Book Blurb:
Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson is the author’s sophomore novel and it blew my mind at how strong it was. I often find that a debut book that knocks it out of the park, like Black Cake did, will be hard to beat, but I can attest, this was a strong follow up. This book was widely different than her debut which I greatly appreciated.
This story follows Ebby and her older brother Baz, who is tragically killed during a robbery as a teen. Although Ebby always feels her brother with her, she also suffers from PTSD, as well as survivor’s guilt after his death. Life finally starts feeling better until she is cuckolded at the altar by her fiancé. In order to escape the press, she goes on a solo trip across the pond to sort through her conflicted and challenging emotions
There are some unexpected surprises that I didn’t see coming as she sojourned to a small town outside of Paris. What I most liked about the book was the historical aspect taking place in Jamaica and the stalwart strength of these Jamaican potters and their determination to become something other than a slave.
The book also features themes of class, race, healing, secrets long held, mixed race relationships and the importance of family. I thought the author wove these two storylines together well, which made for a great read. Highly recommend for book club discussions.
My Review: 4.25 stars
Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson is the author’s sophomore novel and it blew my mind at how strong it was. I often find that a debut book that knocks it out of the park, like Black Cake did, will be hard to beat, but I can attest, this was a strong follow up. This book was widely different than her debut which I greatly appreciated.
This story follows Ebby and her older brother Baz, who is tragically killed during a robbery as a teen. Although Ebby always feels her brother with her, she also suffers from PTSD, as well as survivor’s guilt after his death. Life finally starts feeling better until she is cuckolded at the altar by her fiancé. In order to escape the press, she goes on a solo trip across the pond to sort through her conflicted and challenging emotions
There are some unexpected surprises that I didn’t see coming as she sojourned to a small town outside of Paris. What I most liked about the book was the historical aspect taking place in Jamaica and the stalwart strength of these Jamaican potters and their determination to become something other than a slave.
The book also features themes of class, race, healing, secrets long held, mixed race relationships and the importance of family. I thought the author wove these two storylines together well, which made for a great read. Highly recommend for book club discussions.
Quotes I liked:
History, too often, has been told from only certain perspectives. This is not good enough. History is a collective phenomenon. It can only be told through a chorus of voices. And that chorus must make room for new voices over time.”
“Words have power. So does the absence of words. Sometimes, when people choose not to speak, their silence can block out the sun.”
“She was the quiet one in the family, which likely meant she was the wisest one.”
Shop on Amazon Here!
