A review by shansometimes
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

BLACK CAKE is a family saga that spans multiple generations and countries. I want to keep this review short so I don't give away too much, but I mostly enjoyed the book. Its beautiful prose was its strength, and its length (longer than I thought necessary) was its weakness. It has many side stories and mentions of social issues that were probably attempts at character development or story complexity but felt meaningless. Overall, I love a family saga, and this one, which took me from the Caribbean to London to the United States, was an ambitious tale about generational secrets, traumas, and traditions.
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