Contemporary Fiction: Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

Back in 2022 (which was three years ago if you can believe it), Black Cake was one of those books that was on all the lists, and has even been adapted into a drama series on Hulu. Now, Charmaine Wilkerson has released her second novel, Good Dirt, which follows a woman whose life has been defined by one childhood tragedy, though there is much more to her and her family's story.

The Situation: Ebony "Ebby" Freeman is used to being in the spotlight, unfortunately. In 2000, when she was only ten years old, her 15 year-old brother Baz was shot and killed in their home during a robbery gone wrong. The crime was never solved, the murderers never caught, and the media continues to run stories about it, always ready to point out that Ebby's family is one of the few Black family's in the neighborhood, and that the area is usually not prone to this kind of crime. Now, at 29 years old, Ebby is ready to start a new chapter in her life, only to be stood up on her wedding day. This will most certainly kick off another round of media attention as Ebby figures out what to do next.

The Problem: What comes next for Ebby is a trip to France, mostly in an effort to get away from everything, but possibly as the beginning of a new start. Turns out running from the past is not that easy, even with an ocean between the Connecticut community where everything happened and where she is now. When Ebby remains committed to what she is doing in France, despite any unwanted guests, she also turns her focus to something else her family lost when Baz was killed, and that was an over 100 year-old handmade jar passed down in her family for generations. Handcrafted by an enslaved ancestor, the jar's history could be what helps Ebby move forward, in more ways than she even imagined.

Genre, Themes, History: This novel is a work of fiction that many have placed in the historical fiction category since some of the story takes place in the 1800s, detailing the creation of the old stoneware jar and Ebby's family history. With Ebby as the main focus, the book has many narrators, and jumps back and forth through time, telling the story from as far back in history as the 1820s, to as recent as the lockdown of the pandemic that kept many people at home. Ebby's story is an exploration of how one major event can define the rest of someone's life, despite many efforts to move beyond it, and how different members of the same family attempt to handle a tragedy. 

My Verdict: This novel offers a lot to chew on and think about. There is the defining tragedy of Ebby's life, which is the death of her brother and the loss of the jar. But then there is the wedding that never happened. Adding the history of the jar as well as Ebby's family would have been plenty for one book, but more characters keep entering the picture as other details emerge, and I had to wonder just how far down this rabbit hole could the book possibly go in less than 350 pages. Wilkerson does manage to pull everything together, and the myriad of voices and details does make for a story that is almost never boring.

Favorite Moment: There is a moment when Ebby's mother does something to another character that is completely unexpected, given how she is normally both composed and gracious. But even her husband has to laugh when it happens, though it does scare him a little. 

Favorite Character: Granny Freeman does not have a large role in the book, be she offers a reality check to Ebby that may seem harsh, but Ebby cannot argue against it. One of Ebby's father's friends, Harris, also does not have a large role, but his few appearances are memorable and refreshing.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Wilkerson's Black Cake, naturally, but I also recommend Deacon King Kong by James McBride.