knew everything but were only able to talk to each other about it.
8. Why did Stella finally decide to go home? What did you think about the reunion of Desiree and Stella? Why didn’t Stella stay longer?
This was something else that kind of annoyed me. She found out her Mother was sick and that Jude and Kennedy knew the truth so she may have felt it was just something she needed to do. I really would have liked to have seen this written differently and I would like to have had the whole thing way more fleshed out. Stella clearly didn't want to get emotionally drawn into a relationship with her Sister and her Mum was ill anyway. She just wanted to get back to her very comfortable life.
9. If you didn't rate this book as a 5 star, what would have made it a 5 star read for you?
I would only give this book a 3 star. There were too many characters and we didn't get to know the true heart of any of them.
10. Overall, did you enjoy this book?
Kind of. Here's the thing.. the book should have mainly been about Stella and Desiree but they shared it with Kennedy, Jude, Reece, Loretta, Adele.. all of whom had really interesting stories which I would have liked to have known more about. Too many characters meant that we just didn't get enough depth of character and no real closure on relationships. To be honest, I was disappointed that there wasn't even one relationship that felt fully reconciled by the end of the book. Even Desiree and Early kind of just drifted someplace else without ever really getting a sense of them actually being in love with one another or a sense of future together.
So yes, I kind of enjoyed the read but wouldn't ever read it again.
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