Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'

How to Love a Jamaican by Alexia Arthurs

4 reviews

minimicropup's review against another edition

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emotional informative lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I liked all the different perspectives and the slice of life feels woven throughout these stories.

Mood Reading Match-Up:
Fragrant soup. Brooklyn streets. Sea kissing shore. Plantain and bread and eggs. Mermaids. Coconut drops. Cornmeal porridge. Rotting pears. Clean air. Singing. 
  • Stream of consciousness essays and memories
  • Random(ish), open-ended, or ambiguous conclusions
  • Slice of life snapshots
  • Nostalgic, existential, reflective vibes
  • Morally grey characters
  • Social commentary and struggles 
  • Jamaican (and Caribbean) culture
  • Emotional lives of diverse people from children to young adults to elders
  • Reflecting on family dynamics and relationship decisions
  • Vignette style short stories

Content Heads-Up: Racism (colourism, discussion/debate, bias). Eating disorder (bulimia). Sexual assault (groping; very brief off page). Sexual content (consenting; brief on page). Homophobia (character comments, discomfort). Miscarriage (very brief off page). Loss of a child, grief. Adult/minor relationship. Cheating, infidelity (brief mentions). Double standards, hypocritical gender roles. Breast cancer (on page, mention). Body shaming (character opinions; fat, skinny, short, flat). Classism (prejudice, bias, rejection). Domestic abuse. Drug use.

Rep: Jamaican. Jamaican-American. Black and White Americans. Chinese-American. Second generation culture. Cisgender. Heterosexual. Gay. Lesbian. Bisexual. Dark, brown, light, coffee, albino, red, and pale skin tones.

📚 Format: Kindle

My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶 
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bookishkellyn's review against another edition

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reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is the first anthology where I’ve enjoyed every single story. This is a well-written collection that really hits home if you’re Jamaican (or Black Caribbean).
→ A friendship with a white-washed Black girl. A man compares himself to his estranged twin brother. The drownings of twin girls who loved mermaids. A mother sends her daughter back home to reset behaviors. A lesbian at a “straight wedding” reflects on life changes. A boy reminisces about his late grandmother. A college girl on an international track scholarship. A married immigrant harbors a secret. Acquaintances reconnect on Facebook. Daughters express their mixed emotions about their mothers. A Rihanna-like star dwells on her trials and tribulations.
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kathyreadsalot's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

As a Jamaican, I’m always on the lookout for contemporary fiction written by Jamaicans about Jamaicans. This is not disappoint. I enjoy short stories and vignettes which is what this book gave - very real and nuanced snippets into the lives of people that I might as well have been related to. Extremely well written and enjoyable, Arthurs spends time exploring mother-daughter relationships, the dynamics of migration on a family, the often complex family dynamics, and exploration of idenity outside of what is considered normal and acceptable by Jamaican standards. Loved the inclusion of some LGBTQ+ characters and stories too. A well rounded collection. My only gripe is I wish they had some Jamaican narrators for this audiobook!! The accents were not great. 
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friendlypoet's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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