Review: Caul baby by Morgan Jerkins

New York Times bestselling author Morgan Jerkins makes her fiction debut with this electrifying novel, for fans of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Jacqueline Woodson, that brings to life one powerful and enigmatic family in a tale rife with secrets, betrayal, intrigue, and magic.

Laila desperately wants to become a mother, but each of her previous pregnancies has ended in heartbreak. This time has to be different, so she turns to the Melancons, an old and powerful Harlem family known for their caul, a precious layer of skin that is the secret source of their healing power.

When a deal for Laila to acquire a piece of caul falls through, she is heartbroken, but when the child is stillborn, she is overcome with grief and rage. What she doesn’t know is that a baby will soon be delivered in her family—by her niece, Amara, an ambitious college student—and delivered to the Melancons to raise as one of their own. Hallow is special: she’s born with a caul, and their matriarch, Maman, predicts the girl will restore the family’s prosperity.

Growing up, Hallow feels that something in her life is not right. Did Josephine, the woman she calls mother, really bring her into the world? Why does her cousin Helena get to go to school and roam the streets of New York freely while she’s confined to the family’s decrepit brownstone?

As the Melancons’ thirst to maintain their status grows, Amara, now a successful lawyer running for district attorney, looks for a way to avenge her longstanding grudge against the family. When mother and daughter cross paths, Hallow will be forced to decide where she truly belongs.  

Engrossing, unique, and page-turning, Caul Baby illuminates the search for familial connection, the enduring power of tradition, and the dark corners of the human heart. ~ Goodreads

Source: ALC (advanced listening copy) from Harper Collins via Libro.fm in exchange for an honest review

WHEW! This book. 

*Note: A lot of the plot is right in the summary and I'll try to stick to that and not reveal anything new but this review might be unintentionally spoilery so here's a head's up!

*Content Warning (both for the book & this review): -> miscarriage, cutting of skin (the caul) - on both children and adults both consensual and not, adoption, gaslighting, gentrification, murder of a child - off page but discussed as a court case, Black motherhood/bodies

I don't listen to many books that are *Generic Title: A Novel* 

I am firmly in the camp of reading as an escape to happier places. Yes, some angst is fine (& to be expected) but I fully admit that I'm all about the fluffy, light read. This was not that book.

I picked this one up because 1) I seem to be better at reading genres I wouldn't normally like when it comes to audiobooks 2) the narrator is one of my absolute favorites - Joniece Abbott-Pratt (Grown, Raybearer) but oh man was it bleak at times. 

Caul Baby is a multigenerational saga that tells the tale of two Harlem families and the women connected by tragedy, revenge and prophecy. 

The story is split into two parts. The first half being Laila. Having miscarried many times, she is now pregnant and doing well but the fear of losing this child leads her to the Melancon family. They are a family of women rumored to have the caul - a protective layer of skin some babies are born with. When a piece is cut off and given to someone it provides healing and protection. Laila is ready to buy a piece to protect her unborn child but thanks to a prophecy, the Melancon's make a decision about selling the caul to Leila - setting a chain of events into motion that reverberate for generations to come.

Then there is Laila's niece, Amara, also pregnant, but chooses to give her child up for adoption, is also (unknowingly) linked to the Melancon family for life.

This first part was sooooo damn bleak. I have never wanted children but Laila's repeated losses and pain were palpable. Amara's situation ends differently but is just as harrowing for both her and the child she gave up for adoption - Hallow, who has the caul, something the Melancon family needs to restore their home, power and finances. It honestly hurt to listen to for an extended period of time, but for some reason I wanted to know how the various threads intersected and were resolved - if justice was served - if you will.

Part two of the saga involves those consequences, years later. The Melancon family has their new source of caul and Jerkins does an excellent job highlighting gentrification, white people using Black (female) bodies and the Melancon family catering to that for money instead of helping their own community and how their decisions come to haunt them.

The second half was far less bleak as the new generation of women start to look outside what they've always been told and gain agency, power and a new future. Some from the older generation garner strength from that as well and the Melancon family hits a crossroads.

Yes, this was a tough read but, ultimately, I enjoyed it. Especially the end. It was very fitting for all involved.

There were times that I think the story veered too far away from characters before coming back to them 100's of pages later and a few things didn't feel consistent to the characters -> Hallow was never allowed to speak to anyone or go out alone growing up but then she's all of a sudden holding meeting with other caul bearers. And I was curious if everyone's situation was a s bleak as Hallow's or were some grateful *the gift*? or  or story threads that were dropped -> The girl who put her baby in the trash can. It was such a big topic of debate in the book for both Amara and Hallow but that's all it ended up being. A debate. I guess I thought maybe Amara might take the case up again or something. 

This is definitely not a book for everyone. It was bleak but ultimately hopeful and empowering so I'm still glad I read it. It also brings up a lot of issues worthy of more discussion. Even though it confirms why I can't read books like this very often. I was depressed for days after lol

Fun fact! A caul is indeed a real thing, although not imbued with any magical healing properties as in this fictionalized version. - "a caul is  is a piece of membrane that can cover a newborn's head and face. Birth with a caul is rare, occurring in fewer than 1 in 80,000 births. The caul is harmless and is immediately removed by the mother/parent, physician or midwife upon birth of the child."