Reading this book as a white passing person of color has been extremely inspiring. It is like mixed people have a switch for how they act around their black families, and then how they act in public towards white people. And when the two sisters in this book choose different identities, it is shocking to readers how different their lives turn out, but it isn't that shocking to American black people today. The country can have at times almost an air of segregation that carries on from the time period in the book. But I really enjoyed how the book describes aspects of happiness in both lives of the sisters; it was touching.

A really beautiful and moving story of identity and family, and how our choices echo down the years to our children.

The book was good. I had a few confused moments when unsure what was going on in the story line, like going back to Early and Desiree. I like when authors change font style so you know. I was sad at the end to know that Stella was just gone. Twins not reconnecting. But all in all, a good read. I had to remind myself the era they was in at times.

An interesting premise. It moves through the decades quite abruptly at times, although with quite a few fascinating characters, I wanted to keep reading to see how they would fare. The resolution seemed unfulfilled for me, but perhaps that was the author's intention.
Very good, but not a 4star book for me because the ending left me feeling unresolved.

First of all I want to state that this book is compelling reading and the characters are well developed. As timely topics, the novel's two main themes deal with hatred of "others" - those who do not have the same skin color or gender identity. We begin with twin sisters so light in skin tone that they can "pass" as white. One chooses to do so. My first reaction was to condemn her but this book begins in the 1950's and 1960's where the girls' father is murdered because he was Black. Sadly, though the situation in the United States is hopefully better, we have just lived thru 4 years of misogyny, racism, & xenophobia fostered by our own "leader". Today in my home of Minneapolis, the trial of Derek Chauvin has just begun. I cannot and feel no one should judge Stella for her choice. In addition to the racism we have the bias against transgender individuals as Jude, Desiree's daughter, falls in love with Reese who is attempting to save for surgery. In the 1980's this was most often kept a secret as this couple chooses to do. Secrets and lies in families seldom lead to good outcomes. Marriage for both women is unhappy - Stella lives in almost constant fear that her secret will be discovered and Desiree has to flee a violent man. I found Jude to be my favorite character and to have fared the best in the book's world. She strives to make a better life for herself as a "blue-black" woman of color and chooses to love regardless of gender. The ultimate message for me was one of hope. Kristi & Abby Tabby

Maybe an AARP recommendation?

This book is about twins-one lives as a black woman, the other, Stella lives as a white woman. The story is very well written. Jude, the black woman's daughter ends up of the U of M in medical school.

It was a good story, but the characters really never came alive for me, so it was just a so-so read. The sections of years just kind of list what happened. And it just ends rather abruptly with Adele's funeral.

This captivating novel spans the period of the 1960s – 1990s. Light skinned identical twin sisters, Desiree, and Stella, flee their rural hometown in Louisiana and become runaways at 16. They become estranged after their lives take different paths, each landing on a different side of the color spectrum. Desiree marries a dark-skinned man and eventually returns home after escaping a violent marriage with her young daughter who is also dark skinned. Stella, who lives her life in CA passing for white, also has a daughter. Fast forward several years and the two cousins eventually meet. Highly recommend this fascinating novel and what it reveals about identity and how it is shaped. Thought provoking and great storytelling!

This starts out to be the story of twin sisters Desiree and Stella growing up in a small southern town that is under control of Jim Crow rules. They run away to escape the drudgery of the small town. In a short while Stella chooses a "white" life w/o her inseparable twin. Desiree tries to find her own way in life but eventually moves back home. The beginning to me, was the best part of the book. The second section is about the twins daughters, the turns in their lives seems a bit contrived to me, oh well. I certainly appreciate the unfair burden on black people and their struggles to assimilate in the greater society w/ acceptance. Bennett weaves an interesting novel about these struggles, bringing them vividly to life.