Frying Plantain is a collection of short stories that follow Kara, a Canadian with Jamaican roots, from early childhood into adulthood as she navigates coming to terms with her Jamaican heritage and family, toxic friendships as she comes of age, and the tumultuous relationship between her grandparents, who just can't seem to live with or without each other.

Each story blends into the next seamlessly; I didn't even realize I was reading a collection of short stories for a good while. The stories illuminate influential aspects of Kara's upbringing. Some are infused with humor, some filled with a sense of injustice, and others with frustration and teenaged angst, but all of them relate back to being the child of immigrants whose home culture is much different than the culture in which Kara now lives.

I enjoyed reading this book; however I think a deeper look into some of the injustices Kara suffered, and perhaps more dynamic secondary characters, would have created a more memorable and impacting experience. I finished this book on August 1, and less than two months later I had to revisit the synopsis to remember key details to write this review. Overall, Fried Plantain rates 3.5 stars for me.

In her stunning debut, Frying Plantain (House of Anansi Press, 2019), Zalika Reid-Benta depicts both the beauty and struggle of growing up between worlds of differing cultures. A collection of intricate yet accessible short stories, Frying Plantain offers Reid-Benta’s readers a cinematic series of twelve snapshots from the life of Kara Davis, a young Jamaican-Canadian girl from the Eglinton West neighborhood of Toronto, or “Little Jamaica.” Above all else, Frying Plantain is a coming-of-age story in which Reid-Benta carefully unfolds an abundance of themes, such as growth, connection, belonging and the lack thereof, that will undoubtedly hit home for readers of all backgrounds. However, what touched me the most deeply was Reid-Benta’s multi-faceted depiction of romantic and familial love and the parallels she draws between characters’ diverse experiences of love throughout the collection.

First loves have a natural place in coming-of-age stories, and Frying Plantain is no different. In the story “Brandon & Sheila,” sixteen-year-old Kara tells us about her first kiss: “Earlier that day, after school, Terrence Peters had shoved his tongue down my throat.” While perhaps enjoyable for Terrence, Kara’s first love seems to come later, at seventeen, with a boy she affectionately refers to as “the boyfriend” in the story “Lovely.” Although these two relationships unfurl in ways that encourage Kara to question and grow as she explores both her sexuality and the experience of sharing life with another person, Reid-Benta extends the significance of Kara’s romances far beyond the romantic realm as she examines the often complicated and caustic love shared by Kara and her mother, Eloise.

Although these two relationships unfurl in ways that encourage Kara to question and grow as she explores both her sexuality and the experience of sharing life with another person, Reid-Benta extends the significance of Kara’s romances far beyond the romantic realm as she examines the often complicated and caustic love shared by Kara and her mother, Eloise.

After reflecting on her first kisses with Terrence, Kara yearns to discuss love with her mother but struggles to close the distance between them:

“I wanted to know about desire: if having it and receiving it meant that your sense of self was gone; if there was anything romantic in melding with another person…I knew she had the answers. I knew she’d be able to reach in and sort me out even if I hated her for it.”

And even with “the boyfriend,” Kara can’t bring herself to reveal to her mother that she is in a relationship when Eloise asks Kara who’s calling on her cellphone:

“I focus now on a knot at the end of my hair. It’s my boyfriend. Maybe if I say it casually, like I expect her to be calm and not respond with homicidal rage. No, it won’t work. That nonchalance is too Canadian. Too much like the kids I go to school with. Too white.”

The complications of Kara and her mother’s relationship extend far beyond boy-related issues. In “Pig Head,” we learn of the struggles of Kara’s inbetweenness as a Jamaican-Canadian and Eloise’s experience of discrimination due to her own racial and cultural identity. Kara’s mother is called to school as a result of Kara circulating a story that Kara had killed a pig while on vacation in Jamaica. Ashamed, Eloise says, “Do you realize what you’ve done?…These people already treat me like I’m trash.” Later, in “Inspection,” we learn of how community actually complicates the mother-daughter relationship further. While both Kara and Eloise live in the same Jamaican-Canadian neighborhood, Reid-Benta suggests that Kara feels more aligned with her Canadian nationality, despite her mother’s strict adherence to Jamaican values—this establishes a formidable wall between the mother and daughter. Unaware of how severely the Jamaican community’s constant scrutiny and judgement affects Kara, her mother continues to emphasize the important role that others’ opinions play in how Kara should act: “How do you have no sense that you forgot to cream your skin? Now everyone is talking!”

While both Kara and Eloise live in the same Jamaican-Canadian neighborhood, Reid-Benta suggests that Kara feels more aligned with her Canadian nationality, despite her mother’s strict adherence to Jamaican values—this establishes a formidable wall between the mother and daughter.
This is not to say, however, that Kara’s relationship with her mother is loveless—Reid-Benta is just as sure to share the warmer parts of their relationship as well, where the love is more apparent. In “Celebration,” a third-person narrator interjects to paint a more joyful scene for the reader:

“They got drunk together for the first time—a bottle of sparkling wine the culprit—on Kara’s eighteenth birthday. Both women, short and tiny, were pretty much gone after the third glass, and on the fourth, Eloise swallowed hard and tapped her finger ruefully on the dining table…They raised their glasses for a fifth toast and after their rims clinked together Eloise started to giggle, the throaty cackle bouncing off all the walls of the living room, of the entire bachelor.”

Reid-Benta urges her readers to consider that love doesn’t always look like love, and it is often hard and calloused around the edges. But she also goes as far as to show us that sometimes “love” isn’t love at all. We encounter the strained, receding relationship between Kara’s grandparents in “Stand Off,” when Kara’s grandmother, Nana, solemnly reveals, “Kara, listen when I tell you say, I would rather die than talk to that man.” Kara then introduces her grandfather, a chronic philanderer who still lives with and relies on his wife yet “adjusted the furniture just enough for the living room to be exactly the same and completely different, just enough for it to look unchanged to anyone but Nana.”

Even while showing some of the darker faces of love, Reid-Benta’s collection is far from hopeless or cynical. Rather, Reid-Benta fills us with appreciation for all of life’s struggles and beauty. As readers, we grow with Kara Davis; we learn and explore all forms of love alongside her.

The collection comes to a close with a final short story sharing the name of the book, “Frying Plantain,” which shows readers the culmination of love’s harshness and warmth as Kara prepares to leave Nana’s house for good. Despite heightened disagreements between Nana and Eloise, Nana sends Kara off with armfuls of leftovers, urging her to share them with her mother:

“‘Make sure yuh share that, nuh,’ says Nana.

I nod my head and tighten my grip on the No Frills bag, feeling the weight of the margarine containers and yogurt cups, remembering the weight of all of the leftovers she’d given me throughout the years. I smile slightly and turn toward the door. ‘Thank you for the food, Nana.’”

I really enjoyed this book. It is the story of a Jamaican/Canadian girl growing up with two different cultures. Kara is Canadian but of Jamaican roots. Her grandmother and mother try to maintain her Jamaican culture. She tries to be more Jamaican with her friends from Little Jamaica, and to be more "white" acting with her friend from a predominately white school. I really liked this book, her grandmother and mom reminded me of my mom. My mom is Taiwanese and Dad is white, and I related to this book a lot. I found that the Taiwanese culture and the Jamaican were somewhat familiar. Quick enjoyable read. Thank you to Net Galley for providing an e copy for an honest review.

These coming-of-age stories all feature the narrator Kara, during her teen years. She has been raised in Toronto and environs by her single mother Eloise, who had Kara when she herself was 17. Kara's father left when she was about 5. Eloise's mother, Kara's grandmother, is from Jamaica and has played a huge part in Kara's upbringing.

This book felt very much YA to me (high school though, not middle school). Just as Kara struggles with her mother's expectations regarding dress, grooming, behavior, dating (none), and schoolwork, Eloise struggles with her own mother's expectations. Kara also struggles with her identity as a Jamaican-Canadian , whether within her old heavily Caribbean neighborhood or at her new largely white "better" school. Kara's problems are true for most teens, and even more true for teens with immigrant parents or grandparents.

I enjoyed this book, I knew nothing of the Canadian Caribbean community, and it was interesting to find our about it in this book. Though it was a little too YA-ish for me, I think those that love YA books (teens or not) would very much enjoy this book. An author to watch.

A terrific book of interconnected stories .A Jamaican girl living in Toronto her life her relationships with her mother and grandmother.A wonderful involving read characters that come alive looking forward to more by this author .Highly recommend.#netgalley#houseofanise

Frying Plantains is a collection of short stories narrated by Kara Davies, the daughter of immigrants. Although it is collection of short stories, the book feels like a novel. Kara is the daughter of a Jamaican immigrant living in Toronto. The essays follow Kara from her early years to young adulthood. The essays explores familial relationships, Kara's relationship with her mother Eloise, and the relationship between Eloise and her mother. The essay also follows Kara as she tries balance being a regular Canadian teen and that of being the child of immigrants.

This book's strength is its realness and relatability. Kara's stories will resonate with second generation immigrations from the islands. Kara's mother is a hard woman. Her controlling nature was difficult to understand. She wants the best for her daughter even if it means Kara might resents her. There was no love between Kara and her mother. Hardness and the need to control was prevalent on the pages. Some might argue that it was her way of showing love. I would have liked to learn more about Eloise, though this is not her story.

I enjoy reading stories about the Jamaican immigrant experience. Zalika is very talented and I hope to hear more from her. I rate this book at 4 stars.

This book was a ARC from netgalley.

The complex interconnection in this short story collection was outstanding, and the knottiness of the subject matter in the stories as a whole was enjoyable. The reader was able to see the afterglow of pushy and domineering parents and grandparents. However, it was refreshing to see Kara's self-discovery and maturity.

Reid-Benta cleverly penned stories that are relevant to date. She addresses essential topics on immigration, cultural expectations, bullying, and again, parent's fanatical mentalities when it comes to rearing their children.

In one of the stories, a particular movement came to mind when caught up in the discussion among the black girls about their hair from permed hair to kinky hair, to getting their hair wet. Instantly The Crown Act comes to mind.

The book was terrific, and as a reader, more work by Reid-Benta is something to look forward to seeing.

Although this is a series of interconnected short stories, it actually works quite well as a larger novel as it never steps into fully short story mode. It's the coming of age story for Kara but it's also her mother Eloise's story, and the story of her grandmother Verna as well. Moving between Toronto and Jamaica, it addresses both domestic mother-daughter issues and the dislocation of first generation immigrants. Kara is under a huge amount of pressure from both older women to become something. Her travels back to Jamaica and Verna's input (in patois) provide special insight. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A very good read that provided insight into a large and vibrant community.

I loved this short-story collection. This a great debut for this author and I will certainly be on the lookout for her new books.

I love that this book took place in Toronto and was about a second-generation Jamaican woman. What an interesting viewpoint to explore! I liked that it was interconnected stories so we got to follow her through many things throughout herself without the constraints of a super linear timeline like a book may have required. I really enjoyed learning more about the immigrant experience in Canada.

I loved this book. Down to the minuscule details, she described a Caribbean household: Grandfather who doesn't talk, the fear of shame for being ashy, smudging the mirror in the doorway while taking off your shoes. I know these seem trivial but EVERYONE can relate.
Tremendous character development, not only for the protagonist but for her mom, and grandmother who low-key are pivotal characters as well. Written from the perspective of a young, meek, Canadian girl, she feeds you bits of her family just as a child would that eventually lead to the full story. But only if you are paying attention enough to follow the details. The irony in the last chapter pulls the book together. Extremely well written. So glad this was my first read of 2020!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book.

So happy to receive this early copy of Frying Plantain. I could not put it down. Loved all the characters and stories. I could totally relate to the relationship between daughter, mother and grandmother. Can’t wait for it in hard copy. And looking forward to her next book.

Frying Plantain tells the story of young girl coming of age in Toronto from a new voice and perspective. The book touches on belonging, family, and how we figure out our place in the world. What I enjoyed most about this story is its universal nature. While Kara is growing up inn Canada with Jamaican roots, her experiences with relationships and schools can be universally appreciated. I also loved this book because of the title. Frying Plantains and this idea of cooking a dish that is both familiar and yet ties us to a place, family, and sometimes complicated relationships resonated with me. I highly recommend this book. It is appropriate for adult readers, and more than likely a middle school reader. This book should lead to great conversations with middle school and high school readers, who may see themselves in Kara's experiences.

I sort of missed in the description that this was a story collection. Like many, a little spotty in quality. And, a bit dialect heavy in parts.

Growing up Black, and a child of immigrants can be tough. This is a collection of interconnected stories rooted in the Toronto neighborhood of Eglinton West and Marlee. Kara Davis who is caught in the middle of being a true Jamaican like her mother and growing up in Canadian.

I am a child of Caribbean immigrates so I know Kara’s story all too well. Growing up in two different worlds is not an easy task. Kara and her mother butt heads at times but the friction between Kara’s mother Eloise and grandmother is something else (sheesh!).

How this book is laid out it feels more like a memoir than a collection of short stories. The characters are complex and well developed and the pace worked for me. There are a few LOL moments and if you are from Caribbean heritage, then some of Kara’s encounters will be like walking down memory lane. Over all I thought this was a solid read 3.5 out 5 stars. Thank you, Netgalley Astoria Publishing, for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

The book Frying Plantain tells the story of Kara, a Jamaican-Canadian girl growing up in Toronto. This book is a series of short stories that follows her as she grows up, trying to balance living between two different cultures and in the midst of familial conflict. This book offers an interesting new perspective on these two themes, as it tells it from the perspective of someone whose family is from Jamaica. I also found the short stories to be an effective method of telling her story. In general, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in reading stories about cross-cultural relationships and stories of growing up.

Kara Davis is a girl caught in the middle — of her Canadian nationality and her desire to be a “true” Jamaican, of her mother and grandmother’s rages and life lessons, of having to avoid being thought of as too “faas” or too “quiet” or too “bold” or too “soft.” Set in “Little Jamaica,” Toronto’s Eglinton West neighbourhood, Kara moves from girlhood to the threshold of adulthood, from elementary school to high school graduation, in these twelve interconnected stories. We see her on a visit to Jamaica, startled by the sight of a severed pig’s head in her great aunt’s freezer; in junior high, the victim of a devastating prank by her closest friends; and as a teenager in and out of her grandmother’s house, trying to cope with the ongoing battles between her unyielding grandparents.- GoodreadsThere are books that have a very clear audience and then there are books that do not. This book has a clear audience and I was not the intended audience.Frying Plantains is a well written, detailed book that is narrated by Kara. I don't say that the book is about her because it is and then it isn't. The book focuses on her, her mother and then her grandmother. What ties these stories together is Kara and her growing up but it doesn't exactly give you a focus on the main picture or point of the novel.What I mean is Kara's mother doesn't have the best relationship with not only Kara but with her mother. You can see from the point of contact that Kara's mother is trying to make it being a single mother but cannot get past her attitude and in general the chip on her shoulder. This affects her relationship with Kara because she is extremely hard on her.You can see where she gets this from when you met Kara's grandmother. However, she isn't as hard as you think and that is more than likely due to her losing steam. But I slightly digress with my point.This book gives you a look into the life of a young Canadian/Jamaican girl, who initially you believe is trying to balance being "true" Jamaican. This is the point you start off with but it is quickly lost as Kara gets older. You begin to wonder what is the point of the book? Is it meant to just show a life of a young Canadian/Jamaican girl, is it suppose to show the dynamics of family in the United States or is it just to show you that what you think you know, you really don't?When I mentioned earlier that this book was intended for a specific audience, nothing in me believes its audience is for Black women but for other women who may not have had to deal with specific expectations from their family, dealing with the past mistakes of the women in their family and having to grow on your own in all of that.The fact that Kara is Jamaican plays a background part into this story. It pushes the story to remind you the struggles of an immigrant parent and how they raise their child(children).Its a good solid story. A good book to read in between books. Its colorful, detailed without being boring and I can see, without a doubt, this book winning some awards. Overall, I recommend reading this book because it provides a different outlook that most people do not even consider or see. 3 Pickles

tl; dr: Young Jamaica girl learns to live with the classism and racism of Canada.

Review:
There were so many good things about this book. The book reads like a memoir. The foods are mouth-wateringly described. The main character, a young Canadian-Jamaica girl, is really wonderfully drawn, so are her mother and grandmother.

The challenge for me came with the pacing. This is a short book, and as such, you expect the pace to be fast. It felt as if this could have had a little stronger outline before launching. That said, this book is still worth reading.

3.5

Thanks to Netgallery for this book. I received the book for an honest review.