The Vanishing Half is a historical fiction novel written by American author Brit Bennett. It was published in 2020 by Riverhead Books. The novel made The New York Times best-seller list debuting at number one. It also won the 2020 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction.
It is a family story that spans half a century with two generations of black women as they navigate the social and racial dynamics. The narrative begins with the lives of black twin sisters in the Deep South where they witnessed their father’s lynching. This traumatic past becomes a driving force for the decisions shortly after and way further into the future. The novel explores the subject of colorism and racial tensions in the 20th century while charting their lives and that of their daughters. Through Stella, Bennet delves into the concept of ‘passing’ as she forges a white identity to escape the trappings of her ethnic origin. Beyond race and skin color, the story illustrates the impact of our past in molding our outlook and decision-making in society.
Upon its release, the novel was critically acclaimed making it on multiple lists of the year’s best books. The New York Times stated, “Bennett balances the literary demands of dynamic characterization with the historical and social realities of her subject matter.” In 2020 HBO acquired the rights of the book to develop a limited series with the author as one of the executive producers.
