Reviews

I was really hopeful for this story because I’m interested in learning about the black diaspora across the world and it definitely gave me insight into a Jamaican family dynamic. But other than that there was not a strong plot and little to no character development. Nothing really changed by the end of the story except Nana, but maybe it was a representation of how life goes.

makeda_colourlit's review

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emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

mellowmoon's review against another edition

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challenging reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

tseren's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

just a tad too monotonous and uninteresting. maybe i’m not in the right target audience for this novel, but i found all the characters to be flat, unchanging, and lackluster. for a coming-of-age story, there was no character development for anyone. kara lets life happen to her and rarely-if ever-has an opinion on something. i wish there was a moment where i felt like i was rooting for her, but it never came.

papertraildiary's review against another edition

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3.0

Twelve short stories put together a novel about a girl named Kara Davis as she grows up caught in between her Canadian nationality and her Jamaican heritage. It takes place in Toronto, actually some parts even near where I live, so that was the first thing to hook me. I could see the story playing out on my street, y’know? We go from Kara telling a lie on the playground about finding a pig’s head in a freezer in Jamaica to being in junior high as she’s the victim of an awful prank by her schoolmates, to being a teenager stuck between her mother and grandmother, or her grandmother and grandfather, as they wage ongoing battles. I wanted a bit more personality from Kara throughout, sometimes she felt a little too quiet for me, but I think that spoke to what she was going through. This novel felt incredibly real and represents a lot of stories for first- and second-generation Canadians, and it was important for me to read something that showed the experience for Black people in the city I live in. I look forward to reading more from Zalika.

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