Tropes: Historical fiction, mystery, contemporary, family

Trigger Warning: This book contains enslavement, racial trauma, and the murder of a child.

Blurb:

When ten-year-old Ebby Freeman heard the gunshot, time stopped. And when she saw her brother, Baz, lying on the floor surrounded by the shattered pieces of a centuries-old jar, life as Ebby knew it shattered as well.

The crime was never solved—and because the Freemans were one of the only Black families in a particularly well-to-do enclave of New England—the case has had an enduring, voyeuristic pull for the public. The last thing the Freemans want is another media frenzy splashing their family across the papers, but when Ebby’s high profile romance falls apart without any explanation, that’s exactly what they get.

So Ebby flees to France, only for her past to follow her there. And as she tries to process what’s happened, she begins to think about the other loss her family suffered on that day eighteen years ago—the stoneware jar that had been in their family for generations, brought North by an enslaved ancestor. But little does she know that the handcrafted piece of pottery held more than just her family’s history—it might also hold the key to unlocking her own future.

In this sweeping, evocative novel, Charmaine Wilkerson brings to life a multi-generational epic that examines how the past informs our present.

Review:

One book that I’ve had the immense PLEASURE of reading and has changed the way that I look at trauma is…Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson.

All I can say is WOW, OH WOW!

Told mainly through the point of view of Ebony “Ebby” Freeman but also providing the backstory and points of view of various characters that goes back generations, Wilkerson effortlessly shows us how trauma can be passed down from generation to generation.

With the recurring motif of a twenty-gallon jar, affectionately named ‘Old Mo’, Wilkerson shows us the significance of it through the points of view of people who were present during the jar’s creation. Still dealing with the after effects of a deeply traumatic and harrowing experience in her youth, we follow Ebby’s journey from a traumatised child to an adult who is still struggling to deal with what happened, which is evidenced by her ever-present need to change something, from her appearance to her location. We also see that the story of the jar’s origins is intertwined with the source of her trauma and outlook on life. It was definitely a rollercoaster and I’m glad for having been taken along for the ride.

This amazing novel covers multiple topics, such as what it’s truly like to come from a wealthy Black family in a predominantly white area and the pitfalls that come with constantly feeling as though you have to fight to be recognised and not second guess whether you also belong in these spaces. It also shows us to stand bold in the face of systems that were designed to keep Black people across the Diaspora out of the upper elite spaces. It also shows us the difficulties in relating to people in a space that look completely different to you and through microaggressions and pointed looks, find ways to make you feel less than in a society that has already taken so much, the scars of which we still carry to this day and also influence the way we interact with each other.

As the first book that I’ve read by Charmaine Wilkerson, I was truly blown away by how she has so effortlessly managed to capture the effects of generational trauma and commit them to pen and paper! So intricately handled and done in such a way that causes other Black women to look introspectively and reflect on their traumas and how they have manifested in everyday life, their reactions and the way in which they view themselves.

I honestly believe that she’s definitely deserving of every single accolade and praise for this beautifully written book!

I really connected with this book, especially having dealt with very similar trauma to the female main character. It was particularly interesting to me to see the different ways in which trauma is carried across generations and the ways it manifests and can potentially bleed into your daily life. I really wanted to put a spotlight on Charmaine Wilkerson because of the highly skilled, captivating display of her writing skills. Honestly, SUBLIME writing.

I would 100% recommend this book to anyone who is intrigued enough to see the long-term effects of enslavement and having your basic human rights taken away from you. It has an effect that is so profound that it is quite difficult to explain to those who haven’t personally suffered the lingering after effects. However, Wilkerson has captured this in such a nuanced way, making it easy for those who don’t know what it’s like to feel out of place in an area where you’ve been all your life and choosing to believe in your sauce anyways, not letting the haters get to you.

What did you think? Let me know!

Until the next one!

Bibi x