Book Review: Black Cake (arc)

Black Cake (arc) (2022) by Charmaine Wilkerson

Fiction | Historical Fiction | Mystery

Disclaimer: In every review that I complete, I try my best to avoid spoilers of any kind and include spoiler warnings when necessary.

About the book (from Goodreads)

In this moving debut novel, two estranged siblings must set aside their differences to deal with their mother's death and her hidden past--a journey of discovery that takes them from the Caribbean to London to California and ends with her famous black cake.

We can't choose what we inherit. But can we choose who we become?

In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett's death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a traditional Caribbean black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child, challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage, and themselves.

Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor's true history, and fulfill her final request to "share the black cake when the time is right"? Will their mother's revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?

Charmaine Wilkerson's debut novel is a story of how the inheritance of betrayals, secrets, memories, and even names, can shape relationships and history. Deeply evocative and beautifully written, Black Cake is an extraordinary journey through the life of a family changed forever by the choices of its matriarch.

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Note: Thank you to Netgalley & the publishers for allowing me access to this arc! Please note that all opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

My Review

As someone who doesn't enjoy black cake -a Caribbean rum cake made with dried, soaked fruit and blackened sugar-, I hoped that a book named after the dessert would be much better. In some ways, my hopes were fulfilled, but for the most part, they were not.

The Good Things

1. The story is solid and involves the re-connecting of two estranged siblings -Benny and Byron- when they are introduced with an intriguing six-hour-long voice recording from their mother after her death. This recording is a multi-generational family story that coincides with the gift that she left them: a black cake.

2. Most of the characters throughout the book and interesting and well-thought-out.

3. The writing style is unique and much different than any books I've read recently, especially considering Wilkerson's use of English dabbled with patois (a form of Jamaican creole).

Black Cake has a seemingly solid storyline, interesting characters, and the author, Charmain Wilkerson, has a unique writing style. However, despite consisting of a recipe for a perfect book, I felt like this one missed the mark a little bit, and here's why.

The Bad Things

1. The points of view were a bit jumpy and often confusing. I understand this was done intentionally, but some of the transitioning could have been smoother.

2. There was just TOO much going on throughout the stories that Eleanor tells. There is just too much to dig through to make the overall read worthwhile.

3. Parts of the story dragged, and I found myself forcing my way through it.

My Final Rating:

☆☆☆ (Goodreads)

☆☆☆ (Blog)

☆☆☆ (Amazon - will post as soon as the book is released)

Release Date: February 1, 2022. Pre-order this from Amazon by clicking here!

If you have access to this ARC, please feel free to leave comments concerning how you liked -or didn't like, no judgment here- it! If you don't have access, let me know if this is on your tbr! I would love to hear your thoughts!