GOOD DIRT
by Charmaine Wilkerson
When my friend Gevvie recommended Good Dirt, I was excited to learn that Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake (read review here) had a new novel out. Then when I saw it on display at my local library branch, I knew it was time to scoop it up and dive in. As much as I loved Black Cake, I think Good Dirt is even better.
Although the story is often enriched with supporting narrators and points of view, the main character, Ebony “Ebby” Freeman is a smart, gorgeous and driven young Black woman who has some major life trauma to work though. When she is ten years old, Ebby witnesses the murder of her 15-year-old brother during a home invasion, a first in their tiny seaside Connecticut town. Then, almost 20 years later as she prepares to marry, the groom is a no-show and she finds herself sliding back into the depression and anxiety of her childhood years. After months of struggle, Ebby escapes to a friend's house in the French countryside. As so often happens, however, Ebby learns that running from trauma is rarely the solution we expect it will be.
Woven into this gripping, modern and psychological story, is the history of a 20-gallon ceramic jar that has belonged to the Freeman family since it was made in the 1800s. In fact, the first Freeman carried the jar when he escaped his enslaved life and started a new one in Massachusetts, choosing the name Freeman for himself and future generations. Ebby’s family has lived in that same spot and Wilkerson links all the events of Ebby's life to that history. Wilkerson shines in this kind of narrative weaving, making the book feel like a tapestry. I highly recommend both of her books: She is an author not to miss. (Lily)
