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The Vanishing Half
- Narrated by: Shayna Small
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
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The Vanishing Half
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Editorial reviews
Brit Bennett's stunning audiobook The Vanishing Half follows twins Desiree and Stella: identical other than passing as different races, living entirely different lives with vastly different consequences.
Bennett breaks new ground with the concept of ‘passing’, the ability to be seen as a race other than that which you identify. It asks questions not merely of the characters within, but the society which allows and requires their actions, examining how passing simultaneously exposes and strengthens the performance of race. The story of Stella and Desiree does more than merely detail their similarities and differences, extending out into a tale which spans generations, cities and cultures. It’s also a timely tale of life in the Jim Crow South in the USA and a universal questioning of self and the roles we play within society.
Half gut-wrenching exploration of race, half spellbinding story, it’s easy to see how The Vanishing Half became one of the most acclaimed books of 2020. You won't be able to hit pause on this heartfelt and thought-provoking audiobook, as narrator Shayna Small ensures you'll be absorbed in every moment, her subtle and soft performance the perfect pairing for a story so intricate.
Publisher's Summary
Sunday Times bestseller
Longlisted for the Women's Prize 2021
Longlisted for the Orwell Prize
Longlisted for the National Book Award
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. Ten 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' story lines 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.
Critic Reviews
"A writer to watch." (Washington Post)
"The Vanishing Half is an utterly mesmerising novel. It seduces with its literary flair, surprises with its breath-taking plot twists, delights with its psychological insights, and challenges us to consider the corrupting consequences of racism on different communities and individual lives. I absolutely loved this book." (Bernardine Evaristo, winner of the Booker Prize 2019)
"Bennett allows her characters to follow their worst impulses, and she handles provocative issues with intelligence, empathy and dark humour." (New York Times )
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What listeners say about The Vanishing Half
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Eleanor
- 25-09-2020
A vivid story
This novel was picked by my bookclub, I'm not sure I would have chosen it myself as the story seemed a little fantastical. That would have been a shame because this is a wonderful novel, such a vivid story that drew me in. Brit Bennett's writing is completely compelling. I listened to it at 1.5x speed which I haven't done before, but I found the narration a little slow.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Erik Boman
- 06-12-2020
A captivating story
I enjoyed this book. Just finished it. I wanted to leave a good review and here it is.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 12-02-2021
Unpredictable right till tbe end
So many interesting characters with a plot which moves at a pace which felt just right.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Laura Paarman
- 15-08-2021
Loved it
I loved this book, I found it from an interview with Brit Bennet on a radio station and was not disappointed. I liked the depth of the characters and intertwining stories. It's not any other story, but it's own, a snapshot into the lives of this family. I recommend to other readers.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Cassandra Walker
- 24-06-2021
Interesting and challenging
Good book, I feel very challenged.by the different way the twins went in their life
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Riss Boaden
- 29-06-2020
Beautiful
Loved it. The story was beautiful, but also heart wrenching. Will definitely be recommending this to friends.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- L-Ka
- 25-08-2021
Did I miss something?
I thought the story was very unique and interesting. I had to listen to it at 1.4 speed because the narrator, even though she was good, was just so slow. The story developed slightly slow, but I was enjoying getting to know the characters. However, when it ended I had so many questions left. I felt like the story wasn’t finished. I also think that the characters of the twins were not as developed as I’d hoped, the focus was more on their daughters. I’m just a bit confused now that it’s over and can’t help but wonder, did I miss something?
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Fernanda Fogli
- 02-03-2023
Performance is bad
Narrator doesn't know how to make proper voices and it's really annoying to follow. story is OK, wish I had enjoyed more.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Estella
- 18-11-2020
Slow to start but very engaging once you get in
Has a hard time with the book initially but once more characters and lives are developed I finished in no time and felt it was really worth it! Lovely story, interesting characters and concepts
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Lz
- 03-05-2021
found it hard to follow
perhaps this is a book that needs to read rather than listened to. found it very hard to keep up with the frequent movements in the timeline
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