Black Cake

(Paperback, Large Print Edition)

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NOW A HULU STREAMING SERIES NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY Two estranged siblings delve into their mothers hidden pastand how it all connects to her traditional Caribbean black cakein this immersive family saga, a character-driven, multigenerational story thats meant to be savored (Time).

Wilkerson transports you across the decades and around the globe accompanied by complex, wonderfully drawn characters.Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones & The Six, and Malibu Rising

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Oprah Daily, NPR, BuzzFeed, Glamour, PopSugar, Book Riot, She Reads

We cant choose what we inherit. But can we choose who we become

In present-day California, Eleanor Bennetts death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: ablack 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 togetherEleanors true history, and fulfill her final request to share the black cake when the time is right Will their mothers revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever

Charmaine Wilkersons 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.

Reviews

Black Cake is a character-driven, multigenerational story thats meant to be savored. . . . Thought-provoking and poignant.Time

Athrillingdebut novel about sibling ties and hidden family history.Glamour

Asdeliciousas the titular dessert.W Magazine

Wilkerson explores the nuances of racial identity and betrayal ina powerful novel.Vogue (UK)

Black Cake is a satisfying literary meal, heralding the arrival of a new novelist to watch.Associated Press

Astellar first-time entry from a talented new writerthats full of food, surfing, and rich patois.BET

Crafted with delicate intentionand textured with a blend of perspectives.Vulture

I was instantly taken in by this multigenerational tale of identity, family, and the lifelong push and pull of home. This novel has a tremendous heart at its center, and I felt its beat on every page. What an extraordinary debut.Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes

Exquisite and expansive, Black Cake took ahold of me from the first page and didnt let go. This is a novel about the formation and reformation of a family, and the many people, places, and events that can shape our inheritances without our knowing. A gripping, poignant debut from an important, new voice.Naima Coster, New York Times bestselling author of Whats Mine and Yours

Black Cake has all the ingredients of the tastiest stories: secrets, romance, danger, and a cast of characters so real you want to scream at them one moment and hug them the next.Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal & Nev

So beautifully written Im struggling to believe its a debut . . . The cake is the glue that holds all the layers together and the scenes are so well drawn I could almost taste the cake, feel the warm sea on my skin.Nikki May, author of Wahala

With fantasy-like sensual detail, Wilkerson slips through time and place to explore the emotional weight of family traditions passed down through generations to heirs challenged to find their own emotional truths.Lucy Sanna, author of The Cherry Harvest

Fans of family dramas by Ann Patchett, Brit Bennett, and Karen Joy Fowler should take note. BlackCake marks the launch of a writer to watch, one whomasterfully plumbs the unexpected depths of the human heart.BookPage (starred review)

Wilkerson uses one Caribbean American familys extraordinary tale to probe universal issues of identity and how the lives we live and the choices we make leave a trail of potential consequences that pass down through generations.Booklist (starred review)

Author Bio

Charmaine Wilkerson is an American writer who has lived in Jamaica and is based in Italy. A graduate of Barnard College and Stanford University, she is a former journalist whose award-winning short fiction has appeared in various magazines and anthologies. Black Cake is her first novel.