Charmaine Wilkerson’s debut novel has all the elements that make fiction so rewarding. Wonderful characters, skillfully drawn, settings that take the reader’s breath away, whether through their beauty or the things they lack. Historical references that place the cultural issues in perspective and an imaginative story so creative, it must be real.
Benny and Byron are long separated twins, rejoined when their mother dies and leaves them a strange legacy. Not just the historic Black Cake, whose recipe has facilitated the survival of this Caribbean family, but a video recording, telling the story of where they all came from.
While plenty of obstacles face the characters, there is always hope and that hope kept me reading to a satisfying conclusion. This is a great “book club” book, because it addresses so many issues important today, and does so in an accessible and fresh manner.
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