Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

34 reviews

faduma's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Hate crime, Rape, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

jaynovara's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Biphobia, Death of parent, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Rape, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Cancer, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, Murder, and Slavery

davidrb's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was the first book I was able to finish this year, and it was devastating. It's just as much a mystery as a family drama, and engaged me like nothing else. It got to the point where just the title of a chapter/the return of a character's POV made me gasp. Highly, highly, highly recommend. Don't be daunted by the length: it flies by. (That said, it's extremely heavy!)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Colonisation, Abandonment, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Biphobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia

With regards to "police brutality": antiblack systemic racism by the police is a recurring theme. No violence is shown directly, but the possibility is discussed in detail.

kamin8882's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"I owe it to you to let you know about my past because this is your story, too"

This is a story of love, loss, family, motherhood, forgiveness and never forgetting your culture and where you come from. 

Black cake follows estranged siblings Byron and Benny, as they are trying to understand the mother they loved and lost. Eleanor Bennett has left behind her two children and an 8 hour audio recording, holding all the secrets of her life that she has held onto for so long. This book covers a lot of heavy topics that were written about so beautifully- family issues, sexuality, freedom, child abandonment, family secrets, being a single mother, motherhood in general, racism, island life, climate change, identity, family recipes, culture, heritage, SOOOO MANY THINGS !! 

I really loved reading about Eleanors life, learning about her right along sing her children, who were going through their own things, but still so shocked to hear these things about their mother- they felt betrayed, worried, sad, confused, misunderstand, but also feeling that their mother was right there holding them still. 

The culture in this book was amazing. I loved reading about the island life and how food brought everyone together. The appearance of black cake throughout the novel was great too... it was a tradition that continued on throughout the generations, and also held the most secrets for the Bennett family. I also REALLY loved the consistency of the ocean... I just recently read a memoir where they were talking about how if you understand the ocean and how it moves, you can really understand a woman. I felt that in this book... no matter what, the ocean was always an escape for the characters in this book to feel free and alive. 

The only reason I didn't give this book a full 5 stars is because it was a little slow at times and it got a little confusing with all the characters to keep track of ( I had to take notes lol) Other than that, the story was beautiful and I loved the way the author took you back to the beginning where it all started... and moved you through this families life with ease and style. 

"Because the people you loved were part of your identity, too. Perhaps the biggest part."

Thank you Netgalley, Ballantine Books and Charmaine Wilkerson for an advanced copy of Black Cake in exchange for an honest review. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Addiction, and Death

These topics I mentioned above were not graphic, but are still very relevant in the story. They shaped and molded the characters into who they were.