Good Dirt – ARC Book Review

The daughter of an affluent Black family pieces together the connection between a childhood tragedy and a beloved heirloom in this moving novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake, a Read with Jenna Book Club Pick

When ten-year-old Ebby Freeman heard the gunshot, time stopped. And when she saw her brother, Baz, lying on the floor surrounded by the shattered pieces of a centuries-old jar, life as Ebby knew it shattered as well.

The crime was never solved—and because the Freemans were one of the only Black families in a particularly well-to-do enclave of New England—the case has had an enduring, voyeuristic pull for the public. The last thing the Freemans want is another media frenzy splashing their family across the papers, but when Ebby’s high profile romance falls apart without any explanation, that’s exactly what they get.

So Ebby flees to France, only for her past to follow her there. And as she tries to process what’s happened, she begins to think about the other loss her family suffered on that day eighteen years ago—the stoneware jar that had been in their family for generations, brought North by an enslaved ancestor. But little does she know that the handcrafted piece of pottery held more than just her family’s history—it might also hold the key to unlocking her own future.

In this sweeping, evocative novel, Charmaine Wilkerson brings to life a multi-generational epic that examines how the past informs our present.

Good Dirt is an emotional and heartbreaking story of an affluent African-American family and their connection to their heirloom.

Ed and Soh Freeman move into a wealthy suburb in New England with their two children Baz and Ebony, known as Ebby. But a tragedy strikes the family as Baz was shot to death and the Freeman’s heirloom broke into pieces. The key witness to the crime was then ten-year old Ebby. As they are the only African American family in the town, what seemed to be a burglary case remained cold but Ebby still suffered from the traumatic experience. Then in present day, Ebby was going to get married but on the wedding day, she was ditched by the groom Henry who gave no explanation as to why he didn’t want to marry her anymore. Heartbroken Ebby escapes to France and find solace in the cottage in the French countryside. While in France, Ebby thinks about the broken heirloom jar that has a significant meaning in her family–made by an enslaved ancestor of theirs and brought to North and was passed from generation to generation.

The story divides between present in the POVs of Ebby, Avery, Henry and Ebby’s parents and then changes to the 1800’s where first a woman was abducted from a village in West Africa and was brought to work in South Carolina. She gives birth to a boy Old Mo who grow up to become an excellent potter thus making the jar that will soon be passed from generation to generation. The author must have done tons of research to make the story as realistic as possible when writing about the slavery in the south and how enslaved people escape to North for better life, and of course, not sugarcoating about racism that seem to exist and lurk around even today. The story itself is emotional and heartbreaking to read and also touching as well. Like Black Cake, this is also a generational story but with more emotions and heartbreaking moments. Just as I enjoyed reading Black Cake, I enjoyed reading Good Dirt as well. This was actually a beautifully written story that will keep you wanting more.

Overall I highly recommend this book and this book is worth 5 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley. Many thanks to Random House Ballantine for inviting me to review this book. The review is based on my honest opinion only.