A review by atuin
How to Love a Jamaican: Stories by Alexia Arthurs

emotional reflective sad fast-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

4.0

This collection of stories all concern love and how that effects the characters, for better and for worse. there is the romantic love of course, but there is also the love children have for their parents, the love between siblings, the love of your homeland, and even the love you have for complete strangers. The characters are either living in Jamaica or people born in Jamaica living in the U.S.  I will say it felt odd that almost every story involves a male character cheating on their wife or their girlfriend, but such things may well be a pressing issue in Jamaican society. My favorite stories were "Bad Behavior" where a troubled girl is sent to Jamaica to live with her grandma, "Mermaid River" where a young man reminices about his childhood living with his grandma, (I really like grandma stories ok?) "Mash Up Love" A story where a man has to decide on what to do with his brother, and "The Ghost of Jia Yi", a story where a woman mourns the death of a friendship she never had.
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