The one thing I struggled with when reading this book is the fact that it's a debut novel! Staggering! The story is beautifully narrated from start to finish. Lots of characters throughout but rather than confuse, they just enhanced the tale and added true depth. I am without a doubt going to be purchasing multiple copies of this book as gifts so that family and friends can feel the beauty of Black Cake. I really think it would make a fantastic movie!

I would highly recommend this book, it was a beautiful read and really I was immersed in it from the first chapter, the story being woven round Eleanor's posthumous recorded message to her children worked extremely well, there were plenty of twists and turns too which kept you engaged to the very end

“Sometimes, the stories we don’t tell people about ourselves matter even more than the things we do say.”

I really hope this book is made into a huge tv series like This Is Us. There are so many layers to these different generations of characters and their friends, plus their different locations, interests and cultures.

It’s almost impossible to summarise this book briefly because it could have easily been six seasons of an addictive show. But it all starts with an audiotape that Eleanor Bennett leaves to her 2 children, Byron and Benny, on her death bed. Many family secrets are revealed and one final dying wish is asked to be granted.

The story spans 60 years and multiple countries, mostly the West Indies, The UK, America and Italy, and explores all of the highs, lows and in-betweens of what happens when different cultures combine, as well as how the world changes over time.

My main (well, only) gripe is that the writing lacked a little flair. I struggled to find sentences to highlight as being particularly beautiful - one of my favourite things to do! But I understand that the impressive amount of plot points, events and timelines must have left little room for flourishes!

Favourite quote:

“I’m honored that the principle has invited me here to speak to you all today, as a kind of role model. But let me repeat myself. If you don’t see someone out there who looks like you, you need to go for it, anyway.”

Black Cake will be available from 3rd February 2022, thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is such a beautifully written book that is so full of layers that i think i could read it a hundred times and still get something new from this book. I think that the dual timeline aspect worked really well and i loved the characters, one of the best books that I have read this year

This multigenerational and dual-timeline story is so beautifully written – I’m struggling to believe it’s Charmaine’s debut. The cake is the glue that holds all the layers together and the scenes are so well drawn that I could almost taste the cake, feel the warm sea on my skin. My heart broke and was put back together. Bravo.

Spanning generations and crossing different continents this is a very powerful and moving story. There is quite a cast of characters but each section is clearly named so you know who is who. This moves from the present day back in time and starts with the reading of the will of Eleanor Bennett. Unable to tell her children the truth but needing them to know before she dies Eleanor records her message to be heard with her solicitor and her children after her death.

Its quite a complex story with many, many layers but it flows really well. I think the short sections within the chapters of the book really help. I enjoyed Covey and Bunny and I didnt guess until the reveal who she was. I enjoyed hearing about her life and what happened to her. I think it was well written and I found it impossible to put down once I had started reading. I liked the ending it really tied up all the lose ends. There are lots of sensitive issues racisim and rape amongst the many but all handled and written with care and sensitivity. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommended it.

Crossing continents and juggling lives, Black Cake is a powerful story of love and loss, kinship and separation, heartache and hope, spanning sixty years in the life of one family. I loved the emotions this book puts the reader through. Stunning absolutely stunning!