Spite is like a spark, crackling in the dark: GOOD DIRT.

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In a beautiful story that spans generations, Wilkerson introduces us to the Freemans, a prominent black family with a long and storied history. When Ebony "Ebby" Freeman is ten, she hears gunshots and finds her teenage brother on the floor, surrounded by shards of pottery from a stoneware jar that has been in her family for centuries. The family loses Baz and a huge piece of their family history that day. Due to their prominence, the story stays in the headlines and when Ebby's finance, Henry, leaves her at the altar many years later, the family reluctantly finds themselves in the media yet again.

Wilkerson gives us a story rich in lore and history, weaving stories of the jar and the Freeman ancestors into Ebby's own narrative. We learn about the role of enslaved people in the creation of pottery, coupled with storytelling and the power of passing on family history. Ebony escapes to France, a beautiful and atmospheric place, to lick her wounds, and look into her family history.

GOOD DIRT is both sad and hopeful, filled with past and present trauma, while still moving and inspiring. It illustrates how what comes before influences what comes next. The characters are well-drawn, with their own foibles and quirks. This is both a mystery, of sorts, as Ebby works out what happened to Baz and the jar, and touching character study of a fascinating family. 4.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Ballantine Books in return for an unbiased review.

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