Hi. I hope everyone is doing well and settling in to September. The days are going quickly now. The kids around town here are in school, which sort of surprises me. They are trying to control the Covid outbreaks. Meanwhile we woke up to our first frost on Tuesday morning but luckily had our tomato plants covered. Now the warm afternoons have returned and the days are pretty here. I feel for the Western states that are contending with wildfires and terrible smoke. It’s awful to see. San Francisco looks dark with an eerie red tinge. My sister is sending us updates of conditions there … and my brother’s place luckily just missed a wildfire in Montana. Yikes.
Meanwhile it’s a bit hard to believe Labor Day has passed and summer is pretty much over. I’ve been looking back and thinking about which novel seemed to be the must-summer read of the season this year … and which novel I saw most talked about around the blogosphere. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb to say that Brit Bennett’s novel “The Vanishing Half” is likely one I saw a lot of. It was everywhere for a while: on blogs, book-author virtual talks, Bookstagram, TV and newspapers. It came out in early June and pretty much took off. Many readers it seemed wanted to see how Bennett followed up her 2016 debut “The Mothers” … and this one proved to be as good if not even better.
But what makes a book a must-summer read? It doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the best book of the year … I think it just means it usually conjures up issues and perhaps has a couple surprises. It has to be quite readable and a bit of a page-turner. I don’t think it necessarily has to be a thriller or popular fiction … even though it’s summertime. But for whatever reason word about it has to get around and spread. It has to have momentum. And I think for “The Vanishing Half” it did … and the timing was right … in a summer with current events leading to renewed calls for racial justice and equality. Someone on Goodreads called it the essential book club book … and perhaps it is. I just finished it and my review of it — along with another novel — is below. But first: What did you think was the most read and talked about novel this summer? Hmm.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett / Riverhead / 350 pages / 2020
I can’t say I knew a lot about the experience of “passing” … in terms of one person of a certain race passing for another, or in this case, a person of color assimilating into the white majority to escape the legal and social conventions of racial discrimination … but I have read novels that touch (maybe even if tangentially) on such themes, such as Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye,” Ralph Ellison’s “The Invisible Man” and last year’s novel “We Cast a Shadow” by Maurice Carlos Ruffin.
“The Vanishing Half” is another that really opened my eyes to what it means to “pass” racially as another. The novel makes a compelling story surrounding the identities of twin sisters from a small Southern town (Mallard, Louisiana) known for its very light skinned blacks, who run away at 16 (haunted by their father’s lynching in the 1940s) and eventually go their own separate ways: one living as herself a black woman (Desiree), and the other secretly passing as white (Stella) and reinventing herself in Los Angeles.
The story goes on to explore how their daughters are also affected by skin tones and Stella’s secret: Desiree’s daughter Jude is dark and self-conscious (and falls for Reese a transgender male), and Stella’s daughter Kennedy, unaware of her mother’s secret, is blond and blue-eyed and becomes an actress (like her mother, who is superb at play-acting who she really is).
It’s a story that shows the toll “passing” can take on a close-knit family and generationally. Yet it’s hard to blame Stella totally for wanting the freedom she feels passing as white … though her choices are frustrating and painful along the way (at one point she’s at a party of whites publicly castigating African American neighbors who move into the house across the street … who she’s actually befriended in private to play with her daughter).
It’s a story that’s well told and and each of the four main characters — Desiree and Stella and their daughters — propel the story forward through the decades from the 1950s to the ’90s … as you follow them where they live and with their jobs and love interests. Their partners are given interesting shrift — Mr. Early with Desiree and Reese with Jude — are particularly alluring. And you start turning pages in a flurry to see how the lie of Stella’s race will play out … and whether there will be a public or family reckoning … or what will happen.
All around it’s an excellent read, and its themes and various layers: about identity, race, and reinvention are thought-provoking without being overly heavy. Perhaps reinvention never seemed so possible. See what you think, if you haven’t already.
Ps. I did catch the author’s book chat with the Los Angeles Times Book Club and it was enjoyable to listen to Brit Bennett speak about the themes and the characters and how she wrote about them in the novel. You can catch it here.
The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue / Little Brown / 305 pages / 2020
A lot of research into the 1918 Flu in Dublin and obstetrics must have gone into the writing of this novel, and I admire how much the author put into the time period. The story takes place in a maternity ward where several pregnant woman are quarantined with the Flu at the hospital. There’s Nurse Julia Power, who in time is joined by volunteer helper Bridie Sweeney who was raised and ill-treated as an orphan at an Irish-Catholic convent, as well as Dr. Kathleen Lynn (the story’s only real historical figure), an activist involved with the radical Sinn Féin party. Together they work to bring babies and mothers through harsh deliveries … where birth and death often seem never too far apart.
This one is quite a medical novel and realistic depictions of birthing babies during the much more rudimentary days of medicine are evident on every page. I’m not exactly quickly squeamish, but I almost went down a few times reading parts of these harsh deliveries. (It seems the flu enhanced premature births.) Early on, I thought is there more of a story here or is it just a medical journal of what happened during that 1918 pandemic in Dublin? Luckily the characters unfold a bit more and you get a sense of Nurse Julia, who is grappling with who she is on her 30th birthday and where her life is headed … during a pandemic that was much worse than ours. The story balances Julia’s inner thoughts with her relations with Bridie and Dr. Lynn as they’re in the thick of things at the hospital.
Scary days for sure. I read at the back of the book … that the author wrote this novel before the Covid pandemic started so the timing was purely coincidental. But the similarities are there … and I was interested to read the novel because I wanted to hear more about the 1918 Flu … in light of what we’re facing now and get a view from healthcare workers who really are on the frontlines of saving us in times like these. They are the heroes … and have been every day since this began … as they are in this novel.
This was my first Emma Donoghue read (who describes herself as Irish Canadian) … and I hear her books are all a bit dark and gruesome but her research and writing are exquisitely done. “The Pull of the Stars” felt sort of like a slim slice of life novel that puts you right into the time and setting without sugarcoating much of what you’re going to face. The novel’s title comes from an old Italian belief — where influenza gets its name — that it was the influence of the stars that made you sick. “As if, when it’s your time, your star gives you a yank,” explains Julia to Bridie. I can’t say the novel was entirely enjoyable (as it is medically a bit dark), but it was quite an eye-opening and affecting story and I’m glad I read it.
Just a footnote: the author doesn’t use quotation marks in the novel … and on the whole it didn’t bother me too much. Most times it seemed evident when there was dialogue and who was talking … but there were just a few times when I had to reread a passage to make it more clear to me. For more on the novel and the author, check out this recent Zoom interview with her here.
What about you — have you read these books or authors, and if so, what did you think?
Vanishing was quite good. I felt like it provided plenty of food for thought. My feelings about some of the characters bounced around a bit but after listening to Bennett’s talk about the book I felt she succeeded in getting the reader to consider why Stella would consider “passing” at all. I’ve not read Mothers yet. I pitched it to my club when it first came out and it did not appeal to them at all. I’d have more luck now I think.
The Donoghue book. I would like to read it but I had trouble with Room. She wrote that one, right? I know she has written maybe two others after Room but I never picked them up because I just didn’t think parts of Room were realistic at all.
The fires and the air quality are horrid. We are experiencing a nuclear winter or so it seems. We are not nearly as bad as the Bay area is right now. The pics I have seen resemble what I think Mars would look like. Good grief!
Ugh Ti, the smoke there sounds horrible. I’m sure it’s hard to breathe. I’m worried about when the winds begin … Gosh it’s just terrible and there doesn’t seem an end in sight to putting out the fires. Both SoCal and NoCal are like smoke zones. I’m not sure there’s much you can do but stay indoors and try not to breathe it in.
As for the books: I did not read “Room” but I saw the movie in a theater which sort of terrified me … I’m not sure I totally knew what it was about before going. Her latest book is quite a medical novel if that is or is not appealing. I’m glad you like The Vanishing Half as well. I thought your review was particularly good.
Last night the smell of smoke and chemicals was so strong, we had to close all our windows. This is getting to be almost too much in CA. No longer the Golden State. We are the orange state!
I glad you liked The Vanishing Half so much. You know I did!
Must read The Pull of the Stars.
So many great books around and even I can’t keep up!
Hi Judy …. the smoke around the L.A. area seems terrible. And the El Dorado fire around Yucaipa is not far from my folks’ place in Redlands so that’s not good. So many fires & so much smoke …. it’s all alarming. Stay inside & try not to breathe it in. Ugh.
You’re the only one I think who has even a chance to keep up with all the good books out these days. You’re so quick a reader. You had a great review of The Vanishing Half, which I read before trying to write something about it. Stay well.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about both of these books. I own both, but will likely wait a while to read them. I really need to mention The Pull of the Stars to my daughter and suggest that she and her fellow labor/delivery nurses might want to check it out. There have been a lot of complications, according to the daughter, with women delivering during the last few months. Not necessarily with being virus-positive, but with fear and worry over their babies, being in the hospital, possibility that they might be positive, and not having as many family with them during that time. It’s been a lot of stress on all involved.
My thoughts are with all the people on the West Coast and others dealing with these fires. We get them here in Texas too, but not much this year. Frost already in your area – enjoy your fall!
Thanks Kay. I bet your daughter as a nurse would have a lot of perspective on Emma Donoghue’s book … who seemed to research obstetrics quite a bit with this one. Your daughter is heroic for being on the frontlines these days helping mothers-to-be … and for handling all the Covid stress, oh my: it seems so difficult. Hope your area remains fire-free … and hurricane-free too. Enjoy your books.
Both of these books are coming up soon on my reading list. This summer has been full of great reads for me.
Hi Dorothy : I’ll be looking forward to what you think of these books …. hopefully they are not overly hyped. Sometimes that can be a detriment, ha. Enjoy.
Oh, dear, it feels as if every time 2020 is as awful as it can be, something more happens. I have family and friends in CO, CA, OR, and WA and the pictures they send, coupled with the photos from the NYT leave me at a loss. My heart aches.
I’m not sure how to judge summer fiction. I think I lean more towards popular or commercial fiction- something you can’t put down, but that doesn’t necessarily change your life. I enjoyed The Vanishing Half and think it was an important book, but am not sure it held me that firmly. The book that comes to mind for me is Hilderbrand’s 28 Summers. I could not stop reading it. She did a great enough job that I ignored the supersize plot and just went with it.
Overall, my summer reading has been better this year than almost any other, which is saying alot considering how my head is always on the verge of exploding!
Hi Catherine: I agree the fires out West are truly alarming … and with family everywhere it is worrisome. How are people even breathing? Need oxygen masks: it looks like. Oxygen tents?
I’m glad you put forth the Hilderbrand book as a must-summer read. I need something like this right now. A total page-turner. I need adultery (in my reading), ha! And I’m glad you’re vetting fall reads for me left & right. I did listen to your fall reads podcast so I’m looking forward to what you think of your picks.
Perhaps our heads are exploding b/c of the daily revelations of the current WH. The Bob Woodward stuff is just the latest thing we perhaps already knew. Grrrr.
Susan, I just posted my review today of The Vanishing Half (loved it so much). Jude was my favorite character – what a story she and Reese. So much to talk about. I’m waiting for my turn with Pull of the Stars from the library. There is a pretty long holds list.
Hi Diane: good to know that your review is up! I’ll stop by your site. Jude was also my favorite character too. I liked the various layers & characters she had in the story. The Pull of the Stars is pretty medical … so just beware! … of all the bedpans. etc. ha.
The Vanishing Half sounds very interesting. I guess that Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man was probably the first book about passing. Philip Roth’s The Hunan Stain also had an interesting and unusual take on the issue.
The days are indeed going by so very fast. I must slow them down.
Hi Brian: thanks for mentioning Roth’s novel The Human Stain. I should read that. I really admired Ellison’s Invisible Man … a classic … but I haven’t read Roth which is a blight on my record … and should be corrected sometime soon.
September is already flying by …. sigh, much to do. Enjoy your reads.
I can’t believe it’s September! And we’re almost half way through the month. Each day seems so long, but somehow it’s all going by quickly. I am glad you enjoyed Vanishing Half; I thought it was a really good story.
Hi Helen: yeah I’m glad you liked Bennett’s novel too. I enjoyed your review of it. September is flying by … which is too bad … as it’s usually such a great month but there’s been too many wildfires to worry about all over the West. I hope you are staying safe there in SB.
I was late to the party with The Vanishing Half. I generally reserve books early at the library and I’m the first to read them. With Vanishing Half, everyone else in my town (apparently) reserved it, and now I’m way down on the list. In a way, I’m glad about that; it’s wonderful so many people are lined up to read such a good book.
I thought The Pull of the Stars was very well written. It was fascinating to use a special part of the maternity ward during the flu epidemic as the setting. I’ve read a few other Emma Donoghue books…Room, Frog Music, and Slammerkin. I thought Slammerkin was best, perhaps because it was the first of her books that I read. It was historical fiction, too, and I was amazed at how true her story felt. It was a hard story to read.
I hope you have a good week, Susan.
Thanks Deb. I’m glad you told me about Slammerkin. I didn’t know about that Donoghue novel but it sounds interesting and I hope to eventually get to it. Her books are a bit dark and I’m not sure I could read Room, though I did close my eyes thru the movie. It’s okay to wait for The Vanishing Half. It’ll be there in the library eventually. Enjoy the week.
Glad to hear that you like THE VANISHING HALF. We selected it for book club with very little knowledge from any of us. Frost already? Wow. Fall is on its way.
Hi Anne: yeah it’s cold in the mornings now, argh. Like 47 degrees. But then it eventually warms in the afternoons. It must be fall. I think The Vanishing Half might be a good book club book …. with various issues and layers and characters to think about. Enjoy.
Great reviews. I read Donoghue’s Room a few years ago. That was a dark, dark book. I have not read anything else by her. I may give this one a go, though. And I’ve The Vanishing Half on hold and can’t wait til I can read it. Glad your family didn’t get in the path of the wildfire in Montana. So scary. I have a hard time staying on top of what’s coming out but if I hear some buzz and people I trust enjoy it, I try to get it from the library sooner rather than later. I hope you have a lovely week!
Thanks Heather. I wonder — have you had any smoke where you are? We are getting the Oregon smoke here (poor Oregon!). I agree Donoghue’s books are dark … I hope you like The Vanishing Half. It’s quite an easy fast read. There’s a lot of fall books that look good … Hope you enjoy your September.
I read the Vanishing Half a few weeks ago and enjoyed it. The summer did fly by despite being in and not going anywhere. It is a little concerning that schools are opening. Time will tell how long they stay open. The Pull of the Stars is an eiree book given our circumstances. I realize that my parents and their siblings lived through the 1918 flu.. very scary.
Hi Judee: yes I can imagine the 1918 flu most have been very scary. Did they tell you what it was like living thru it? I find it a bit helpful reading about that pandemic to get some perspective on this one. Are schools open where you are? They are here — so we will see how that goes. I will stop by your site and see your thoughts on The Vanishing Half. Thx for stopping by.
The days are going quickly, aren’t they? We had to reschedule an eye appointment (due to a closed highway from a nearby fire) and the receptionist said the doctor would be out until the beginning of October. My first thought was, Wow. That’s a long vacation! Then I realized that we are halfway to October. I’m still thinking it’s August (and incorrectly typed that on a recent blog post not once, but four times!). 2020 is really messing with my mind.
Anyhow, I’m not surprised you had some frost. I remember getting snow in the first week of October when we lived in Nebraska and you are a little bit further north than we were.
I hope your sister and brother stay safe from the fires. It’s such a scary situation. Today is the first day in over a week that we can actually see blue sky. The sun is shining and our air quality has improved, so I’m getting outside in a little while for a walk along the ocean bluff.
I’m anxious to read The Vanishing Half, but am focusing on mysteries and thrillers for the RIP XV challenge. In November, I read nonfiction and in December I hope to spend the month re-reading favorites. So that will take me into 2021 before I get to it! I’m also interested in The Pull of the Stars. Both of these books are queued up in my Libro.fm library and I can’t wait to give them a listen.
Happy reading and stay safe!
Thanks Lesley. I’m glad the conditions where you are, are improving & you can walk to the bluff. The smoke is messing with my head a bit with headaches & runny eyes. Do you have that? We are getting it here. I keep hoping that rain will snuff out the fires. But maybe we’ll need to struggle thru another couple of weeks or more for the fires to abate. Just two weeks till Oct. crazy eh? take care there.
Really looking forward to reading The Vanishing Half this fall. I read Nella Larsen’s Passing earlier this year, and this takes the idea to another level, I believe.
The wildfires are definitely putting end of summer and fall on edge–smoke has diminished where I am in CO but I am heartbroken about WA, OR, and CA.
Hi Jane: thanks for stopping by. Yeah I saw a few bloggers were reading Nella Larsen’s book … perhaps this author was aware of that one? Though it seems Brit Bennett mentions Margot Jefferson’s 2015 memoir Negroland … which I’m a bit curious about.
We are getting smoke from all the fires here …. and my head has run amok. I can only hope rain will douse these out. What an epic disaster. Hope you are well there.
You make me want to read The Vanishing Half asap. I missed out on The Mothers though that’s on my list to read too. It’s interesting reading about it because at the moment I am reading a book about girls passing off as boys in Afghanistan, where a woman has no worth or value other than for her ability to bear kids. It’s a different kind of reality where one passes off as another just for the freedoms that the other offers.
I enjoyed Room but found it traumatizing to read so I feel a little undecided on her new book just for that reason. Which isn’t fair, of course. I’ll have to at least consider it.
Hi Athira : yeah I saw your review of the Afghanistan novel … and the subject matter in it does seem like another kind of “passing” as well. Interesting that it’s all a way to feel or get one’s freedom. As for the other, I think Donoghue’s books are all a bit dark … some of the medical stuff in this latest one made me squirm. Enjoy your week.