The Bookish Mindset

Overview:

Title: Good Dirt
Author: Charmaine Wilkserson
Published: February 2025
Genre: Literary
Themes: Family, Heritage

One sentence summary: The fate of one jar ripples through history with this multi-generational story centring family legacy.

One sentence review: This is Wilkerson’s best work yet and I’m so excited to see what comes next for her, do not miss this.

Review:

Ebby is done with Connecticut. There’s too much pain there, too many whispers and she needs a break from it. A 3 month trip to the south of France should have cured that but when her past is quite literally following her around, there’s no choice but to face it. 

Oh where to start with this book?! I loved it. It’s absolutely the kind of literary I love and Wilkerson’s writing has come on so much since Black Cake, it was such a pleasure to read. 

I loved the dual timelines and storylines that are woven together so beautifully, with cleverly placed overlaps along the way. It’s one of my favourite storytelling techniques and Wilkerson has nailed it here. 

The family history uncovered is so well done and it feels like you’re being let in on secrets rather than just being told a story. I know it’s one that will sit with me for some time. 

Ebby was wonderful to read; she’s flawed, she’s been through grief and she’s trying to find herself again. Trying to escape her parents worries and trying keep herself above water, she’s a great feat of this story. 

I think a lot of you will love this if you haven’t read it already. Let me know if you’re planning to pick it up soon! 

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And don’t forget to check out my other blogs and reviews – you can find books with similar themes in the same folder link below, or click back onto blogs to see the whole offering.

Last updated 17/02/2026