Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A complicated mix of a story

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

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Black Cake is a novel that I’ve seen favorably reviewed over the past few years, and according to its cover, has been made into a Hulu series. I can understand why Hulu would be drawn to this story. Black Cake involves colonialism, racism, generational misunderstanding and trauma, and resilience. The novel itself is set up with alternating points of view, the most compelling being that of Eleanor Bennett. She has died and left behind for her children a recording in which she reveals astounding secrets […]

“And what about a person’s life? How do you make a map of that? The borders people draw between themselves. The scars left along the ground of one’s heart.”

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

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In five words: secrets, Caribbean, sprawling, water, heritage This was a library book club pic that I had heard of (due to the Hulu adaptation) and found it to be intriguing and unique, if also a bit uneven. It’s a story of the gnarled knots and hidden corners of a family tree, and the lengths people will go to protect those they love. After a Thanksgiving Day family blowout, the Bennett family was on rocky ground. Benny, upset at her parents reception to a big […]

Not my usual thing, but very enjoyable.

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

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I will be honest, I only got Black Cake from BOTM because it was the only Book of the Year in 2022 that I hadn’t already read, and you get a free one every year. I didn’t want to say no to a free book. And I’m glad I got it! This was highly readable and emotionally affecting, even if it wasn’t always able to hold my attention perfectly (lots of little breaks for romance novels, fanfic, etc. — I am who I am). And […]

Misery Porn of the Month

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

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For my birthday (January 19th), my fiancee surprised me with a year’s subscription to Book of the Month. From January’s options, I chose Black Cake, partly because it spoke to me the most, but mostly it was chosen at random for the thrill of it. A couple days later, I had my book and at least a half dozen emails from BOTM, including one suggesting the app and another hours later asking if I’d downloaded the app yet. In other words: pros, fast delivery, and […]



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