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A review by madelinemaesmith
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
4.0
4⭐️/5
An enthusiastic 4⭐️ for this incredible debut!
This book is as wise as the writing is precise and exacting. This captivating story encompasses family drama, intertwining fates, intergenerational storytelling, tragedy, the role of culture and food, and forgiveness.
I think every type of reader will appreciate (if not love!) this story. There’s a universal nature to themes like identity, loss, and who we are to ourselves and the people we think know us best. I also love a vignette, and Wilkerson executes her prose as though it’s poetry. This book doesn’t pontificate too much though, the story is direct, compelling, and introduces characters you come to love.
The 4⭐️ rating rather than 5 was due to the stark contrast of the first vs second half. The first half being near perfection, the tension, the intrigue built up from Eleanor’s recording, the flashbacks, but the second half lost its way. It felt as though it was trying too hard to fit everything in, and diverged from the main through line of the story (and its characters). As the book started to lose focus and add more locations, names, and timelines, it began to lose my attention as well.
Read if:
1. You enjoyed books like Dava Shastri’s Last Day, The Vanishing Half, Apples Never Fall, or any other family-driven drama with an element of mystery.
2. You like quick perspective changes, a character-driven story (but with plenty of intrigue to move the plot forward), and dual timelines spanning multiple years
3. You love a motif! Hello English Majors, yes, you will love this one for the connection to Black Cake and the other thematic gems in this book.
An enthusiastic 4⭐️ for this incredible debut!
This book is as wise as the writing is precise and exacting. This captivating story encompasses family drama, intertwining fates, intergenerational storytelling, tragedy, the role of culture and food, and forgiveness.
I think every type of reader will appreciate (if not love!) this story. There’s a universal nature to themes like identity, loss, and who we are to ourselves and the people we think know us best. I also love a vignette, and Wilkerson executes her prose as though it’s poetry. This book doesn’t pontificate too much though, the story is direct, compelling, and introduces characters you come to love.
The 4⭐️ rating rather than 5 was due to the stark contrast of the first vs second half. The first half being near perfection, the tension, the intrigue built up from Eleanor’s recording, the flashbacks, but the second half lost its way. It felt as though it was trying too hard to fit everything in, and diverged from the main through line of the story (and its characters). As the book started to lose focus and add more locations, names, and timelines, it began to lose my attention as well.
Read if:
1. You enjoyed books like Dava Shastri’s Last Day, The Vanishing Half, Apples Never Fall, or any other family-driven drama with an element of mystery.
2. You like quick perspective changes, a character-driven story (but with plenty of intrigue to move the plot forward), and dual timelines spanning multiple years
3. You love a motif! Hello English Majors, yes, you will love this one for the connection to Black Cake and the other thematic gems in this book.