A review by cclift1114
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I was surprised that this was a debut novel, because the writing very much felt like that of a more experienced author. I appreciated all of the cultural references, as well as the inclusion of various current issues, such as racism, the patriarchy, and environmentalism. I do wish that the book had either been a bit narrower in its focus, or (more ideally) had flushed out more of the characters and their respective plot lines.