THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett

You may have seen THE VANISHING HALF on a lot of ‘Best of 2020’ lists and there’s a reason why. Brit Bennett—also the author of the excellent book THE MOTHERS—has created a family saga that’s rich & complex, yet easy to fall into and consume quickly. 

Spanning from the American South in the 1950s to 1990s Los Angeles, the story follows the lives of The Vignes sisters. The identical twins grow up in a poor Black town where light skin—their skin—is valued most. But at age sixteen they run away together without a trace. Years later, only one sister returns.

When their own daughters’ lives intersect, a lifetime of decisions are revealed. Looking at and beyond issues of race, Brit Bennett explores identity, desires and expectations, and how the ripples of our actions carry through families and generations.

Recommended by Tess