Black Cake

I thought the story was interesting. I like the idea it was written around families. But wish it had more on the geography of the Caribbean Islands, Jamaica, West Indies.

Starting the story with Covey's children coming together after her death was good. Which led to the story of Covey and her dad. How she threw herself into the sport of swimming. Swimming the ocean, pushing herself to be even stronger. We find how Covey's dad gambled everything away. To the point in marrying her off to the person who owned almost everything.

Covey escaped with her fine tuned swimming. With the help of Pearl and her closest friend Bunny. As we find out about Covey, we find that she left a recording for her kids to listen to. Telling her story to Benny and Byron. We find that Benny and Byron have their own things to deal with each other.

And with themselves. Both seem to be working it out through hearing their mothers voice.

We learn through all this, the one thing Covey kept a tradition was making The Black Cake. Her mother showed her and Covey showed her children how to make it. As well how important it is to carry traditions on. 

We read how each place Covey and her husband went from West Indies, Caribbean Islands, London, then California. Yes she found the guy she left. And married him. Stayed away from crowded Caribbeans in fear someone would recognize her from her country. As she made it through the years, she befriended a girl named Eleanor. Elly for short. Sadly she died on a train accident. And everyone thought it was Covey that died. So Covey took Elly's name. Word got back to her country that she had died. No one looked for her.

We also learn it's the same than, sadly as today, of how different the color of your skin is. Whether it's dark or, color of straw, characters still had to prove themselves. Still had looks thrown at them. Still had to answer to. Toward the end of Covey's life she did get to see her friend Bunny. Bunny was the no.1 swimmer by now. A black swimmer!

The one thing I noticed with this recording Covey had was she kept mentioning her 1st born. It couldn't of made Byron, and especially Benny feel so good. But what Covey had to endure. And found herself pregnant. She gave up the baby. But wanted to still find out about her.

The end Covey wanted Byron and Benny to find their sister. Their sister Mabel, or Marble did come around to excepting them. All visited Bunny, and Bunny took all 3 back to her country. Showed them that this and her family, (dad). This is also their family. Sadly Covey's dad was still a not so nice man.

The storyline for Marble wasn't that interesting. 

Plus Covey's mom not much on her. The way she died. But then again not much help for an immigrant. The 3 finally got along. Byron found out what was going on with Benny. Great news, he became a father also. Benny still wasn't giving up on her cafe. But she was the most excepting person. And Marble she straighten her life out with her son.

Last request from Covey to her 3 children was to have a slice of Black Cake. Black Cake was the staple of the house wherever that was. They would know when the right time would be. The time it looks, was 3 children together, knowing who their mom and dad were. plus their mom's family.

I give Black Cake 4 

My reason, is there were too many characters for too many chapters for one character at the end. Other than that it was a good book.