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Wilkerson's family saga interweaves the present and the past, making for an emotionally gripping story about the Freeman family. Ebony "Ebby" Freeman is about to be married. She and her family have suffered a great loss when she was 10 years old: the murder of her brother Basil "Baz" (aged 15) during a failed home robbery. The gun shot took Baz from his family while also shattering the clay jar, "Old Mo," that's been in the Freeman family for generations.

The story then flicks back to the time of the Middle Passage, detailing how Edward "Willis" Freeman came to the American South and how he became an enslaved turner, a person who created pottery. This part of the novel is where I thought Wilkerson's tale fully shone: to have the family lines revealed, bit by bit, from Africa to South Carolina, from South Carolina to Massachusetts, from slavery to freedom, from hard work, drive, and talent, to achieving the American dream. To the 1990s: still-- suffering extreme tragedy by a senseless killing. Still--enduring racism and demeaning comments by being a wealthy Black family in the New England area.

Ebby's marriage plans are ruined by her fiancé, Henry, when he stands her up on their wedding day. She flees to a cottage in France, where she works to come to terms with not only her relationship with Henry but with her grief over Baz's death.

We as the reader receive many points of view from several family members, helping us to see a rounded picture of this family's past, present, and future. Old Mo is there to accompany us along the way.

Wilkerson's characters were so vividly real to me--I loved each and every one for their nuances and for their strengths and vulnerabilities. 4.5 stars�