Vanishing Half, The

Desiree and Stella Vignes are identical twin sisters who have embarked on very different life journeys after running away from the southern town of Mallard. Exploring how each woman’s life and identity are shaped by their race, relationships, and life choices, this story offers the perspective of multiple characters, each grappling with the racism prevalent in their time. The novel may give students opportunities to explore the themes of race, identity, and family while analyzing the impacts of colonialism and racism and the generational trauma later inherited by the twins’ children. Suitable as a teacher-guided novel study in a senior-level classroom, the book’s complex characters and plot may generate many discussions. Students can create identity maps for the characters in the book or study the text from a social justice lens, exploring how systemic racism affects the characters in the book and comparing it with the effects of systemic racism today.