by Britt Bennett
Published by Riverhead Books Genres: Contempory, Fiction, Historical Fiction
Format: ARC, eBook
Published by Riverhead Books Genres: Contempory, Fiction, Historical Fiction
Format: ARC, eBook
“You could never quite get used to loneliness…” Identical twin sisters, Desiree, and Stella Vignes were born in Mallard, Louisiana, a town so small it cannot be found on the map. They have witnessed atrocities inflicted upon their father at a young age. They decide to run away from their southern black community at the age of 16 and start over in New Orleans. Years later, Desiree returns to her hometown with her young daughter while her twin sister Stella, is living as a white woman and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Desiree longs for her sister who left without saying goodbye. Both twins’ lives go in separate directions. Once Stella leaves, neither knows what became of the other. Their lives; however, are intertwined (their daughter’s lives intertwine) as this book moves from the deep south to the east coast, and to California from the 1950s to the 1990s. This is a story about love, family, mothers, daughters, acceptance, racism, how race shapes individuals’ lives. This book also touches on domestic violence, gender identity, racial identity, and acceptance. This book gives us various characters with distinct personalities and POVs. We not only read but feel their pain, their heartache, their loneliness, their happiness, and their strength. I found this to be a beautifully written and thought-provoking book. This was my first book by Brit Bennett, and it will not be my last. I received a copy of this book from the Editor and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own. |