Black Cake

The book contains several stories that all intertwine. The stories begin with Eleanor’s death and her two children, Byron and Benny, coming together to learn their mother’s secrets. We learn about Covey, Gibbs, Bunny, and Pearl. The main theme throughout the book is family and tradition. For these families, the black cake is an important part of the West Indies islands tradition.

The book is fast paced with flashbacks from the past to the present. The characters are well developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. I enjoyed reading about the different time periods as the characters grow and see the people they turn into. The author writes with emotion, and it is obvious she has a connection to these characters and/or the locations. I only wish there was a recipe for the black cake. This is an excellent book filled with family secrets that anyone will enjoy reading.