Digging Deeper into Good Dirt
The instant I saw that Charmaine Wilkerson was releasing her sophomore novel, I knew that it had to be an Eclectix the Book Club pick. After reading and dissecting her debut novel Black Cake with the book club back in 2022, I knew that Charmaine’s writing would continue on the path of book club fiction. By that I mean fiction that is so complex that the best way to process its heavy themes and convoluted characters is along side of other readers.
Similar to her themes of family, generational trauma, and identity that were found in her debut, Good Dirt carries each of those themes plus more with wealth and legacy. The Freeman family has a strong ancestral story told through stories on behalf of the central figure in the narrative, Old Mo. Old Mo is a clay jar that has been passed down from generation to generation beginning when crafted through forced labor by an enslaved ancestor. Wilkerson wrote the novel with an insightful and tender approach to showcase how enslaved people held positions outside of the most known “in the fields” as cotton pickers or “in the house” as maids & nannies. I, along with other book club members, truly valued Wilkerson’s willingness to explore this exploitation of skills and enslaved people’s contributions to the arts, specifically pottery.
Ebby Freeman is a character that embodies a hardened grief. A grief so intense that it requires a sensitivity and patience that many cannot bear. I was hoping for more within her character arc, but I don’t think we seen much of it during the story. Which made it clear to me that although we are primarily reading the story through Ebby’s world, we’re really just experiencing the current times of Old Mo. Seeing how Old Mo has evolved through time.
With the time jumps between the past and present, along with multiple character point-of-views, I don’t think this book would have landed as well as it did for me if I had attempted to enjoy it on audio. There were so many characters to learn and dissect, that I appreciated but also could have done without — like Avery’s character for example. There were a slew of characters but not one existed in the need of Ebby’s grief as a reliable friend, which I had hopes that Avery would become in some odd twist of fate. I do my best to keep these book reflections spoiler free, however Ebby’s character arc could have benefited greatly with the presence of friendship and support outside of her parents.
Good Dirt is a story that is meant to be picked apart, analyzed, and contemplated on deeply. I think Wilkerson is a master at giving stories that force you to process perspectives and grieve alongside of her characters. There were aspects of the story that felt unnecessary, I can admit that but overall it was a read that I would recommend to readers who enjoy a mix of historical and contemporary fiction.
You can purchase a copy of Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Bookshop, or anywhere else books are sold.
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