Good Dirt: A Novel

An engaging and beautifully written novel that masterfully weaves multiple threads into a seamless, timeless, and poignant story.

Charmaine Wilkerson's Good Dirt is a beautifully layered novel that explores the weight of history, the pain of personal trauma, and the complexities of inheritance—emotional, cultural, and ancestral. The story follows Ebony "Ebby" Freeman, a woman haunted by the childhood memory of her brother Baz’s tragic death during a home invasion. In that same moment, a priceless family artifact—a stoneware jar crafted by an enslaved ancestor—is shattered, symbolizing a deeper fracture within the family itself.

Wilkerson weaves a stunning narrative that moves effortlessly between generations, peeling back the layers of Ebby’s grief and her family’s past. The jar becomes more than just a lost object—it’s a metaphor for generational survival, lost histories, and the fragments we carry without even knowing it.

The novel shines in its ability to connect deeply personal pain to broader historical truths. It's a story about what’s buried—emotionally and physically—and what it takes to dig deep enough to understand it.

Good Dirt is poignant, lyrical, and unforgettable.

Charmaine Wilkerson’s Good Dirt is a moving, multi-generational novel about grief, resilience, and the legacies we carry. It follows Ebony “Ebby” Freeman, whose life is shattered when her brother is murdered and a treasured family heirloom, an old stoneware jar called “Old Mo,” is destroyed. Years later, as Ebby seeks healing across continents, the novel unearths hidden family histories, from enslaved ancestors to Black maritime trailblazers.

Wilkerson masterfully weaves past and present, using Old Mo as a powerful symbol of both generational trauma and enduring strength. Her lyrical prose and rich historical layers create a resonant meditation on how we are shaped by both sorrow and survival.

Good Dirt further cements Wilkerson’s gift for layered, emotionally resonant storytelling, offering a rich and compelling narrative that leaves a deep and lasting impact.

N.Cervone

A violent, senseless crime against teen Baz Freeman has long lasting repercussions on this New England family.
The trauma touches all, but is most keenly imprinted on Ebby, the youngest member of the family.
The impetus of that crime is intertwined with the centuries old history of the Freeman family, filled also with crimes against enslaved ancestors.
We are given a story laid out in alternative voices, both contemporary and those of the ancestors.

I fear I wanted more closure with several story point, but most especially about the crime.
While we are left to draw our own conclusions about justice for Baz in the end, it was left too open ended for me to feel truly satisfied.

Also, that red herring crime in France...

Ebby Freeman discovers her brother shot in their home one day when they were playing hide and seek. The thieves were after a large porcelain jar that stored artifacts of black americans escaping slavery in America. It was an ok read but I expected more, I wanted some closure for Ebby and her family.

Dirt: we don’t always think about the organic substance even though it’s a treasure right under our feet.

Our attention in this book goes to a 20-gallon hand-made ceramic jar from the clay of the earth that dates back to the 1850s. It was made by Moses, a slave in South Carolina. Six generations of families embraced and passed along this decorated pot until the year 2000 when it was shattered during a tragic Massachusetts house robbery.

Ebby was 10 years old when she witnessed this traumatic scene in their home while hiding. She was in another room and heard the shot when her 15-year-old beloved brother, Baz, was murdered. Her parents did everything they could to try to help her heal from the emotional stress. Therapy was good but wasn’t enough to overcome the disastrous feelings of that day. As an adult, Ebby had the challenge of finding someone to love.

The story is beautifully written with the setting and dialogue that works well. It points to the horrors of slavery in the 1800s and how it came with violence, hate and fear. There are parts that make you pause – important thoughts that point to what went wrong and how prejudice still has a strong presence almost 200 years later.

On a recent visit to the Charleston Museum, I saw jars much like the ones described in this book. In the past, I would read about it and move onward to other exhibits. However, this time when I saw the ceramic jugs with meaningful words and signatures, I spent time thinking about the message from this story. Books like this change how we see what’s in front of us – what critically needs to be changed -- by making us more aware of this part of history.

My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for having the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of January 28, 2025.

so well written and such interesting characters. this book shows how personal tragedy combines with systemic racism and epigenetics in defining individual and communal responses. i cared so much for the characters and for what their lives would bring. wilkerson shares just enough about each character to help us define them and also to let us interpret for ourselves what they are feeling and what their next actions are.

Historical fiction that is so much more. This book looks at family and trauma. The title refers to the clay that is used in making Green Ware. It is a dual narrative which seems to be more and more common now. The book explores race, class, and forgiveness. It looks at the stories that make up our identity.

This book is excellent on many levels. The prose is beautiful, it inspires, and it presents intriguing ideas while offering perspectives on various historical and current social issues. I strongly recommend that everyone read it. I have been a fan since her debut novel and am eagerly anticipating her next work.

Even though I absolutely loved Black Cake, I had no interest in reading this book! I had no interest in reading about an old jar that had been in the Freeman family for generations. But, there were so many good reviews, I decided to get the audiobook and give it a chance. Thank goodness I did, I loved this book! Ebby and her brother, Baz were at home playing one last game of hide and seek when two thieves break into their house to steal Old Mo, the old jar that means the world to the Freeman family. The jar ends up broken on the floor and fifteen year old Baz shot. This affects Ebby and her parents for the rest of their lives. Definitely recommended!

Ebby Freeman is only ten when 2 gunmen entered her family home in New England and killed her brother Baz and shattered a family heirloom jar, called Old Mo. Now, 20 years later, Ebby is left at the altar by her fiancé, Henry, a photographer, who doesn't have the courage to call off the wedding in person. The story alternates between present time and the history of the Freeman family, and the pottery jar.
Henry and Ebby meet again in France, and Henry admits the reason he broke the engagement. Ebby confides this info and her own secret to her father. Her dad finally tells Ebby and Soh, her mom, the secret he has been keeping for years.
This is an excellent story of family trauma and generations of perseverance. I loved it and can't wait for more Charmaine Wilkerson novels!

I much preferred this book to her first novel Black cake. A story moving from 1800 in the South - think slavery to present day. The focus is on a piece of property carried by a slave to New England and then handed down over 200 plus years. Ebony is the central focus but the slaves Moses, Willis etc make the most impact.

Y’all! This book snuck up on me. It was a solid 4 star read and it just kept getting better and better.

Ebby has been stood up at the altar. This put her in the spotlight…AGAIN. Ebby has been fighting the spotlight since she was a little child and saw her brother murdered. The crime was never solved. Now she is fleeing to France to get away from all the looks, questions and her feelings.

The only part of the book which just didn’t fit is when Henry, Ebby’s ex-fiancé just happens to show up and is staying at the same place as Ebby…in a small town in France. But it worked out, it just made me roll my eyes a bit ?. This is minor…believe me.

The jar, a family heirloom which was broken when Ebby’s brother was murdered, is the focal point of this whole story. And trust me…you do not want to miss the history and the significance. I had no idea about this type of pottery.

This story takes you on a ride and gives you a needed escape. It is part historical fiction, family drama and murder mystery. And I loved it!

Need a captivating tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This is a family saga that spans several generations. The story of the Freeman family and an earthenware jug 'Old Mo', made by an enslaved potter in the 1800's go hand in hand until a tragedy strikes in 2000. The story goes back and forth in time. The main character is Ebby Freeman, but the story is told by plethora of other characters too. Some get only one chapter and others get more.

This is a powerful and touching novel that digs deep into the complexities of family ties, secrets, and the impact of the past on the present. The writing style is both thoughtful and emotional, showing how characters navigate through love, loss, and redemption. The story is beautifully crafted, with richly drawn characters and a compelling narrative that kept me engaged from beginning to end. I loved how the characters were all far from perfect, and for that reason totally relatable.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a copy of this book.

This is a multi-generational narrative packed with themes of resilience, identity, and reckoning with history. It’s s layered with personal and historical tensions, where family legacies collide with personal tragedy and societal prejudice.

Ebby seems caught between her heritage and her present struggles. Her evolution from effortless beauty and Henry’s fiancé into a self-realized person is a compelling story line. How does she reclaim her agency after heartbreak, personal loss, and the weight of family history? Her work as an editor and ghostwriter could serve as a metaphor for finding her voice while amplifying others.

The Jar (Old Mo) symbolizes the Freeman family’s legacy and resilience. Does Ebby eventually uncover its full story? What role does it play in connecting the past and present, especially in the context of the Freeman family’s history with the Underground Railroad.

The story gives you generational duality with shifting timelines between 1803 to 2021 that allows you to explore how systemic racism and personal sacrifice reverberate across centuries. Kandia’s story of survival, the Freeman family’s land ownership, and Soh’s rebellion against the Fugitive Slave Act offer poignant moments to contrast with Ebby’s modern struggles.

The setting of the novel in Massachusetts & Refuge County seems deeply tied to heritage in which the contrast between Ebby’s affluent but scrutinized upbringing in Massachusetts and her escape to France highlight the intersection of identity and belonging.

There is mystery and betrayal in this interwoven narrative by Charmaine Wilkerson as was also in her debut novel Black Cake, in which I also enjoyed reading. I look forward to what she will pen next.
@charmspen1 #randomhouse #netgalley #donna'sbookaddiction

When Ebby was ten years old, she was playing hide and seek with her older brother Baz when two masked men burst into the house. Ebby hears the gunshots and runs down to her father's study where her brother is bleeding and the family heirloom, a stone jar hundreds of years old, shattered on the floor. As a fairly well off Black family in New England, this story generated a lot of media attention but the murder was never solved.

Fast forward many years and Ebby is set to get married to a privileged white banker when he doesn't show up to the wedding, bringing more unwanted attention to Ebby and her family. Shortly after the non-wedding, Ebby flees to France to be the caretaker of a cottage and to heal. She finds some surprising things during her time in France.

This was a very interesting story about the Freeman family, with lots of historical perspectives. Good Dirt is a very character driven story. It is told in a nonlinear way with plenty of back and forth on the timeline. Sometimes this got a little distracting but this is a very well written story about family, grief, and healing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.

With her second novel, Good Dirt, Charmaine Wilkerson solidifies her position as one of the best current writers of family sagas. When Ebony “Ebby” Freeman gets left at the altar, she is forced to confront the demons that haunt her and her family. Wilkerson intersperses the present-day timeline with short chapters about Ebby’s ancestors from their capture in Africa to their successful business in New England to the tragedy that happened when Ebby was a child. I would have liked more Ebby and less history, but I still found Good Dirt an engaging and enjoyable novel. Readers of historical fiction, family sagas, and contemporary novels should not miss Wilkerson’s latest.