I really struggled with this book. It jumped around a lot and everyone seemed to have a lot of issues. DNF.

If you are looking for a sweeping, multi-generational book full of family secrets, exciting revelations, and heartfelt sibling dynamics, look no further than that incredible BLACK CAKE by Charmaine Wilkerson. I was so excited when my book club @jaxbookbabes picked it as the March read since this has been on my TBR for months. It seems like everyone is reading this book right now, and the hype is well deserved. It is an incredible debut novel about generational trauma and the Caribbean-American experience that will leave you breathless (and wishing you could get your hands on some authentic black cake).

Be warned though – there is a heck of a lot packed into this novel, often feeling like it is bursting at the seams. The themes the author touches upon are racism, political strife, murder, adoption, physical abuse, painful secrets, grief, Black Lives Matter, and so much more. We learn about the life of Eleanor after she has passed through her last will and testament, given to her two children Benny and Byron. The story of her past unfolds for us as it unfolds for them, and where the story goes is anything but expected. I really liked the way Wilkerson explores the idea of estrangement, something that I haven’t seen much in fiction. It is something many families deal with, and her perspective is very unique and interesting. There is no doubt this debut means we can expect much more brilliance from her in the future, and I can’t wait to see what other stories she has to share with us.

Black Cake is a beautiful story about identity. More specifically, how a person is stitched together through family history and kinship.

Wilkerson’s writing style is captivating. She thoughtfully touches on questions of culture and race. Especially where the lines are blurred and defined. However, I found the plot to be confused and wandering. But, I believe this was purposeful, so as to mimic the thoughts and emotions of the characters.

Overall, I give this book 3 stars.

Black cake is special. It takes time. From the yearlong marinating of the fruit in port and rum to the complex creation of the cake and the ornate sugar flowers and icing, Eleanor Bennett would set aside a month each year to make them.

Faced with a terminal diagnosis, she's compelled to tell her two adult children the truth. Unfortunately they haven't really spoken in 8 years since Benny ran out after a huge argument about her dropping out of college. Byron has played the dutiful and attentive son and feels reaching out to his sister would be seen as taking her side.

Eleanor's plan is to make a video and require the siblings watch it together after her death. In it she confesses to the truth of her childhood and growing up on the island.

At first the stories switch too quickly and keeping track of the characters and timeline difficult. However it all comes together and the rich tales of Covey, Bunny, and Pearl alternate with the travails of Benny and Byron. A truly multi generational work with complexity and heart. Eleanor's final request is that her children eat the frozen black cake saved from her wedding at the right time. And they would know when that will be.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for offering me the book to read in exchange for an honest review.

✨Book Review✨
 
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
 
🏝 First, who knows how to make black cake? Because I want some!

🏝 This book is about women - how women are treated and mistreated, things women can be forced to do, obstacles women face in life, and the secrets women carry to protect others. But it’s also about the perseverance of women, the importance of traditions and heritage, and how women can - and do! - handle anything.

🏝 I honestly think you should read this book blind. It’s nearly impossible to share anything about this generational narrative without giving something away. But I will say that the characters are phenomenal, the story is compelling, and the conclusion is perfect. It’s a story I will remember for a very long time... and that’s one of the best compliments I can give it. ❤️

🏝 This is the author’s debut novel and I’ll absolutely read anything she writes from now on. I highly recommend it!
 
Thank you to @NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing a electronic copy for me to review, which I have done honestly and voluntarily.

“…but tradition is only about what people have or have not done; it’s not about what they are capable of doing.”

The February #LiteraryLeague pick is a definite contender to make it into my favorite reads of the year. I was instantly pulled into this family saga. It has everything I love in this genre - multi-generational, lots of drama, and a little bit of mystery.

If you love historical fiction and/or family dramas, I highly recommend adding this one to your TBR!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨ Black Cake - Charmaine Wilkerson

i will be absolutely SHOCKED if this book isn’t everywhere by the end of the year. this book was FANTASTIC. it deserves all of the credit & hype.. if i could give it more than 5 stars i truly would 👏 i have a hard time believing this is a DEBUT NOVEL bc Charmaine is such a phenomenal story teller!

👍🏼: it was so beautifully written and every single aspect/story line tied together SO WELL. the way everything comes together is so satisfying & leaves you with no further questions. i LOVED the characters, i loved the friendships, & i loved the relationships. every character is developed so well that you feel like you actually know them by the end. there were so many important life lessons/messages tied in that really make you feel all the feels; identity, love, loss, parenthood, acceptance & lifelong friendship just to name a few. this book was intense and heartbreaking and powerful and inspiring

👎🏼: there are A LOT of characters so it can be a little confusing & take a minute to figure out who is who. truck on through this time - it’s worth it!

RECOMMEND?: yes, yes 100x yes! if you want a book that will make you feel all of the feels - this is it! this one will definitely be in my top 5 for the year 😍 ALSO i did a listen/read combo & both were fantastic!

SYNOPSIS: Go in blind! i almost skipped this one after reading the synopsis (silly me) SO DON’T MAKE THAT MISTAKE - just read it!!

Black Cake is a globetrotting, multigenerational tale of identity and family. The story of the Bennett family is told in two different timelines, with Eleanor Bennett’s past being revealed to her children Byron and Benny following her death. Together, the siblings realize they didn’t really know their mother at all as all of the family secrets are revealed.

I really enjoyed reading this book! Eleanor’s life story is an interesting one and full of intrigue. It did take me a few chapters to get sucked in, but once I began to see where the present and past converge the story really picked up. The story is told in two timelines as well as multiple point of views, but each voice is distinct and easy to follow. Despite all of the point of views I never got lost. I did enjoy the past timeline more than the present for most of the book (I didn’t love Byron and Benny’s characters), but I loved how everything wrapped up in the end. If you like interesting, multigenerational family stories you will love Black Cake.

I can’t wait for Charmaine Wilkerson’s next novel and am seriously impressed by this debut! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ballantine for an advanced copy of this book.

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson is one of my favorite books of the year. The characters are flushed out, the different time periods are both interesting and the mystery was unexpected. I also learned about the Islands, even though the island wasn't specifically named you had a basic understanding of where they are. The cutural aspects and how women were treated in society was an interesting history lesson. There was alot of surprises in this story but it was written so you didn't feel lost except at the beginning when you weren't sure who Covey was. That was still fun to guess at though. I would recommend this book.

“When your father and I hesitated to embrace you as you were, to show you immediate acceptance, you ran. Of course, I wish that you had been more patient with us, but you were hurt and you were willing to walk away in order to protect yourself…Just don’t go thinking that this is all there is to succeeding in life, this picking up and walking away from people. It should never be an easy answer to your troubles. I have lived long enough to see that my life has been determined not only by the meanness of others but also by the kindness of others, and their willingness to listen.” 💞

Do you remember when you first realized that your parents were human? I do. And what I overwhelmingly took away from this book is the realization that your parents had lives and tragedies and experiences before they had you. That they got their hearts broken. That unspeakable things happened to them. But we tend to put our parents on a pedestal, don’t we? And this book is a peek into the combination of what happens when we assume that our parents have never been through anything as tough as what we are going through, and when we make the mistake of assuming they will always be here.

Black Cake is raw and emotional with beautifully flawed, yet strong, characters. Oh, and there’s cake. Because of course. Duh.

Thank you to Netgalley, Ballantine Books, Random House Publishing, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, what a moving and powerful story of a family that is sent messages from their mother after her death to lead them to discover the true story of their mothers life. It examines the struggles that their mother faced growing up in the Caribbean and her struggle as she made her way to Europe and then America. It will unite them with their sister that they did not know they have and teach them about their family history in a way that they never thought possible.

Such a easy read with such heartwarming moments throughout. Definitely a favorite read of mine so far this year.

Black Cake is the debut novel from author Charmaine Wilkerson, and after reading just the first few chapters it's not surprising to hear that the book is being developed into a tv series. It's one of those books that ensnare your senses and your curiosity as you wonder just what secrets will be revealed next.
The story goes between a Caribbean island in the 1960s, a harrowing escape to the UK, and present-day California where the story of Eleanor Bennett is revealed to her children Byron and Benny following her passing. The family lawyer shares a recording that Eleanor made where she reveals her hidden past along with a request regarding the very last Black Cake she made which now sits in the freezer of the family home.
This character-driven novel is definitely a must-read for 2022!

<b> Thank you to Ballatine Books for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review! </b>

OKAYYYYYY, LET'S GET INTO IT, SHALL WE?

Charmaine Wilkerson's <I>Black Cake</i> comes with twist after twist after twist. In a novel that spans several decades, generations, and several time zones, two estranged siblings, Byron and Benny Bennett, reunite to bury their mother and uncover a huge family secret. This book has me wondering what I would do if I uncovered so many new details about my parents after they've left.

It took me a while to feel hooked into this story, and admittedly, there were a few too many subplots that took longer than I would have liked to see them loop back around. Some details also felt as if they were setting us up to tie up loose ends when it didn't seem possible. Also some details felt were kicking characters while they were already down. Benny experiences so much intimate partner violence throughout her life while also experiencing rejection from her parents for coming out as bisexual.

I also was *very annoyed* at the repeated ways both deceased Bert and Eleanor Bennett expected their daughter to come around and be patient with them as if they deserved such grace for not handling their daughter's truth well. ESPECIALLY when the woman who helped Eleanor (née Covey Lyncook) escape the first time was a queer woman. I know they didn't really talk about it then, but still. I get to be annoyed with these fictional dead people because they represent so much of the Caribbean hypocrisies I've been exposed to. Y'all got this big as skeleton in your closet that you gotta hold onto, but that doesn't mean your daughter has to. And Byron's a punk for not defending her sooner unless there are pages I might have missed LOL

Byron Bennett is such a frustrating character to me. It's his unwavering commitment to exceptionalism that just has me thinking <I>boooooooy, GROW UP!</I> I found myself eye-rolling his thoughts/opinions one too many times, namely his challenge-the-system-from-within mentality. HELLOOOOO you are experiencing systematic racism and oppression at your job, at the hands of police repeatedly. It's one thing to not fight back (that's a whole other type of exhaustion) but when his on and off again girlfriend/baby mama calls to tell him his nephew was basically a traffic stop away from becoming a hashtag (another example of a subplot one a little too far down for my liking), he's still whining about wanting to be able to trust the police. I know this is a generational thing but dang. Clearly, I'm activated. I know too many first-generation children of immigrants still wrestling through their parents' rose-colored glasses of the opportunities here juxtaposed to the realities. I know too many Byrons.

Glad everyone gets the closure they need at the end. I'm happiest that Bunny and Benny got to meet. Oh and Pearl, sweet Pearl. And I'm not mad at Mr. Mitch. And I guess I can't be mad at Covey and Gibbs.

Who y'all think killed Little Man?

We start the story in the Caribbean in 1965 with Covey and her mom and dad. Dad is unlucky so the story goes and starts to lose everything him family had. Mom and Pearl (the help) makes Black Cakes for weddings to earn money. Mom leaves Covey and dad and they do not know where she went. Dad tries to raise Covey but his unlucky streak continues and he gives permission Covey to marry the man he is in debt too. Covey is distraught and up to the wedding day refuses to believe that it will happen. After the vows are said and the toast is done her husband takes a drink and falls down dead. Everyone thinks Covey had something to do with his death so Covey runs away and fakes her own death. Such begins the secrets that shape Covey's life from London to California where she runs away to. This was a great debut novel with great writing. I felt the emotions of each member of the story and enjoyed how it flowed from past to present and the ending tied it up nicely. I look forward to more stories from this author. Thank you Netgalley and Charmaine Wilkerson for an advance copy.

Estranged siblings Byron and Benny are brought together by the death of their mother, Eleanor, an octogenarian who has left behind a voice recording revealing in detail the true story of her history. What unfolds is a family saga transporting readers from 1960s Caribbean islands to present day Southern California. Eleanor's history is mysterious, dramatic, extraordinary, as layered as the traditional and ubiquitous black cake she is known for.

Charmaine Wilkerson's Black Cake is an excellent debut. The story bounces through time and perspective, which makes for a real page turner. I think the less readers know going in, the better; just dive in and allow yourself to be swept away.

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson is a beautiful story about family told over decades and in several countries. The story follows two siblings in the US who have recently lost their mother and travels back in time about sixty years as their mother tells her own story from girlhood on. I found myself more connected to some characters more than others, but I was very invested in the story after the first few chapters. I especially was fascinated by Covey’s story and background. She spends her girlhood in the Caribbean, then moves to London as a young woman. The author did a wonderful job gradually revealing the connections between each story and character. It ponders the themes of home, identity, race, and class in a thoughtful, descriptive way. The writing is incredibly poetic and I loved getting to know the Bennett family.

Thank you Ballantine Books / Random House and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

This is a story about two siblings dealing with their mother’s death. There is a hidden past among the family and this Black Cake.The story has a lot of characters but in the end, it comes full circle. It also has a lot of history and traditions within the family. The story has twists and turns. The chapters are short that makes the story move along smoothly. I love the writing style of the author. It was beautifully written. The setting was the Caribbean, London, and California. The themes of the tory was family, loss, love, second chances, and longing. I give this book 4 stars.

This is a great debut novel by Charmaine Wilerson.
I picked it honestly for the cover and the name of the book. Neither of them disappointed me. This was a wonderful story of love, faith, endurance, hope and loss.

You can't read this book without learning something new like a delicious black cake that is made of dried fruits in rum and port. Through the interweaving stories of present day and the past you get to see a glimpse into his complicated, complex, passionate and intricate family that have experienced everything imaginable. We get to travel along on a journey that is not like any other.

The author is able to weave all of the aspects, timelines and snippets into a wonderful, colorful and soulful story. Learning the history of this family, learning about Eleanor's life, her past and how it all weaves together to place the siblings where they are now and who they have become is wonderful.

This book is fast-paces with characters. The story is unique and has historical references and points about the sea which makes it meaningful. It's the story of a family that flowed smoothly and held my attention with some complex issues like forced abortions, and prejudice.

This is definitely a book that I would recommend to everyone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Ballantine Books.

Just an amazing story. So many twists that I did not see coming. The book had me engaged from the very first chapter. Highly recommend!

What a wonderful and touching book - an easy 5 star read...

This book took me three months to read, but that in no way was a reflection of the book itself. Things were busy and there were a lot of other books that got pushed in front, but I'm really glad that I picked it back up in February and finally finished it. Once I picked it back up, I went through the last 75% in not time.

This is a fascinating story and it encompasses so much. The writing style was unique and made a larger book easier to consume because it was broken up so well that it felt more manageable. I think there may be some people who disagree with how the book ended (that's all I will say to avoid spoilers), but it worked for me and I think a majority of readers will appreciate it as well.

All in all, this was a fabulous debut and I can't wait for the author's next book!

Many thanks to Netgalley and BOTM for my copy.

Review Date: 03/13/2022
Publication Date: 02/01/2022