River Mumma made me shiver and laugh out loud. Readers who enjoy magical realism quest stories with a rich sense of place and friendships that feel like home will enjoy this adventure rooted in Jamaican folklore.

Author Zalika Redi-Benta weaves together the chill of the preternatural and winter Toronto, evoking a sense of place that will resonate with Torontonians and those who’ve never tromped the city. Sent on a quest to recover River Mumma’s stolen comb, Alicia and friends are quickly submersed in a treacherous journey through the city and their ancestral history. Mishaps of questionable winter tread and unreliable public transit mimic the uncertainty within any quarter-life-crisis. Frigid winter streets – sometimes empty, sometimes bustling – evoke the swath of solitude between the internal self and community. Malevolent spirits from Jamaican folklore embody the insidious threats that haunt disaporic identities. And throughout it all, River Mumma is waiting, demanding attention to ponderous questions about legacy, identity, and the on-going ripples of human greed.

This was an interesting read. It took me a bit to get into the story but then I found myself completely immersed in the writing and the Jamaican mythology. An angry Jamaican mermaid, a few Canadian millennials, and some evil duppies = a fascinating tale that will send me down a rabbit hole of researching Jamaican folklore. 4 stars.
* I was given an advanced copy of this book by NetGalley in return for an honest review*

Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book, it just wasn’t the type of book for me. I found it weird and I didn’t quite understand what was going on. Maybe it’s just not the genre for me but I couldn’t get into the story. I did enjoy the cross cultural representation and character development. I appreciated the diversity in this novel.

An amazing fusion of Jamaican legend and the Toronto cityscape!

I’ll bet you’ve never read a fantasy novel that incorporated Jamaican folklore in addition to folk medicine and spirituality!

Intrigued?

This is a superb magical realist novel set on the streets of Toronto, Canada, where a millennial Black woman attempts to navigate her quarter-life crisis while on a time-sensitive quest with two friends to recover a missing item for a Jamaican water deity.

It all begins with frustration. Many of us have been there - graduated, yet still not free. Alicia feels tied down by expectations and unable to spread her wings. When an opportunity comes to show Alicia her inner strength and possibilities, she grabs it. And what an adventure it turns out to be! Can Mars, Heaven and Alicia, outrun the unquashable visions, terrifying rolling calves, restless duppies and douens (rhymes with Gwen) to find the golden comb? You’ll have to find out. Maps of Toronto included. Be a good tourist!!!

Readers will be pulled into this captivating, thrilling and fast-paced story, a journey through time, where a young woman, a 2nd generation Caribbean Canadian, finds herself and discovers what the river carries.

While the River Mumma is one of the most told tales in Jamaica, this version by a new voice in Canadian literature is not to be overlooked. The patois and Toronto slang will have you reaching to Google what you’ve just read and the examination of cultural appropriation will leave you with plenty to think about. As the adventure ramps up, so will your heartbeat, but you’ll be glad you didn’t miss this dreamy and enchanting spotlight on the Caribbean-Canadian experience.

A great gift for the recently graduated university student who is still searching for their niche and looking to uncover their true identity. A must-read for all those who love fantasy and folklore.

I was gifted this copy by Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
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From the Giller-nominated author of Frying Plantain comes an exhilarating magical realist novel about a millennial Black woman who navigates her quarter-life-crisis while embarking on a quest through the streets of Toronto

Alicia has been out of grad school for months. She has no career prospects and lives with her mom, who won’t stop texting her macabre news stories and reminders to pick up items from the grocery store.

Then, one evening, the Jamaican water deity, River Mumma, appears to Alicia, telling her that she has twenty-four hours to scour the city for her missing comb.

Alicia doesn’t understand why River Mumma would choose her. She can’t remember all the legends her relatives told her, unlike her retail co-worker Heaven, who can reel off Jamaican folklore by heart. She doesn’t know if her childhood visions have returned, or why she feels a strange connection to her other co-worker Mars. But when the trio are chased down by malevolent spirits called duppies, they realize their tenuous bonds to each other may be their only lifelines. With the clock ticking, Alicia’s quest through the city broadens into a journey through time—to find herself and what the river carries.

River Mumma is a powerful portrayal of diasporic identities and a vital examination of ancestral ties. It is a homage to Jamaican storytelling by one of the most invigorating voices in Canadian literature.

This might be one of the weirdest books that I have ever read….seriously. I really don’t think that I “got it”…at all … am I too old to identify with millennials?????
You might like it, I did not...
I do promise to give HONEST reviews when I take on a book to read.
Sorry, but it's a chance you take.
#shortbutsweetreviews

Zalika Ried-Benta is a master in her craft. The fantastical elements blend brilliantly with the reality of Toronto and the folk lore of Jamaica. I loved learning about the Jamaican folk lore through this engaging story. I will read anything reid-benta writes!