February 1, 2022

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

Genre/Categories: Contemporary/Historical Fiction, Complicated Family Drama, Adoption, California/Caribbean/London

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Thanks #NetGalley @RandomHouse for a complimentary eARC of #BlackCake upon my request. All opinions are my own.

On the occasion of their mother’s passing, Byron and Benny are left with their mother’s voice recording and specific instructions: they are to listen to it together in its entirety and in the presence of the family lawyer. In addition, they are to share the “black cake” (Caribbean rum-soaked fruit cake) in the freezer when the time is right, and they’ll know when it is the right time. Byron and Benny were close as children and grew up in a loving home, but they have grown apart as adults. In fact, Benny hasn’t seen the family in twenty years. Can they overcome their bitterness and deal with the secrets Mom shares about her history? Will a secret sibling add further complications to an already strained relationship?

My Thoughts:

Lots to Love! Black Cake checked so many of my boxes for a memorable read! Complicated family dynamics  + sibling relationships + a secret sister + well-drawn, likable characters + a page-turning plot + escape + reconciliation + compelling themes. An all-around engaging read!

Families are interesting and complicated! My mom and aunt kept a secret for decades about a child in my family placed for adoption. I met this baby (my cousin) when we were both older adults. She is now an integral part of our family and we are close. The older generation keeps lots of secrets! I really connected with this part of the storyline! Does your family have secrets?

Writing: Even though the story is told from multiple perspectives and jumps between present and past and from location to location, I was never confused. I feel like the story was revealed smoothly and I appreciate the various perspectives. I think the brother and sister relationship is well told and the rivalry and jealousy and misunderstandings are realistic and understandable. The author creates a strong sense of place (especially for the Caribbean passages) and vivid details and descriptions help you feel like you are there making the black cake and facing the threats.

Main Character: Even though the mother has passed, the author reveals her story throughout the book in flashbacks and it feels like Eleanor Bennet is a main character. Eleanor is an incredibly strong person who reinvents herself multiple times to survive. I admire her courage, determination, and resourcefulness. Yes, you might question her decision to keep a big secret but we come to realize that she was doing the best she could at the time and was fearful that her secrets would destroy her beloved family.

Themes: Thoughtful themes include sibling relationships, parental secrets, traditional food, family dynamics, found family, unplanned pregnancy/adoption, rebuilding your life, resentment, regret, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Highly recommended: I’m enthusiastically recommending Black Cake for fans of family drama and likable characters, for those looking for diverse reads, for readers who have spent time in the Caribbean, and for book clubs. Lots to discuss here! Some reviewers have felt that a lot is going on in this story (and there is)…maybe too much….but I didn’t feel overwhelmed. I thought each issue fit with the story and was well developed….not simply thrown in to address hot topics.

***contains spoilers***
Content Consideration: reference to a sexual assault that results in pregnancy, workplace harassment

My Rating:  4.5-5 Stars

Black Cake Information Here

Meet the Author, Charmaine Wilkerson

Charmaine Wilkerson is an American writer who has lived in Jamaica and is now based in Italy. A graduate of Barnard College and Stanford University, she is a former journalist whose award-winning short stories have appeared in various magazines and anthologies. Black Cake is her first novel.

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QOTD:

Is Black Cake on your TBR?

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