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michbo's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
autumn_alwaysreadingseason's review against another edition
3.0
Alicia is working a retail job and not using her degree. She's feeling like a failure and needs some change. On her way home one night, she sees River Mumma, a Jamaican water deity. River Mumma tells her that she must find and return her comb to her by sunset the next day.
The pressure is on and Alicia has no idea where to begin. Her coworkers, Heaven and Mars, see that she is acting differently and become swept up in her quest. Alicia is also having visions of her ancestors, seeing ghosts, and is generally open to the supernatural. The trio travels around Toronto on a snowy day trying to find the comb before the deadline.
I wish there were more details about River Mumma and the link between Alicia and her ancestors were stronger. The mission was clear but the stakes/weight of it could have been stronger. The inclusion of Jamaican culture and dialect was what made this book shine, but there could have been more of it. The characters were well developed with Alicia and her existential crisis, Mars and his wanting to help his family, and Heaven with her desire to be the chosen one.
This did feel younger than an Adult novel.
The pressure is on and Alicia has no idea where to begin. Her coworkers, Heaven and Mars, see that she is acting differently and become swept up in her quest. Alicia is also having visions of her ancestors, seeing ghosts, and is generally open to the supernatural. The trio travels around Toronto on a snowy day trying to find the comb before the deadline.
I wish there were more details about River Mumma and the link between Alicia and her ancestors were stronger. The mission was clear but the stakes/weight of it could have been stronger. The inclusion of Jamaican culture and dialect was what made this book shine, but there could have been more of it. The characters were well developed with Alicia and her existential crisis, Mars and his wanting to help his family, and Heaven with her desire to be the chosen one.
This did feel younger than an Adult novel.
jaxreads121's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a captivating blend of fantasy and urban realism, weaving Jamaican folklore into the backdrop of Toronto. Alicia's journey as a recent graduate burdened with student debt, discovering her latent abilities as a seer, adds depth to the narrative. The quest for a lost item belonging to a Jamaican deity, combined with the adventure, humour, and at times pretty creepy, creates a unique and engaging story.
thebookishnarwhal's review
5.0
I was so excited to read this book, and even more excited when I was approved for the digital advanced readers copy. River Mumma is the brilliant debut story from award-winning Jamaican Canadian author Zalika Reid-Benta, and is set in Toronto. It did not disappoint!
Meet Alicia. She’s living with her mother, and trying to figure out life. She’s floundering but keeping on. On her walk home one night, she happens across a Jamaican water deity. The deity demands Alicia find and return a comb within 24 hours. Cue a mythical quest through a captivating city.
For those of you who aren’t familiar, I love stories set in Toronto. It takes me back to my twenties and such amazing times. I also adored the use of magical realism, mixed with Jamaican folklore and mythology. Aside from my personal love for the story, Reid-Benta is a Canadian author to watch! Now on my auto-buy list, I think this is going to be a popular book club pick for 2023 and beyond. An overall amazing read, friends!
Meet Alicia. She’s living with her mother, and trying to figure out life. She’s floundering but keeping on. On her walk home one night, she happens across a Jamaican water deity. The deity demands Alicia find and return a comb within 24 hours. Cue a mythical quest through a captivating city.
For those of you who aren’t familiar, I love stories set in Toronto. It takes me back to my twenties and such amazing times. I also adored the use of magical realism, mixed with Jamaican folklore and mythology. Aside from my personal love for the story, Reid-Benta is a Canadian author to watch! Now on my auto-buy list, I think this is going to be a popular book club pick for 2023 and beyond. An overall amazing read, friends!
veganheathen's review
4.0
I heard an interview with the author on CBC which made me want to read this book. I was incredibly excited when just a few days later, I found out I had won a copy of this on Goodreads. Yay! The months before the holidays were very hectic this year so it took me longer than I had hoped to finish. Once I finally found some time to read, I sped through this book. The characters are well-rounded and interesting. It's such a unique story, blending Jamaican folklore and modern Canadian life and culture. I found myself thinking about the characters after I finished; wondering what they did next and what choices they made after this crazy quest.
Thanks so much to the author, publisher and Goodreads for the copy of this book that I won in a giveaway.
Thanks so much to the author, publisher and Goodreads for the copy of this book that I won in a giveaway.
likecymbeline's review
2.5
This book took me back immediately into being an over-educated and under-employed millennial in the city. The stress of having no money, struggling to get around with no wheels, bearing a burden that feels disproportionate to others' and unfairly arbitrary (okay, maybe mine have never been otherworldly fate-of-the-future missions, but we all know thankless uphill work). Reid-Benta captures the pressures of the world for Alicia, the constraints around her and just how difficult it is to get a stroke ahead in a world that doesn't even help you to stay afloat.
The apparitions throughout the story are eerie and rich, from the River Mumma (who, like so many deities, is hard to read, potentially fickle, possibly a friend but also a dreaded foe) and by the climax, the duppies are downright scary and it's thrilling to see them crash through Drake's the rapper's house. Reid-Benta draws from Jamaican folklore and history, and the spirit-travelling scenes were some of my favourites in the book.
The apparitions throughout the story are eerie and rich, from the River Mumma (who, like so many deities, is hard to read, potentially fickle, possibly a friend but also a dreaded foe) and by the climax, the duppies are downright scary and it's thrilling to see them crash through Drake's the rapper's house. Reid-Benta draws from Jamaican folklore and history, and the spirit-travelling scenes were some of my favourites in the book.
little_medieval_bat_friend's review
adventurous
funny
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
4.0