This is a thought provoking book about two generations of a family: identical twin sisters who each have one daughter born in the early 1960s. The twins are both Black, but one makes the decision to pass as white while the other stays within the Black community. The interactions and repercussions on their daughters are really interesting, and the book is beautifully written.
The twins (Stella and Desiree) are born in a Louisiana community entirely of light skinned Black people, and are traumatized at a young age by the lynching of their father in front of them. They respond differently, with Stella seeking the freedom (safety?) of passing for white. Her decision means she cuts all ties with her family and community, whereas Desiree remains a part of the community. Stella’s life of constant secrecy impacts those around her in ways she doesn’t acknowledge. The book also explores colorism within the Black community, as Desiree’s daughter Jude is bullied for being dark skinned by the light skinned children of their town.
The book relies on a few highly improbably events to move the plot along (random meetings of Jude, Stella and Stella’s daughter Kennedy), but addresses the improbability in a way that keeps it from being a McGuffin. I appreciated that type of attention to literary detail. I found the book heart-breaking and the situations described infuriating, but also hopeful. I found myself really caring about what happened to a lot of the characters and wanted things to work out for Desiree and Stella, Early, Rees, and Jude (my favorite character). Stella’s treatment of Black people once she began passing as white was for me one of the most shocking parts of the book, although I could intellectually understand why she would behave that way, and I would love to know what others think of it.
