Black Cake: A Read with Jenna Pick: A Novel

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The story kept me reading, I wanted the family to heal. It was surprising that the parents were able to maintain their fake identity for so many years.

The Black Cake novel was amazing! From beginning to end, I was hooked. There were so many secrets and I loved how all the loose ends came together at the end. Also - I just binged watched the series on Hulu over the weekend and it did not disappoint!

4⭐️

Synopsis Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson is an intergenerational story about identity, family secrets, cultural legacy, and migration. Byron and Benny, who had been estranged for years, are reunited upon the death of their mother Eleanor. In her will, she mentions a voice recording and a typical Caribbean black cake. Eleanor's recording reveals secret realities about her past, which spans the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, and the United States, exposing a complex family history affected by colonialism and migration. As revelations emerge, Byron and Benny must confront their mother's legacy and repair their strained relationship. Thoughts Black Cake is a brilliantly written novel that delves into personal identity as well as larger societal issues such as colonialism, race, gender roles, and migration. Charmaine Wilkerson expertly employs the black cake as a literal and figurative representation of family, history, and the multifaceted essence of identity. While the plot jumps between timelines and perspectives, Wilkerson handles these transitions smoothly, although the pacing can be slow at times. The novel's core theme is how the complex and difficult past influences the present, with food having an important role in memory and identity. Wilkerson succeeds in weaving a rich tapestry of characters, timelines, and locales. The story swings between 1960s Caribbean islands, 1980s London, and present-day California, but the transitions feel seamless and unified. The past and present intersect to create a mosaic of identity, migration, and memory. Each character feels authentic, especially Eleanor, whose voice in the recordings serves as a guide for us the readers. Her story as a young lady escaping her fate, as well as her efforts to protect her children from certain truths, is moving and powerful. Benny and Byron's opposing lives—Byron as a successful marine biologist and Benny as an estranged artist—are well-drawn, with both experiencing genuine and understandable emotional challenges.