In June of this year I read Passing by Nella Larsen. This was a story of two sisters. One of the sisters lived as a black woman and the other one lived as a white woman and kept her race a secret. So that is why I was surprised to see the same plot in The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. I am still glad I read it because this was a great book. A pair of twins, Desiree and Stella, grow up in Mallard, Alabama. Their father in lynched in front of them and someone takes their picture at his funeral. That photo becomes important over the years. Their mother does her best to raise her twins but Mallard is an impoverished town with few opportunities. Stella and Desiree run away and live very different lives. The story takes place from the 1950's to the 1990's and what a compelling story it is. I liked Stella more than Desiree but that is a matter of personal opinion.
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