Title: Shirley from a Small Place
Author: Alexia Arthurs
In: How to Love a Jamaican (Alexia Arthurs)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Picador
Year: 2018

Stories featuring fame and the famous seem to  e finding themselves ra on my shelves quite a bit at the moment. I’m not sure if I’m just noticing it, or they are genuinely more common in my selections right now, but it’s definitely interesting. Which brings me to this review. For all of the fame featured tales, this is the only one that deals with immigrants and fame, the ways that the disjunct between a home country is so vast and sometimes difficult to connect.

Shirley’s tale is kind of sad, and very intense. There’s a whole facet of aspects to her life that make you sad. But then there’s a slew of moments that you feel she has bought upon herself. It’s kind of tragic and definitely hurt my heart a little bit.

Ultimately though, this story is about the decision to be happy. Which, realistically, is a decision. You can’t control what life throws your way. But you can control how you view it and how you decide to feel about things.

Image source: Goodreads

Title: On Shelf
Author: Alexia Arthurs
In: How to Love a Jamaican (Alexia Arthurs)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Picador
Year: 2018

This Alexia Arthurs short story focuses on a marriage of convenience. And not the cute ones that result in finding happily ever after. Rather, it’s what I’m sure is far more common, and marriage that is about companionship and convenience. Not one that is about passion.

I like that although this is a marriage of comfort, it’s ultimately about the children. The narrator’s voice is focused on that beautiful positive and outcome. It makes sense and left me with a bit of a smile on my face at the end of the day.

I enjoyed this different perspective into marriage. It’s not one I often come across in my reading. It also fascinates me the idea of what is it that makes someone settle for less than their ideal.

Image source: Goodreads

Title: The Ghost of Jia Yi
Author: Alexia Arthurs
In: How to Love a Jamaican (Alexia Arthurs)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Picador
Year: 2018

I don’t normally like stories with such an unreliable and morally-ambiguous character. Cheating is a pretty big trigger thing for me and I very rarely can stomach a character who partakes in cheating. Yet, I enjoyed this one. I didn’t necessarily like the narrator as a person, but I did enjoy the journey that the voice took me on. It was very… confused. Much as the decisions that were obviously being made were.

Although this does talk about the horrible death of a young woman, it’s this idea that the character is being haunted for her own bad decisions that I like. After all, she constantly states how guilty she feels about her actions. But it isn’t until the ghost of Jia Yi starts to haunt her when she’s doing the things for which she feels guilty that she actually stops. I kind of liked that feeling of retribution / a reminder to listen to your conscience.

This is a very… meandering story. It’s a bit hard to lock down what I liked so much about it. Particularly when it dealt with cheating. Yet, I found the meandering nature and somewhat perplexing storyline to be really enjoyable. And I would definitely be wanting to read this again.

Image source: Goodreads

Title: How to Love a Jamaican
Author: Alexia Arthurs
In: How to Love a Jamaican (Alexia Arthurs)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Picador
Year: 2018

This short story balances both loves that of the Jamaican on his home soil and the American immigrant. The constant flicking between that life and this is a good way to show how these two identities sit against one another for many people.

I’m noticing a bit of a recurring theme of infidelity in Arthurs’ writing. And I can’t say it’s one that I enjoy. But it does show a great understanding of the imperfections of humanity. Which I did enjoy… constantly giving me a conflicting viewpoint and emotional response.

I love how this story balances different aspects of life. And provides yet another insight into immigrant life.

Image source: Goodreads

Title: Mermaid River
Author: Alexia Arthurs
In: How to Love a Jamaican (Alexia Arthurs)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Picador
Year: 2018

I loved how this short story flicked back and forth in time. I definitely feel that it’s the case in any circumstance when you are visiting the past. It’s like a layer of juxtaposition – you see the past and all of its nuances, but then you also place that against the present which you are living. Definitely a unique journey to go on.

Arthurs not only flickers between the past and the present, but also between America and Jamaica, helping to drive home the immigrant experience that many go through. For me, an Aussie, both experiences and countries were thrillingly unique and unexpected. I loved how these totally different worlds sat nestled in the narrators experience and built an incredible picture.

Mermaid River is a story that I’m sure many people could connect to. I myself, who has no experience with either country nor immigration was reminded of grandparents and saying goodbye to the past. Definitely a sweet and wonderful short story that will transport you to another reality.

Image source: Goodreads