By Zalika Reid-Benta
4 Stars
Frying Plantain follows Kara Davis, a second-generation Jamaican immigrant living in Toronto, as she moves through adolescence. Through a series of 12 interconnected vignettes, Reid-Benta paints a vivid story of familial struggles, friendship, love, and cultural identity. I found the depiction of the second-generation immigrant experience—the battle between two distinct cultures and the disconnect that can be felt toward your heritage—to be done extremely well. As a Jamaican-Canadian myself, some of Kara’s struggles were extremely relatable. Struggles such as not feeling like a “true” Jamaican and being desperate to prove yourself. I like the way the book explores the mother-daughter dynamic in a single-parent household and the tensions that come with it.
The complexities of such a relationship, as well as the other familial connections, are fleshed out really well, especially considering the short length of the book. The narration was simple yet effective; it drew you into the story and made you feel a strong sense of connection to Kara. It almost read like a memoir. I definitely feel that the pacing of the book could have been better. It was divided into 12 short stories, and some parts felt like they dragged on too long, while others didn’t feel fleshed out enough. I tend to prefer more plot-driven stories with tidy endings, so this wasn’t a favourite, but still a good read. I would absolutely recommend this book, particularly if you love literary fiction and character-heavy stories.
Reviewed by Kyla
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