Black Cake
By Charmaine Wilkerson
- Release Date: 2022-02-01
- Genre: Fiction & Literature
Description
NOW A HULU STREAMING SERIES • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY • Two estranged siblings delve into their mother’s hidden past—and how it all connects to her traditional Caribbean black cake—in this immersive family saga, “a character-driven, multigenerational story that’s meant to be savored” (Time).
“Wilkerson transports you across the decades and around the globe accompanied by complex, wonderfully drawn characters.”—Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones & The Six, and Malibu Rising
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Oprah Daily, NPR, BuzzFeed, Glamour, PopSugar, Book Riot, She Reads
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 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.
Reviews
Black Cake
4By Lovejones1117Awesome read!Diaspora
5By Islandboy 🤙🏿🤙🏿🤙🏿I loved reading Charmaine Wilkerson novel Black Cake. Being born Trinidadian and growing up in the United States drew me very close to the to the main characters family and their willingness to overcome adversity. I must say this was a well written novel as a reader and being of the Caribbean Diaspora Thank You!!!!X
4By Ksg74XOne of my top 10 fave books now! 5 stars!
5By KThugs3I absolutely loved this book & I will come back later to give it the proper review that it deserves! I hope to see this as a movie or show one day, and I cannot wait to read more by this author.Rarity
5By Peri EllaA book that you rarely read and never want to put down. Thank you for writing it. I am forever moved because of it.Loved it.
5By NeDav ColoradoI finally finished an entire book this year. Very well written. Thank you.Black Cake
5By JobyniaBlack Cake is a page turner. Every character is complex and authentic as individuals are in many families. The novel reminds readers that we all have secrets that we keep and those we share. It also clarifies forgiveness in a real way. Forgiveness is based upon the realization that we have no way to change what has happened; we can only move forward when we accept that fact. Great read!Worth it
5By the lasy dragon 2A Beautiful readVery enjoyable!
5By Tasher4daysThis book was good from start to finish. Loved all the characters and how the story was told .Amazing Read
5By BougiebrawdGreat story of family, redemption, and the ties that bind even beyond death.