How to Love a Jamaican

by Alexia Arthurs
How to Love a Jamaican cover
Good Books rating 4.5
Short Story Collections
Technical
  • ID: 3840
  • Added: 2025-10-20
  • Updated: 2025-10-20
  • ISBN: 9781509883608
  • Publisher: Pan Macmillan
  • Published: 2018-08-09
  • Reviews: 3

How to Love a Jamaican is a captivating debut collection by Alexia Arthurs, praised by Zadie Smith for its profound exploration of Jamaican emigrant experiences. The stories weave together the lives of individuals navigating the bustling streets of New York and the close-knit communities of Jamaica, revealing the intricate ties that bind them to their roots. Each narrative is filled with tenderness, cruelty, ambition, and regret, offering a nuanced portrait of immigrant life and the search for identity. Arthurs' evocative writing paints a vivid picture of the human condition, examining the nuances of culture and disposition. The collection includes the award-winning story 'Bad Behavior,' which earned her the Paris Review’s Plimpton Prize. This book is a compelling examination of what it means to love, belong, and navigate the complexities of a dual heritage.

Reviews
Aminas Bookshelf · 2021-01-22
brilliant 5.00

The collection is praised for its emotional depth and authentic portrayal of Jamaican immigrant experiences, with each story offering a unique perspective. The reviewer highlights the author's ability to balance tenderness and cruelty in her narratives.

This reviewer absolutely loved this collection of stories. They were deeply moved by the emotional depth and the authentic portrayal of Jamaican immigrant experiences. Each story offers a unique perspective, and the reviewer particularly appreciates how the author balances tenderness and cruelty in her narratives. The collection is seen as a powerful exploration of identity, family, and the complexities of cultural heritage. The reviewer also notes the beautiful prose and the way Arthurs navigates the tensions within her characters' lives.

Quick quotes

    The stories in this collection are searing and deeply moving.

    Arthurs does not shield the reader from the pain and generational trauma of her characters.

    A powerful exploration of identity, family, and the complexities of cultural heritage.

The Guardian · Anthony Cummins · 2018-08-14
good 4.00

The reviewer commends the debut for its grit and wit, effectively addressing issues around racial identity. The stories are praised for their authenticity and the author's ability to capture the complexities of the Jamaican immigrant experience.

This reviewer found the debut collection to be impressive, particularly for its grit and wit in addressing issues around racial identity. The stories are praised for their authenticity and the author's ability to capture the complexities of the Jamaican immigrant experience. The reviewer appreciates the way Arthurs brings her characters to life and the emotional depth of her narratives. The collection is seen as a powerful exploration of identity and cultural heritage, with each story offering a unique perspective.

Quick quotes

    Impressive debuts by Alexia Arthurs bring grit and wit to issues around racial identity.

    The stories are praised for their authenticity and the author's ability to capture the complexities of the Jamaican immigrant experience.

    A powerful exploration of identity and cultural heritage.

Zezee With Books · 2018-06-11
great 4.50

The reviewer finds the collection tender and cruel, with a remarkable balance of loyalty and betrayal, ambition and regret. The stories are praised for their emotional resonance and the author's skillful navigation of complex themes.

This reviewer was struck by the tenderness and cruelty that coexist within these stories. They found the balance of loyalty and betrayal, ambition and regret to be particularly remarkable. The emotional resonance of the stories is highlighted, and the reviewer appreciates the author's skillful navigation of these complex themes. The collection is seen as a profound exploration of the human condition, with each story leaving a lasting impact. The reviewer also notes the beautiful prose and the way Arthurs brings her characters to life.

Quick quotes

    Tenderness and cruelty, loyalty and betrayal, ambition and regret — Alexia Arthurs navigates these tensions to extraordinary effect in her debut.

    The emotional resonance of the stories is profound.

    Arthurs brings her characters to life with remarkable skill.

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