The Vanishing Half

This hit me hard; there was a lot going on. The setup – leaving your life behind to pursue a new one – is a launching point for a powerful exploration into the ways that lies and secrets end up shaping our lives. Sometimes taking over. I'm someone who has (mostly) passed for white in the U.S., also someone who carries secrets. I recognized some of the choices Bennett writes about. I like to think that I never abandoned anybody; and that my confidences are for the protection and care of others, not for my own gain; but that's the whole point, isn't it? How we lie to ourselves to self-justify? I hope to carry these thoughts with me.

The writing: it's beautiful. Bennett's language is sumptuous, her dialog natural, her characters complex, interesting, multidimensional. They feel real, and I cared about them – even the unsympathetic ones. The story went places I wasn't expecting. I finished reading and felt a strong urge to start it back over again.