Publishers Weekly
★ 12/11/2023
Reid-Benta’s stunning debut draws on Caribbean myth, horror, and old-school urban fantasy (think Charles de Lint, not Kelley Armstrong) to build a quest tale for the postpandemic generation of the region’s diaspora. Alicia Gale is 26 and sulking through her underemployed days working retail while living with her mom in a Toronto apartment. Cut off from her Jamaican roots and her American education alike, she is wholly unprepared for the vision that confronts her on a cold night walk: River Mumma, spirit of the water, rising from the Humber River and demanding restoration of a comb that a tourist has stolen. If it is not returned to her, River Mumma will withdraw her waters. The next morning, Alicia and her friends Heaven and Mars endure a commute from hell, pursued by a violent duppy, or malevolent spirit. After that, there’s no denying the truth of the mystical forces suddenly intersecting her life. Alicia has until sunset to return the comb or bear witness to ecological catastrophe. Into this simple plot are mixed elements from every stratum of a young adult’s life, including heritage, family, neighborhood, work, school, pop culture, and more. It’s a rich and sometimes even dizzying brew that marks the emergence of a powerful new voice. Agent: Amy Tompkins, Transatlantic Literary. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
★ “Stunning debut. . . that marks the emergence of a powerful new voice.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ “A race-against-the-clock page-turner with friendship and diasporic community building at its heart, this book is a winner.” —Booklist, starred review
“This is a splendid story about ancestry, identity, and creativity.” —Apple Books Review
“River Mumma is a propulsive read filled with captivating characters, page-turning mystery, and a thoughtful examination of kinship and ancestral ties.” —Toronto Life
“. . . Reid-Benta writes powerfully of the diasporic experience, the connections between family history and community, and the role and importance of lore and mythic history.” —Toronto Star
“River Mumma is a blessing and Zalika Reid-Benta’s talent is a truly special gift. This is a quest novel that maps Jamaican folklore across modern-day Toronto; three young people are sent on a mission by a goddess and if that doesn’t pique your interest then something is very wrong with you.” —Victor LaValle, award-winning author of The Changeling
“Wholly original, remarkably crafted, and unmatched in voice, atmosphere, and action, River Mumma should be on every must-read list this season.” —Cherie Dimaline, bestselling author of Empire of Wild
“River Mumma is the type of vivid, rich novel I love best. It left me turning pages and pondering possibilities well into the night.” —Alicia Elliott, bestselling author of A Mind Spread Out on the Ground
“A generational saga, a big-city survival narrative, a study of diasporic cultural nuances, all wrapped inside a thrilling adventure. Complex, deep and resonant, River Mumma is coming for your heart.” —Samit Basu, author of The City Inside
“River Mumma is a love letter to culture, home, and coming of age—and will spark important, relevant book club conversations, too.” —Marissa Stapley, New York Times bestselling author of Lucky
"A fast-paced and absorbing adventure steeped in Caribbean folklore and mythology, River Mumma is a treat for the senses." —Uzma Jalaluddin, bestselling author of Ayesha at Last
“River Mumma is a necessary book about race, gender, ancestry, colonialism, eco-existentialism, and desire.” —Jenny Heijun Wills, author of Older Sister. Not Necessarily Related
“A page-turner of a novel that is both funny and poignant, River Mumma magically and seamlessly weaves Jamaican folklore and myth with the winter landscape of Toronto to create a compelling fictional landscape.” —Shyam Selvadurai, author of Mansions of the Moon
“A powerful and evocative novel weaving threads of magical realism to create a powerful and moving tale about a search for identity. It is a journey–diasporic, ancestral, cultural, and personal–all coming together by the importance of storytelling by a master storyteller.” —Maurice Broaddus, award-nominated author of Sweep of Stars
Library Journal
11/01/2023
Alicia is reaching a quarter-century crisis. With an expensive, unused graduate degree, a dead-end retail job, and a shared home with her mother, who keeps texting her memes and strange news from the internet, she feels adrift. Then one night she meets the Jamaican water deity River Mumma, who tells Alicia she must retrieve her hair comb in the next 24 hours or risk the world's water supply. Tasked with this unbelievable quest, Alicia will face down Jamaican spirits ("duppies"), failing urban transit, and her own lack of connection to others while searching for the tourist who took the comb. Alicia must learn to trust herself, her heritage, and her friends to find this magical artifact before it is too late. The combination of Jamaican patois with the Toronto setting and references may make the story seem niche, but the themes of ancestry and diasporic identities will hit home for many. VERDICT Fans of magical realism, Jamaican folklore and culture, and the rediscovery of ancestral roots will enjoy this novel from the author of the award-winning Frying Plaintain.—Kristi Chadwick
