Black Cake
Fiction
Ballantine Books
February 1, 2022
Hardcover
400
Free from publisher
In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett's death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a traditional Caribbean 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.
My review:
First can we marvel at this amazing cover? I'm really enjoying these books being released with swaths of color, I can't imagine it doesn't help to catch the eye of anyone browsing books, as it did me. There is a lot to unpack in this family story. First we have siblings Benny and Byron who have not exactly been close since they were children. When they come back together for the reading of their mother's will, their relationship will undergo a lot of soul searching, but will it cause them to come together or break apart again? Second is the story of Eleanor, and her will which consists of a traditional Caribbean black cake and a fifteen hour audiotape that will tell the parts of her story her children have never heard before. Third is the story of the Black Cake itself, and how a certain food can play a significant role in our lives. I found this book fascinating and engaging albeit a bit long (more on that shortly). I was definitely more invested in Eleanor's story than the siblings, but that doesn't take away from the fact that they were well drawn characters. To me it did get a bit bogged down in the middle with too many characters and plot points, and the people and timelines jumped around a bit, but this didn't impact my enjoyment of the novel as a whole. I will say that I'm positive from the description of the cake that I would probably not enjoy it (dried fruits in rum.....no thank you!), but I've seen lots of book groups attempt to make one for their meeting, which is such a fun idea.
A really interesting story full of secrets and memorable characters that will live up to the praise it's been given. I may not want to sample the cake, but I can certainly find the cover and story delicious.
