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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEARNAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2020 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES * THE WASHINGTON POST * NPR * PEOPLE * TIME MAGAZINE* VANITY FAIR * GLAMOUR 2021 WOMEN'S PRIZE FINALIST

“Bennett’s tone and style recalls James Baldwin and Jacqueline Woodson, but it’s especially reminiscent of Toni Morrison’s 1970 debut novel, The Bluest Eye.” —Kiley Reid, Wall Street Journal 

“A story of absolute, universal timelessness …For any era, it's an accomplished, affecting novel. For this moment, it's piercing, subtly wending its way toward questions about who we are and who we want to be….” – Entertainment Weekly

From The New York Times-bestselling author of The Mothers, a stunning new novel about twin sisters, inseparable as children, who ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds, one black and one white.

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 secretly 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. As with her New York Times-bestselling debut The Mothers, Brit Bennett offers an engrossing page-turner about family and relationships that is immersive and provocative, compassionate and wise.

Journey into the captivating world of "The Vanishing Half: A Novel" by Brit Bennett, a poignant exploration of identity, race, and the enduring bonds of family.

In the small town of Mallard, Louisiana, the Vignes twins, Desiree and Stella, live a life marked by societal expectations and racial prejudice. Yearning for a life beyond their segregated community, Desiree flees to New Orleans in search of a new identity, leaving behind her family and the secrets of her past.

Stella, on the other hand, chooses to remain in Mallard, embracing her African American roots and fighting for the rights of her people. As their paths diverge, the twins find themselves navigating different worlds, each grappling with the complexities of their own identities and the consequences of their choices.

Through the lives of Desiree and Stella, "The Vanishing Half" offers a profound meditation on the fluidity of race, the burdens of history, and the ways in which our choices can shape our destinies. Brit Bennett weaves a gripping narrative that explores the intersection of race, gender, and class, delving into the complexities of familial relationships and the resilience of the human spirit.

Join the literary journey of "The Vanishing Half" and immerse yourself in a story that lingers long after the last page is turned. Dive into the lives of Desiree and Stella, witnessing their triumphs and tribulations as they navigate the racial divide that permeates their society.

With its evocative storytelling and thought-provoking themes, "The Vanishing Half" is a must-read for anyone seeking a powerful and unforgettable literary experience.