The Life of a Banana: Longlisted for Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction

The Life of a Banana is a moving and sharp novel about identity and family. Twelve-year-old Xing Li was born in Hackney and grew up in Kilburn, but still most people just see her as 'Chinese'. When her mother dies, her and her brother move in with their rich grandmother and end up at exclusive private schools where they stand out against a sea of white people. She finds herself balancing her identity even more as her grandmother emphasises Chinese culture and food and her main solace is her new friend Jay, a mixed race boy with a love for classical music.

This is a memorable novel with interesting characters that shines a light on identity, racism, and feeling like you belong. It also looks at family and grief, bullying and trying to carve a place for yourself that might not be what other people see for you.

The Life of a Banana is about a girl born and raised in London with a Chinese background. When her mother passes away her grandmother takes over her care and is appalled that the children are becoming too western. Xing Li doesn't fit in at her new posh private school where everybody refers to her by a racial slur. The main character is sweet and sympathetic. It's quite a pleasant read.

The Life of a Banana is a story which examines the difficult position of being caught between two cultures, whilst at the same time trying to deal with a family crisis. Xing Li is stuck between a typically British upbringing and a very strict Chinese grandmother, and is almost buried under the weight of tradition, secrets, and saving face at all costs. It's a difficult and moving read in many places, and the violence and bullying suffered by Xing Li, whilst clearly authentic and realistic, will be shocking to many readers who don't have to deal with racial aggression. A great book for building empathy from Y7 upwards.