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A review by remindmetoread
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I do like this story. I enjoyed the book. I rarely find myself picking up books that are set in the Caribbean and it's so beautiful to feel that vibe in a story and see your culture and history on the page. I loved the book for this. The drama was there. The family was chaos. I just didn't feel attached to it. I started the book loving the short chapters, but now that I'm done I feel it didn't give me time to settle into particular moments. The chapters were short AND switched POV's with each chapter, so it didn't feel like I was really welcomed into the story to get to know Benny and Byron. I don't think I really cared for anyone in particular, maybe Pearl. Towards the end, the author was wrapping up everything in a neat bow and I was finding myself wishing that the ending wasn't perfect. I wasn't expecting a feel-good story after everything and that's pretty much what you get. Eleanor is dead and she gets everything she wanted from the grave. I sort of wish she left the reader wondering.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism, Racism, and Rape