by Brit Bennett
Published 2020
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2020 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES • THE WASHINGTON POST • NPR • PEOPLE • TIME MAGAZINE • VANITY FAIR • GLAMOUR New York Times Readers Pick: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century 2021 WOMEN'S PRIZE FINALIST “Bennett’s tone and style recalls James Baldwin and Jacqueline Woodson, but it’s especially reminiscent of Toni Morrison’s 1970 debut novel, The Bluest Eye.” —Kiley Reid, Wall Street Journal “A story of absolute, universal timelessness . . . For any era, it's an accomplished, affecting novel. For this moment, it’s piercing, subtly wending its way toward questions about who we are and who we want to be….” – Entertainment Weekly From The New York Times-bestselling author of The Mothers, a stunning new novel about twin sisters, inseparable as children, who ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds, one black and one white. The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect? Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins. As with her New York Times-bestselling debut The Mothers, Brit Bennett offers an engrossing page-turner about family and relationships that is immersive and provocative, compassionate and wise.
These are AI narrators you can listen to with your own EPUB on ElevenLabs or Fish Audio. How does it work?
Top voices for narrating this book
Female · Character · Middle-Aged · Narration · Deep · Calm · +4 more
“This deep and soothing female voice offers a mature, mystical quality that aligns perfectly with an insightful and evocative storyteller, emphasizing a reflective, intimate tone.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“Solenne's warm, velvety low register, combined with a measured and intimate pacing, provides the calm and reflective presence crucial for a compelling narration.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“Vespa's intimate, articulate, and deeply authentic presence, with empathetic warmth, creates an ideal sound for navigating complex emotional and generational themes.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“The steady and grounded cadence of Kira's voice perfectly captures the thoughtful, reflective tone needed for an insightful narrator, ensuring clarity and calm.”
Female · Middle-Aged · Medium · Clear · Crisp · Professional · +10 more
“Marlow provides a clear, crisp, and professional tone with measured delivery, offering a serious yet engaging storytelling presence suitable for literary fiction.”
For listeners: use the Best Narrator voice above in ElevenReader or Fish Audio. Character casting is for authors producing audiobooks with studio tools.
One of the twin sisters who returns to her Southern roots, her voice should convey resilience, a touch of weariness, but also warmth and a connection to her heritage.
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Casual
“Eden's warm, deep, and slightly raspy quality perfectly conveys Desiree's resilience and a touch of weariness, making her deeply relatable and connected to her roots.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Wise
“This voice offers a warm, friendly, and empathetic tone that aligns beautifully with Desiree's warmth and connection to her heritage, suggesting a comforting presence.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Confident
“Pam's calm and grounded presence would articulate Desiree's underlying strength and measured approach to returning to her Southern roots.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Upbeat
“A strong, tenacious quality in Trinity's voice could represent Desiree's enduring resilience and determination despite life's challenges.”
Female · Middle-Aged · Narration · Professional · Warm · Clear · +3 more
“This middle-aged voice, with its clear, crisp, and warm professional delivery, would capture Desiree's conversational ease and mature perspective.”
The twin sister who passes for white, her voice needs to carry an underlying tension or guardedness, sophisticated on the surface but perhaps brittle underneath due to her secret.
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Serious
“Lauren's smooth, controlled intensity is perfect for Stella's sophisticated exterior and the underlying tension of her guarded secret, suggesting a brittle emotional state.”
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Neutral
“The measured and distant quality of 'Global Artist' beautifully reflects Stella's guardedness and carefully constructed, sophisticated persona, despite a British accent.”
Indian · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Confident
“Mona's deep, resonant, and highly sophisticated tone, with measured pacing and exceptional diction, perfectly captures Stella's refined surface and controlled demeanor.”
Female · Middle-Aged · Narration · Character-Voice · Professional · Serious · +2 more
“This professional and serious voice suggests a calm, controlled presence, suitable for a character who meticulously maintains a hidden identity.”
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Intense
“Clarice's dramatic and suspenseful tone can embody Stella's expressive yet guarded nature, hinting at the internal tension of her secret life.”
Desiree's daughter, representing the next generation grappling with identity and family history. Her voice should be younger, perhaps searching or earnest.
American · Young · Female · Narrative Story · Gentle
“Mina's gentle and serene presence, coupled with measured pacing, perfectly embodies Jude's searching, earnest, and gentle nature as she grapples with identity.”
Female · Young · Conversational · Narration · Soft · Breathy · +3 more
“The intimate, soft, and sincere tone of Sarah's voice aligns beautifully with Jude's earnest and curious personality, suggesting a thoughtful youthful presence.”
American · Young · Female · Narrative Story · Confident
“Jessi's bright, down-to-earth voice with engaging warmth is ideal for Jude's conversational style and genuine curiosity about her family history.”
American · Young · Female · Narrative Story · Pleasant
“Kelly's warm, soothing yet spirited cadence with natural empathy offers a compelling blend for Jude's earnestness and youthful introspection.”
American · Young · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“Jasmine's kind, conversational flow and natural storytelling quality capture Jude's gentle and inquisitive spirit as she searches for answers.”
Stella's daughter, raised without knowledge of her mother's past. Her voice would reflect a privileged upbringing, perhaps a bit naive or sheltered, but also capable of growing understanding.
Female · Young · Character-Voice · Social-Media · Entertainment · Bright · +9 more
“Luna Snow's bright, energetic, and playful tone is perfect for Kennedy's initially naive and confident demeanor, reflecting a privileged upbringing.”
American · Young · Female · Narrative Story · Confident
“Blair's clear, warm, and conversational style captures Kennedy's initial assurance, while its capacity for reflection allows for her character's growth in understanding.”
American · Young · Female · Narrative Story · Pleasant
“With a natural, articulate, and warm conversational quality, Allison effectively conveys Kennedy's bright confidence and approachable, yet potentially sheltered, nature.”
Female · Young · Advertisement · Educational · Professional · Confident · +3 more
“Hannah's clear, friendly, and professional conversational style provides an excellent foundation for Kennedy's initially naive but capable character as she matures.”
American · Young · Female · Narrative Story · Cute
“Liberty's highly engaging and expressive voice can portray Kennedy's bright and dynamic personality, suggesting a youthful self-assurance that might mask a touch of naivety.”