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Twin sisters leave their Black Southern town; one begins to live as a white woman
2020Steady paceThoughtful
What it is about
Twins Desiree and Stella grow up in Mallard, a small Louisiana town of light-skinned Black people. At sixteen they run away together. Years later one returns with a dark-skinned daughter, while the other passes as white and hides her past.
Who will enjoy it
Readers who like family sagas with big ideas.
What you will get
A bestselling novel about identity and secrets.
The Vanishing Half Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Literary Fiction · Identity · Passing · Family
Length
343 pages · ≈ 10 h
More about this book
Characters
Desiree and Stella Vignes and their daughters.
Setting
Louisiana, California and other cities from the 1950s to the 1990s.
What makes it different
A multi-generational story about identity and race.
Feel
Moving, sharp and layered.
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