Maren’s Reads's Reviews > Good Dirt

When fifteen year old Baz is shot and killed in a home robbery gone wrong, the family’s centuries old heirloom shattered on the floor beside him, the Freeman’s lives are changed forever.
An unsolved crime that catapults her and her family into the spotlight, they struggle to come to grips with the loss. Years later, as she processes a very public breakup, Baz’s sister Ebby is forced to come to terms with what has happened both in the past and present.

It’s not often that a book instantly takes a hold of my life, and yet this one did in such a huge and impactful way. I could literally do nothing else until the last page had been read. These characters and their story is so beautifully tragic and yet also incredibly uplifting. As we travel back in time to see the origin story of this priceless heirloom pot, named Old Mo, and the pain and suffering the Freeman family has endured from 1800s African, through the civil war and beyond, it is hard not to feel a deep connection to them.

This story delves deep into classism, particularly where class and race merge and the impact of that on this affluent Black family, living in a predominantly white neighborhood. The author also explores the theme of identity, and whether what happens to us defines who we are or if those events only end up being a part of the story. Quite a few of the characters end up on their own journey of self discovery as they grapple with just how much their history needs to dictate their future.

🎧 As soon as I heard January LaVoy was narrating, I knew this was one I needed to read with my ears. Her beautiful narration only enhances this powerhouse of a story. If you are an audio lover, this audiobook is a must!

Read if you like:
▪️genre mashups
▪️historical fiction
▪️ensemble casts
▪️subtle mystery/thriller vibes
▪️romance subplot
▪️multiple timelines
▪️spellbinding novels

✨ 2025 Favorite

Thank you Random House, PRH Audio and Libro.fm for the gifted copies.