davidrb 's review for:

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

5.0

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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

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.