ARC Review: “Good Dirt” by Charmaine Wilkerson

“Good Dirt” by Charmaine Wilkerson

Publishing Date: January 28, 2025

Genre: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Contemporary

Page Length: 368 pages (electronic review edition)

Synopsis:

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:

“Because to tell your story was to experience a kind of freedom. To be able to share news of your adventures, and name your relations and favorite places, was to be a man.”

Like Wilkerson’s debut novel, Black Cake, the quote above sums up one of the main themes of the story which is storytelling. Being fascinated by the first novel I wasn’t sure how it would hold up to her sophomore piece, but it still held its own and kept me enraptured in the plot. The novel is similar but different to Black Cake in its structuring but also tells a new multigenerational story of a family overcoming trauma, navigating their history, and discovering their identity. Like Wilkerson states in her author’s note, “History can be told only through a chorus of voices. Storytelling can be part of that chorus”.

The author has such a way with words and the way she weaves storylines of the past and present to create her stories. Though fictional characters, much of the history in this novel was tied to real-life events and pottery created back in the 1800s. It was fascinating, although sometimes harrowing, to read how the Freeman’s history of “Old Mo” came to be and how one object alone can hold so many stories. reading this novel made me think about stories I had been told about the items in families house-holds and learning about previous ancestors that have crafted or passed down items. Though it may seem to be just a jar, the story highlights the importance of items that may seem insignificant to others.

I enjoyed reading about each character through the multiple perspectives presented in the story. The novel is a testament to why it’s so important to learn about history and how tragedy can reshape us. I thoroughly enjoyed this read from beginning to end. The mixture of a family saga, romance, history, and mystery kept me engaged with the novel and I never wanted the novel to end. Highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy stories about multigenerational narratives and history.

Final Verdict: