The Vanishing Half was one of my favorite books of 2022 so I was really excited to pick up Brit Bennett’s debut. Though this one didn’t land like The Vanishing Half did, I still think it has its strengths and is worth checking out.

There’s a quality to Bennett’s writing that feels comforting and nostalgic, even when the subject matter of her books is very serious. Though I appreciated the characterization of these deeply flawed, sometimes extremely unlikable people, I didn’t feel connected to them. Lots of very painful and emotional things happened. Suicide, grief, abortion, rehab, fertility struggles, etc. I was drawn to Nadia, Aubrey, and Luke initially, but their individual stories felt so distant. As the book went on, I started to actively dislike Luke and Nadia. I think they were intentionally flawed, but I was so bothered by their actions and the excellent writing didn’t make up for it.