the vanishing half book club summary

One day, Loretta cuts off their friendship after Kennedy calls Cindy the n-word. Stella also gives Early her wedding ring to sell off for money to help with Adele's care. For example, Stella ends up living in a white neighborhood, filled with the type of people who might support Dr. King’s ideas, but who also don’t want Black people living in their neighborhood. Adele passes away, so Jude books a flight back home. I agree with everything you pointed out and that it’s an effortless read! Loretta cuts off their friendship as well. On seeing Desiree again, Stella asks for forgiveness. As I was reading it, the resounding question through all of these disparate yet similar obstacles was, why should any of this be necessary? The Quick Recap and Chapter-by-Chapter Summary for The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett are below. For a non-spoiler version of the plot synopsis, see The Bibliofile's review of The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. One day, Stella rips Kennedy away when she sees her playing with Cindy. He's offered a job (from Sam) to find Desiree. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. Stella is a light-skinned Black woman passing as white, and Desiree is a light-skinned Black woman who chooses to maintain her Black identity. I knew based on the reviews that it would likely be a book with good insights on race, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed the story even apart from that. She meets and falls for Reese, a southern boy who is transgendered. It also works as a general work of fiction for those who like books about personal journeys, coming of age stories and narratives about self-discovery. Jude had seen the flyers, showed up and gave Kennedy the number for their hotel room. Jude is still in touch with Kennedy and lets her know, though their mothers do not know they speak. There is a Black family (Reginald and Loretta Walker, with their daughter Cindy) moving into their neighborhood, to everyone's displeasure. Jude wants to help, so she gets a higher paying job from Barry’s cousin Scooter, who drives a catering van. When the topic of Jude and Kennedy come up, things get tense. Kennedy is pursuing an acting career, and she confirms that it was Stella. Why do you think Stella becomes depressed after Loretta leaves? Very sad scenario, regardless of the story. He's offered a job (from Sam) to find Desiree. The Vanishing Half follows the lives of two twin sisters, Desiree and Stella Vignes. People who strive to become lighter and lighter with each generation. However, one day she left, leaving only a note. Meanwhile, the Walkers are harassed and soon move away. Desiree had hated the small town and wanted to get out. Bennett cr In Part IV (1982), Jude is now working while applying to medical school. The twins’ father, Leon, died when they were younger, and their mother Adele was a maid. She’s on her way to UCLA, to attend on a track scholarship. I have recently read and reviewed this book too! She longs to tell Loretta the truth, and she secretly goes over to Loretta’s while Blake is at work. In 1968, on the same night Desiree had returned to Mallard, Stella (now Stella Sanders) was in Brentwood attending a Homeowners’ Association meeting. Reese goes with Jude too, and Early picks them up. I always prefer when the author really ties everything up in a pretty bow (to my own fault). They ran away from home at sixteen on August 14, 1954. Leave your thoughts below! Kennedy later shows Stella the photo, who still refuses to admit it’s her. Stella is now considering getting a masters or a PhD to become a full-fledged professor. Meanwhile, Stella is now an adjunct professor, teaching Introduction to Statistics at Santa Monica College. Jude and Kennedy get to know each other, but when Kennedy drunkenly insults Jude, Jude angrily tells her the truth about Stella and Mallard. He considers getting surgery for his chest, but it’s expensive because of the risks the doctor is taking in case he gets caught performing the surgery. Stella has not seen her daughter since the incident with the photograph. The woman looked like her mother, and Jude wonders if it was Stella. They are wealthy and have a blond-haired, violet-eyed daughter, Kennedy. Themes. Author interviews, book reviews and lively book commentary are found here. In 1985, Kennedy ran into Jude again. Farrah had seen Stella a while back, on the arm of a handsome white man. In Part VI (1986), Stella goes home in order to ask Desiree to tell Jude to leave Kennedy alone. 352 pp. Best Book Club Guide. She also meets up with Kennedy to try to convince her to go back to school. I didn’t understand the last sentence and it’s significance. Desiree and Early move to Houston. I listened to part of the audiobook which Shayna Small narrates, and thought it was just okay. He eventually invited her to dinner. Stella finds Desiree at Lou’s. Important Quotes. Did you like the way things were resolved. Jude and Reese are in New York for Reese’s surgery. By the early 1990’s, Kennedy’s acting career is effectively over, so she gets a real estate license. Bennett’s writing is straightforward, but descriptive in the right places. Summary. Early lies and tells Sam that Desiree wasn’t in Mallard. He’s approached for a job from a guy (Sam) looking for the woman who ran off on him (Desiree). They have a blond haired, violet eyed daughter Kennedy, and they live a life of comfort. Desiree always wanted to leave, but Stella isn't motivated to run away until they are pulled out of high school to work as cleaners. Brit Bennett, 2020. The fact that Abbe, Jess, and Emma could not wait to talk about a great book for 30 minutes, as they do every month for the Read it Forward book club. See the archives. They hug and they catch up, but then Stella sneaks out at night to leave and return to her life. At home, Stella learns that their mother Adele now has Alzheimer's. While outright racism like that is less blatant now in 2020, there are plenty of supposedly “woke” liberals nowadays who still wouldn’t consider marrying outside their race (most will make an exception for a fling or hookup) and whose social circles consist entirely of other white people, with maybe one token Black friend (often bi-racial and almost always someone of means) added on. Reese wants to get surgery for his chest, so Jude gets a higher-paying catering job to help save money. The Vanishing Half. He works with Big Ceel, a bail bondsman. As a dark-skinned girl who grew up with only light-skinned Black people, she has been bullied and excluded her whole life. Kennedy is unfriendly, but talks to her, and reluctantly agrees to meet up after her show. Blake loves the show and is friendly toward Reg. As soon as the narrative shifted to the … There, Desiree meets Sam, an attorney with the Bureau. If this summary was useful to you, please consider supporting this site by leaving a tip ($1, $2, or $4) or joining the Patreon! Mallard, Louisianna is a farm town originally founded by a light-skinned black man, who dreamed of and succeeded in building a town full of light-skinned black people. The Vanishing Half Book Club Questions Back when Jude had told her about Mallard, Kennedy had recognized the name immediately. Read the first pages of The Vanishing Half, See Everything We Know About the 'The Vanishing Half' Adaptation, 50 Best Summer Beach Reads of All Time (By Year), Books Like The Four Winds: 8 Great Books to Read Next, 50 Best Uplifting, Feel-Good Books to Read, 50 Best Books About Libraries or Librarians, 15 Best Websites for Free Audiobooks Online (Updated for 2021). Kennedy moves to Europe. The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. When Kennedy asks about the ring, Stella is happy she's back and tired of lying and finally tells her the full truth. Meanwhile, Stella got a job as secretary while passing as white. At sixteen, they finally seize their chance and run away. Part 2. Desiree marries a dark-skinned Black man and has a child, while Stella lives her life passing as white. 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. The following summary adopts a more linear plot trajectory. However, at their annual Christmas party, some neighbors pointedly bring up her friendship with Loretta. What do you think about Desiree’s decision to marry a dark-skinned black man, Sam? The Vanishing Half is set a few decades in the past, but Bennett uses her premise to explore a number of very contemporary issues about race. Desiree gets a job at the local diner, Lou’s Egg House. Your email address will not be published. At this time,I do not wish to share my personal name and email. Reese and Jude move in together as friends, but soon become lovers. Actually my grandmother had a sister who ended up “passing” and abandoned the family who never saw her ever again. Soon, a flaming bag of dog shit is left on their porch and another brick goes flying. A lot of the characters have things about themselves they feel they have to hide from others. Early has to first do a job in Texas, but Desiree and Early talk on the phone in the meantime. In The Vanishing Half, twins Desiree and Stella couldn't wait to leave behind the small, black town they've grown up in. You can take a listen to the clip on Amazon to see if it appeals to you, but it wasn’t to my taste personally. Before, Stella had been hoping to go to college. Stella decides to pass as white, marrying a... Desiree's … Synopsis. The timbre of the woman’s voice didn’t really appeal to be, I found it to be a bit thin, but there was nothing objectively wrong with it. I more or less read it straight through, with some breaks to run errands, eat and walk my dog. Angrily, Jude tells her the truth about Stella and Mallard. Together, they track Stella's location to Boston. A great review, Jennifer! She meets and falls for Reese, a southern boy who is transgendered. Kennedy had called Cindy the n-word. Writing: The Vanishing Half is told from four perspectives (two grown sisters and each of their daughters). Have you read The Vanishing Half or would you consider reading it? The protests dissipate, since it turns out Reginald is a famous black actor who plays Sergeant Taylor, a beloved character on a popular television show, Frisk. There, Jude meets a girl with violet eyes — but it’s seeing the woman that the girl arrives with that causes Jude to drop a bottle of wine. Jude and Reese are there for Reese's surgery. (I’d actually point them to Ta Nehisi Coates’s The Water Dancer, if you’re looking for a recent fiction release in that vein.). In Part IV (1982), Jude is now working while applying to medical school. One of the other cast members is the girl with the violet eyes that Jude had met at that party, which turns out to be Kennedy. Now, 14 years later, Desiree has returned to Mallard with her daughter, Jude. Stella is now working as an adjunct professor. Jude and Kennedy get to know each other, but when Kennedy drunkenly insults Jude, Jude angrily tells her the truth about Stella and Mallard. When she comes home late, she tells Blake she’s been visiting the other white women, and he finds it odd how friendly she’s being. She hasn’t seen Kennedy since the day with the photograph when Kennedy accused her of being incapable of telling the truth. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A good deal of emphasis is placed on skin tone throughout the book. Your email address will not be published. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. She attends a friend's show where she meets Kennedy, recognizing her as the violet-eyed girl who was with the woman she that looked like her mother. He accepts because he recognizes Desiree from when they were teenagers. However, the sight of the Walkers makes Stella anxious. If you were in their situation, what path do you think you would have chosen? The Vanishing Half Book Summary The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. Passing to survive! They are both constantly strapped for cash. Stella didn’t consider leaving until they were pulled out of school in 10th grade to work as maids as well. No reading group should be without this book club companion to Bret Bennett's acclaimed novel, The Vanishing Half.This comprehensive guide includes useful background to the novel, a full plot summary, discussion of themes & symbols, detailed character notes, thought-provoking discussion questions, and even a quick quiz. Part 1. Plot Summary of The Vanishing Half The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett debuted at #1 on The New York Times bestseller list and eventually became the Book of the Year (2020) on Book of the Month Club. Mallard is a community of light-skinned colored people. Desiree wonders why Reese hasn’t married Jude yet. See the archives. Do you agree with Early’s decision to stop trying to find Stella because it was clear she didn’t want to be found? The next day, Loretta tells Stella that Kennedy can’t play with Cindy anymore. In what ways are those challenges similar or different for characters such as Stella, Reese or Barry? Adele advises Desiree to leave Stella alone, since she doesn’t want to be found. Mostly, I just think this is just a solidly compelling drama that wraps in a lot of issues about identity, family and race in a way that feels thoughtful and not too heavy handed. What do you think about Jude’s curiosity about Stella? It would be such a great book club book because of the perspectives it works into the narrative. Honestly I could split the book in half and say I liked the first half a lot and the second half not as much. Loretta has been gearing up for a fight with the school over letting her daughter in, but Stella warns her against it. The novel explores the themes of female family bonds and the Black experience in America. Nevertheless, the house is sold to the black family, after the buyer threatens to sue. When Leon survived, the men went to the hospital and shot him. Desiree married a (very dark-skinned) black man, Sam Winston, and had a child. Stella has not seen her daughter since the incident with the photograph. It debuted at number one on The New York Times fiction best-seller list. On seeing Desiree again, Stella asks for forgiveness. At the end of the book, when Stella finally goes home, why do you think Stella tries to leave without saying goodbye? I really, really wish I had a group to discuss this book with right now. In present day (1968), the other women in the neighborhood gossip about Stella befriending Loretta. Stella befriends Loretta, but tries to hide it from others. Jude and Reese are there for Reese's surgery. Book club: If you go Brit Bennett, author of “The Vanishing Half,” joins the Los Angeles Times Book Club in conversation with Times writer Carla Hall . What do you think? He was working in the marketing department of Maison Blanche when Stella was hired as his secretary. More than a decade later, the twins have lost touch with each other. Desiree is angry at first, but Stella asks for forgiveness and hugs her, and they go home and catch up. The Vanishing Half follows the lives of two twin girls, both light-skinned Black girls, who run away from home at the age of sixteen. // For this book club, we will be reading The Vanishing Half // // SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS. Stella was depressed after Loretta left, and Blake had suggested taking a class to get her mind off things. Stella knows she has overreacted, and brings over a cake to apologize to Loretta, which leads to planning a play date. One night at work, she sees a woman (Stella) and the shock makes her drop a bottle of wine. Jude still thinks a lot about the woman she saw at the party. Follow along on Goodreads, or keep in touch via the newsletter. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. She calls Farrah Thibodeaux, who the twins had been friends with. About The Vanishing Half #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ONE OF BARACK OBAMA’S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2020 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES * THE WASHINGTON POST * NPR * PEOPLE * TIME MAGAZINE* VANITY FAIR * GLAMOUR “Bennett’s tone and style recalls James Baldwin and Jacqueline Woodson, but it’s especially reminiscent of Toni … Reese works as a cleaner at a gym near UCLA and loves photography. Pre-emptively, Stella tells Blake about some girl claiming to be Kennedy’s cousin, which he dismisses as someone hoping for a payday. The novel opens the door wide in an extravagant welcome to share varied lives, very personally. Summary. The Vignes sisters run away from their small black town, of which the people look all the same—light-skinned black … The Vanishing Half is a book club selection for this month and I know what the first question will be. And Reese is transgendered, while Barry dresses in drag just a few nights a month. Reese’s friend Barry is a black high school chemistry teacher who transforms into Bianca to perform at a club two nights a month. As a dark-skinned girl who grew up with only light-skinned Black people, she has been bullied and excluded her whole life. One night at work, she sees a woman (Stella) and the shock makes her drop a bottle of wine. Curious to hear other opinions on this. After reading your review, I see that every character in this story had their own secrets, even down to Early and Barry, which made me appreciate the author’s crafting of this book. Why do you think she ended up with him? Early comes and goes and stays with them when he visits, though Adele still doesn’t like it. They hug and they catch up, but then Stella sneaks out at night to leave and return to her life. Now, 14 years later in 1968, Desiree has returned home with her daughter to escape Sam's abuse. In Part I (1968), Stella and Desiree Vignes are twins from Mallard, Louisiana, a town full of light-skinned Black people, who run away from home at 16. Early Jones makes a living tracking people down and bounty hunting. In Part V (1985), Kennedy and Jude end up meeting again in New York. In college, Jude meets Reese Carter, a southern boy from Arkansas. She still wonders about her father, even though she remembers the bruises her mother used to have. What do you think inspires people who are similar to the character of Percy White (president of the Homeowner’s Association) to act the way that do? I just finished reading the book a few minutes ago, and I’m curious to know if you liked the ending? In Part VI (1986), Stella goes home in order to ask Desiree to tell Jude to leave Kennedy alone. As they drive home, Stella tells Kennedy everything, and Kennedy agrees not to say anything to her father. But Reese assures her that he loves Jude, and Desiree believes him. At some point, he stopped really trying because it was clear Stella didn’t want to be found, despite Desiree’s desire to find her. Jude joins the Stardust Theater as an usher, in hopes of getting to know Kennedy. Reminds me of the film “Imitation of Life” which was a classic movie and very emotional, ending with Mahalia Jackson singing a real tearjerker at the black mother’s funeral. Chapter Summaries & Analyses. Around 1981, the U.S. Geological Survey determined that Mallard is to small to be a town and redrew the boundaries so that became a part of the city of Palmetto. We had so much fun at our inaugural Fray Book Club, that we just had to keep the fun going! The novel is a coming-of-age story surrounding a trio of black teens growing up in southern California. Three days later, a brick gets thrown through the Walkers’ window, complements of the homeowners association president, Percy White. Together, they track Stella's location to Boston. Brit Bennett's debut novel, The Vanishing Half, is divided into six sections, each of which contain numbered chapters. Kennedy dropped out of USC to pursue acting, to her parents’ displeasure, and Jude manages to get Kennedy to confirm that her mother is Stella. The Vanishing Half - Part I: The Lost Twins (1968) Summary & Analysis Brit Bennett This Study Guide consists of approximately 43 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Vanishing Half. It seemed a little unfinished to me, but I tend to feel that way about any book that leaves any sort of loose ends. Desiree marries a dark-skinned Black man and has a child, while Stella lives her life passing as white. They recognize each other. :). His parents dropped him off one night, since they had too many children. I thought it was both hopeful (the daughters staying in touch, Jude and Reese being happy, Stella and Kennedy able to finally address the truth) and realistic (Agnes passing away and being buried in a still-segregated cemetery, Stella and Desiree get some form of reconciliation, but ultimately Stella stands by the decision she made so many years ago and can’t fathom changing her life now). In 1986, Stella is headed back to Mallard-now-Palmetto while Blake is in Boston on a business trip. Afterwards, she’ll have to get a job or go back to school. Later, when they were 16, he kissed her outside a barn. Stella hands him her wedding ring to sell for money to take care of Adele. The Vanishing Half is a powerful, timely and very human story about identity and race. Stella recalls the feeling of freedom when they’d first moved to New Orleans and she first started passing for white. Around this time, MLK and JFK Jr. are assassinated. When Early sees her photo, he recognizes her from one summer he spent as a teenager in Mallard. What do you think of Stella’s decision to pass as white? Jude’s is Lonnie Goudeau, who used to bully her. As teenagers, what do you think drove Desiree and Stella’s desires to leave the town? Desiree marries a dark-skinned man (Sam) and has a daughter, Jude. Penguin Publishing. Stella tells Jude it was another life and leaves quickly, not staying for the rest of the show. In Part II (1968), we learn that Stella had married her boss, Blake Sanders, and they had moved away. Brit Bennett's novel, The Vanishing Half, follows the lives of Stella and Desiree Vignes, identical twin girls born in Louisiana in 1938. Upon seeing her bruises, he lies to Sam and says he can't find her. Spoiler warning: these summaries contains spoilers. However, one day she left, leaving only a note. At home, Stella learns that their mother Adele now has Alzheimer's. At the time, she was in New York, dating a physics professor at Columbia named Frantz and the first black man she’d dated, and she was in an off-off-Broadway musical. Who did you sympathize or connect with more, Stella or Desiree? The residents are angry that one of the houses had been sold to a black man. Secretly, Early had also kept tabs on Sam, who was now living with a new wife and three boys. Join us for Fray Book Club on August 6th! Part 4. Kennedy ends up confronting Stella with the photo, but Stella lies, to Kennedy's frustration. As you likely know, there are broadly two types of twins: fraternal and identical. Over time, Stella befriends Loretta and they grow close. She was depressed after the Walkers left and ended up going back to school. And with an undeniable depth, The Vanishing Half is both thought-provoking, inspiring and heart-breaking. Symbols & Motifs. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett review – two faces of the black experience A light-skinned twin sister constructs a new identity as a white woman in a … Stella later got a job as a secretary at a department store Maison Blanche where they only accept whites. Blake believes Stella’s family are all deceased. Soon after, Kennedy finally decides to move home. The Vanishing Half is a historical fiction novel by American author Brit Bennett.It is her second novel and was published by Riverhead Books in 2020. In reality, the summary of this book doesn’t provide even a quarter of the complex journey within its pages. Afterwards, Kennedy moved to Europe to figure things out. She also breaks up with Frantz soon after. Stella doesn’t want to ever tell Kennedy the truth, and Desiree reluctantly accept that they’ve gone down different paths. There are some books that I keep reading after it’s no fun because I know it’s good for the mind, but this is not one of those books. I loved how Bennett made the characters not ” perfect” but full of the real issues that make up the racial questions we all have to grapple with every day, especially if you are a woman of color. Many generations later, the Vignes twins (Stella and Desiree) are light-skinned black girls and descendants of the town’s founder. Just a few minutes ago, and Jude settle in lives with her black identity are... Leaves quickly, not staying for the Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, a southern boy Arkansas... So poorly was selected as a cleaner at a call center, and Jude and Reese transgendered. Lying to her, so she had to leave Stella alone, since she doesn ’ t let people! Accepts because he was working in the neighborhood truth about Stella m curious to know if you were in situation... And Blake get into an argument when he was working in the right places but Early hears her and her! When she sees a woman ( Stella 's location to Boston Kennedy ’ s Kennedy... Would at Times corner her and drives her to go to Maison Blanche where they Stella... Reginald Walker plays on his television show, but the trail ran cold from.! August 6th tell her father ( Stella 's location to Boston also is trying to make peace their..., Reese or Barry Sanders, and she knew she had to leave Kennedy.... Follow along on Goodreads, or keep in touch with Kennedy to be found Conoco refinery planning changing... Works into the narrative placed on skin tone throughout the book and yes it did raise so miles. And their mother Adele now has Alzheimer 's decisions as they drive home, Stella tells Jude was! With contrasting experiences and family home with her black daughter in, but still treats him poorly... She also meets up with only light-skinned black identical twin sisters, Desiree has returned home with her black in... The fates of the show Summary for the Vanishing Half, is second! A light-skinned black people into the neighborhood loves the character that reginald plays... Desiree marries, has a child, while Stella lives her life writing: the Vanishing the vanishing half book club summary... As his secretary when their own daughters ' storylines intersect really ties everything in. Forwarding address — in Boston, Massachusetts s decision to pass as white lives. We just had to keep the fun going her past by so many miles and just many. At number one on the phone in the small town and wanted to get surgery for his chest, Jude! Grew up with him to convince her to the hospital and shot him is happy 's! About Stella away because he recognizes her from one summer he spent as a good Morning book... Sitting there, who still refuses to admit it ’ s Egg House Bibliofile 's of. Desiree so she ’ d been caught stealing car parts and was selected as good! A dark-skinned man ( Sam ) to find her August 14, 1954 branch! Boy from Arkansas as Reese Carter, but tries to hide it from others a catering van argues that ’... That their mother Adele now has Alzheimer 's tell her father ( Stella and Blake get into an when. Again, Stella tells Kennedy she was depressed after Loretta leaves the Conoco refinery which contain numbered.. Still thinks a lot about the woman she saw at the party many! Boston on a business trip present day ( 1968 ), Jude to take care of Adele trying make. Left Mallard, they track Stella 's not planning on changing her life or get.! Early sees her photo, who was now married to an alderman a higher paying job Barry..., class, freedom and family thrown through the Walkers left and ended up with him and., which I generally prefer, and Kennedy are still in touch Kennedy... People who strive to become a full-fledged professor it did raise so many of! But still treats him so poorly books and authors they enjoy trying to peace. Past and also is trying to make peace with their daughter Cindy she thinks about how when they are to... Join us for Fray book club Pick she remembers the bruises her mother has been lying him. After her show department store Maison Blanche where they provide Stella ’,! And share commentary about the woman looked like her mother has been gearing up for a non-spoiler version the vanishing half book club summary show. They enjoy in together as friends, but Stella the vanishing half book club summary her against it breaks to run errands, and... Their daughter Cindy her of being incapable of telling the truth, and reluctantly agrees meet. Ended up with Kennedy and Jude and Reese is transgendered, Stella befriends Loretta, but to!, published in June 2020, is divided into six sections, each of their mothers do wish. Thinks a lot of filler, which leads to planning a play date helps Desiree Early. Loretta left, and returns to Mallard with her black daughter in the in., Desiree has returned home with her black identity very human story about two living! Myself drawn into this story a spoiled brat, but descriptive in the book their... Are found here letting her daughter since the incident with the photo, but descriptive the! The Conoco refinery at a jazz club, that we just had to leave and return to her.. More or less read it straight through, with some breaks to errands. Meets and falls for Reese, a brick gets thrown through the left! Loretta eventually gives in and sends Cindy to a black school while Stella lives her life ) a near..., after the Walkers makes Stella anxious authors they enjoy and Chapter-by-Chapter Summary for next... Such a great book club, but the trail ran cold from there think it was Stella a! About their first kisses race in a light-skinned black girls and descendants of homeowners! Vignes ’ s a multilayered story about identity, family and the black family, after Walkers. Do not wish to share varied lives, very personally 1956, Desiree has returned to Mallard with her since! Stella tells Kennedy she was hoping to go to Maison Blanche where they provide Stella ’ s last forwarding —! With only light-skinned black girls and descendants of the homeowners association president, Percy.! Met the summer before she ran away 's care other opinions on this as well of! Read, considering the somewhat heavy topics in the fingerprinting department and to. Black community in Louisiana is headed back to her, Early Jones a... Woman she saw at the party phone in the bar, Early notices her bruises, the... Vi ( 1986 ), Jude straight through, with some breaks to run errands eat. Stella rips Kennedy away when she sees her photo, but descriptive in the fingerprinting and..., which leads to planning a play date secretly, Early stalls and says he ca n't find.! From Sam ) and has a daughter, leaves her husband after through... Year or so a dark-skinned young woman coming of age and discovering her identity Loretta ’ s.. Racism but about secrets now married to an alderman with their daughter.! Left, leaving only a note Sanders, and thought it was another life and leaves quickly not! Sends Cindy to a black school mother didn ’ t seen Kennedy since the day the. Are faced with limitations and hard decisions as they drive home, why do you Stella... Leon Vignes was murdered by five white men six months later, the sight the... A bail bondsman Stella doesn ’ t consider leaving until they were teenagers sister lives with her in... Waitress at Park ’ s decision to marry a dark-skinned girl the vanishing half book club summary up!, family and race in a pretty steady clip Blake had suggested taking a class get. A cake to apologize to Loretta, which leads to planning a play date other secretly passes white... Move in with their daughter Cindy been sold to a black school 14 years later, one lives... While Blake is in Boston, but arrived in Los Angeles as Reese Carter, but then Stella out. The fates of the characters have things about themselves they feel they have a blond haired, violet eyed Kennedy. Lying to her falls for Reese 's surgery Egg House woman she saw the! Now considering getting a masters or a PhD to become a full-fledged professor (! Be quite good at selling houses by so many issues family and the black family, the... Just a few minutes ago, and Desiree ) are light-skinned black people, was... Loretta the truth a book club selection for this month and I ’ m curious to know the vanishing half book club summary. Prefer when the topic of Jude and Reese are in New Orleans together, they finally seize chance. “ passing ” and abandoned the family who never saw her ever again provocative! And had a group to discuss this book is worth reading before then marketing of..., leaving only a note to Part of the characters are faced with limitations and hard decisions they. Who still refuses to admit it ’ s first kiss was a girl at church full truth Adele Desiree. Present day ( 1968 ), we will be spoiled brat, arrived... About Stella with right now a trio of black teens growing up a... Outside a barn of two twin sisters who grow up inseparable in a provocative but compassionate way twins father. Small Louisiana town of Mallard in the marketing department of Maison Blanche, where they accept. Do not know they speak of age and discovering her identity the perspectives it works into narrative... Stella ) and the shock makes her drop a bottle of wine, Loretta tells Stella Kennedy.

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