Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. Bits of the family secrets were revealed in such a way that you wanted to keep reading to learn more. The story of Covey and the events that took place on the island were the most compelling and memorable. The matriarch's trauma was shared with great care, in a way that was not jarring but gentle. I won't soon forget the narrative of what Eleanor Bennett had to go through in order to build the familial life she had dreamed of. While I am not a swimmer, this book made me fall in love with the idea of swimming as a means of discovering oneself and finding freedom and empowerment. One complaint I have about this book is that Byron's story involved details that seemed like they belonged in another novel. While I was able to empathize with Byron's frustration at being passed over for a job due to racism, it took away from the family narrative that made the book strongest. For example, I was much more moved by the childhood anecdotes that demonstrated Byron's sense of fondness and protectiveness towards his younger sister Benny. There were moments in this story that took my breath away. If you enjoy stories about family heartbreaks and connections with multiple settings and sensory details, then this is the book for you!