Good Dirt is the story of one of the most prominent African American families in New England. A bulk of the story takes place in present day with Ebby and her parents, telling the story of her loss of her brother and her called off wedding. Through the stories of a prized family heirloom, we go back in time to older generations of their family in the time of slavery in America.

This book was very moving and very well researched, particularly about the history of southern pottery. Would definitely recommend to many!

I love reading stories of strong families who face adversity but survive. In this novel, a 15-year-old boy is killed in a home invasion witnessed by his 10-year-old sister. What follows is the struggle each family member has trying to understand why, how to continue going forward with life and not assume self-blame. Tied up in the narrative is an old clay jug, brought to Massachusetts by a family ancestor escaping slavery more than 150 years earlier.

This is a family history story of love, honesty, and respect. It is also about the ties each of us have to our own ancestors and how their lives enabled our own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC to read and review.

Charmaine Wilkerson is an epic story teller. I loved her first book, Black Cake, and I love this book. Wilkerson's ability to weave a tale with enough surprises is fabulous. This is a must read.

While I was intrigued every moment by Black Cake, Charmaine Wilkerson's first novel, this one didn't hold my attention. Part of the reason was in the repetition that made the book longer than it needed to be.

I love Charmaine Wilkerson’s writing. Much like Black Cake, I found this book addicting and I wanted to know the story, but it took me awhile to finish. Her writing forces you to mull it over. Having attended the Dave the Potter exhibit at the MFA I couldn’t stop thinking about how there is something truly special about these works of art- and Old Mo is genuinely his own character in this book. Ebby’s was a difficult character for me to enjoy, and truly the story of Old Mo and the Freeman’s ancestors was what I kept waiting to hear more about, all in all it was a great emotional read

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson is a story of family trauma that spans generations from slavery to a present-day murder. The book focuses on a well-to-do black family in New England that has always honored their forebearers who were forced into slavery. The relationships of the characters and their different ways of dealing with trauma make this book interesting and thought provoking. The stories of their ancestors are interwoven with the current challenges they face. I enjoyed reading this book. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Ten-year-old Ebony Freeman is playing hide-and-seek when her brother Baz is killed by home invaders. His last thoughts are the family’s heirloom jar, which has been shattered. The family is quite wealthy, and this is an affluent community, so there is a media frenzy.

Years later, the tragedy still haunting the family, and Ebony is abandoned at the altar by the son of another wealthy family. Ebony needs time to herself, away from her parents and the media, so she heads off to France to stay with a friend. And describing anything after that would be a spoiler …

This is a story about love, grief, family, and history. It is an exceptionally well done multi-generational novel. A couple of quotes that will stay with me:

** Sometimes, when a person comes around, it’s simply too late.

** History is a collective phenomenon. It can only be told through a chorus of voices.

After reading "Black Cake," I was intrigued and hopeful for her next book. It did not disappoint. "Good Dirt" is a heartfelt, slow burn family drama and murder mystery. Honestly, it is more family drama than murder mystery, but the murder of Ebby's brother is center of everything. There is plenty of room for what-ifs, but the main road of the book leads the reader to understand that everything leads to the next something, and life is never as simple as changing a what-if.

Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson. This is one of the best historical fiction books I have read all year! The story is centered around Ebby Freeman and her family. It all goes back to the stoneware jar and the travels this jar and her ancestors make through the generations. This jar is incredibly important to the lives of her family and what happens to the jar changes everything. Ebby's life is dramatically shaped by an incident in her early childhood that is closely connected to her family. This is a story about an affluent Black family, its history, and the struggles of living in today's world. Ebby's experiences all impact her ability to love and build relationships. The character development was fabulous and I had a difficult time putting the book down. Publishing release date scheduled for January 28, 2005. #NetGalley #BallantineBooks

This book creates a literary artwork out of one African American family's story from the 1800s to the present day. It's also primarily about a jar. And props to this book for making me care about that.

"History, too often, has been told from only certain perspectives. This is not good enough. History is a collective phenomenon. It can only be told through a chorus of voices. And that chorus must make room for new voices over time."

Wilkerson crafts a narrative around this key concept, keeping the reader on their toes as she feeds them tidbits of information (I was a wee bit annoyed to wait for a very long time for the words on the jar, be warned), in a book that jumps around timelines erratically. The characters are realistic and memorable and the plot is packed with emotion. The book gets a little repetitive but delivers on its motifs and sets up its story in real research and history. Albeit not flawless, the book is certainly unputdownable, and I adore atmospheric historical fiction that can do that.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a dual timeline offering depicting an affluent Black family scarred by an act of violence. When Ebby Freeman was 10 years old, she witnessed her older brother Baz being shot dead by robbers in a home invasion. Holding center stage in the book is an iconic stoneware jar revered and passed down through several generations. This jar was crafted by familial enslaved potters/artisans who inscribed it with a secret message of hope. Such pottery became quite valuable in the present day due to its historical significance.

The beginning chapters of the book immediately drew me in with a snappy array of interesting events that played on my emotions- and in some cases shocked me. I thought I was in for an absorbing ride with this book. But after such a promising start, the rest of the book lagged for me. It became a "dual timeline" book, and I didn't enjoy the historical passages that much, although they were important to explain the meaning and importance of the stoneware jar. The bulk of the book explored the PTSD this family struggled with losing a beloved son and brother from unknown assassins, feeling both love and guilt over the treasured stoneware jar that was involved in this crime, with Ebby navigating romantic life amidst all this strife. I hung on until its hopeful, meaningful ending, but it turned out to be just an average read for me.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

Wilkerson crafted a rich tapestry, spanning generations and countries, and painted a gorgeous, devastating family portrait with "Good Dirt." The pacing and plot aren't sacrificed to make way for the stunning writing in her deft hands.

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson offers a compelling, multi-layered narrative that dives into the experiences of a family over generations, tracing how they escaped and adapted through life after enslavement. The storytelling is both engaging and evocative, allowing readers to feel the weight of history alongside the characters' resilience. Wilkerson’s writing shines in her ability to weave an intergenerational storyline that stays rooted in the family's legacy, preserving the voices and memories of ancestors through each generation. It’s a fascinating perspective on history and a powerful read for anyone interested in the enduring ties between past and present. A very good read!

I loved this book so much. A family shaped by a trauma find some hope in their history. I was rooting for Ebby to find peace and a way forward. The book ended hopefully.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Ebby's life changed forever when she was 10 years old age. She decided years later to travel to France for privacy reasons. This book was well written.

Title: Good Dirt
Author: Charmaine Wilkerson
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine/Bantam
Genre: Mystery Thriller, Historical Fiction
Pub Date: January 28, 2025
My Rating: 4.2
Pages 368

The Freeman family, an affluent African American family living in New England, are proud of a family heirloom a jar they call “Old Moe’ that is over a century old.
One day ten-year-old Ebby (Ebony) Freeman was hiding in the game of hide and seek that she was playing with her fifteen year-old brother Baz (Edward Basil) , As she was hiding she heard voices threatening her brother- then she hears gunshots. She finds, Baz lying on the floor surrounded by the shattered pieces of the family’s heirloom jar,

The crime was never solved—and because the Freemans were one of the only African American families in this well-to-do enclave of New England—the case created public interest and the media was happy to supply.
Now nearly eighteen years later the Freeman are back in the public eye as Ebby’s fiancé Henry Pepper the son of an affluent banker breaks up with her just as they are about to get married.

Henry does come back into Ebby’s life as he wants to explain what happened.
Ebby, of course, isn’t interested but he does play a role in the research of the history behind “Old Moe”.

Speaking of research~ Charmaine Wilkerson goes into a lot about her motivation for the story as well as telling us about how she researched historical details from the nineteenth century Massachusetts and South Carolina museums and other exhibits.
Her motivation was to show the human capacity to thrive and love despite experiencing unspeakable hurt.
Ms. Wilkerson reveals a lot in the story but in her ‘Author’s Notes’ she tells us what is history and what is fiction.
If you enjoyed this story you will also love her notes.
The Mind
Cannot
Be Chained


Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group ~ Ballantine/Bantam for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 28, 2025.

I really enjoyed this story about generational trauma, strength, resilience, relationships, slavery, art history, France, and more. The main character is a clay vessel named Old Mo. The story telling keeps the book interesting and not as heavy as the subject matter indicates. The fluctuations in time and character make it interesting and thought provoking. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

This family drama contains a mystery, some romance, and a story of family trauma and how it can be perpetuated for decades to come. The Freeman family had an ideal life until one day daughter Ebby finds her brother Baz has been murdered and their family heirloom destroyed. In the future, Ebby is left at the altar by her wealthy fiance, and misfortune for the family ensues. This story crosses centuries of family trauma and social injustice. Overall, I’m extremely impressed with the author’s depiction of grief and tradition. This is a chilling story that left an impact on its reader.

I loved Black Cake and the way that Wilkerson writes. I was excited to see the release of her new novel on NetGalley.

I am not sure of the formula that makes a book unable to put down, but this book has it. It spans all genres of books and it will be interesting to see what themes speak to people the most. This novel carried strong themes of culture and family and the characters were all relatable and well developed. The story is told in alternating timelines and Wilkerson blends them seamlessly. Beautifully written, easy to read. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review.

Ten year old Ebby Freeman witnessed her brother’s murder during a botched robbery at their home. The would-be thieves were after a centuries old jar that was shattered to pieces when the shots were fired. The murderer’s were never caught and a media circus ensued.
Eighteen years later, Ebby is stood up at her own wedding and the media come back with a vengeance. Being the only Black family in their affluent neighbourhood has not done any favours for the Freeman clan. Ebby decides to flee to France to get away from it all and finally faces up to her grief.
Wilkerson did a great job a handling generational trauma and resilience without overwhelming me with emotion. I’ll definitely check out her other novels.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.