Popisho in Around the World in 80 Books

Dec 12, 2021 Nadine in NY Jones marked it as did-not-finish

Shelves: literary-schmiterary, fantasy-and-sci-fi, wouldnt-normally-read, fiction, audio, lotsa-buzz, ohno-its-magical-realism

Not for me. This was confusing and I didn't care enough to pay attention and figure it out. ...more

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Aug 10, 2021 Beverly rated it really liked it

Shelves: caribbean, literary, magical-realism

thoughts coming shortly

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Mar 24, 2022 Annie rated it really liked it

This joyful, lusty, vivid and wild novel is set on the fictional islands of Popisho (from the Jamaican slang for showy foolishness, Poppy Show). And there is much foolishness and mayhem on “this one sky day,” as the novel is called in the U.K.

The novel follows two lovers, Xavier and Anise, who have long been kept apart by unhappy marriages to other people. Anise is a healer of female bodies, but cannot heal her own physical and emotional wounds. Xavier is a magically talented chef whose task is This joyful, lusty, vivid and wild novel is set on the fictional islands of Popisho (from the Jamaican slang for showy foolishness, Poppy Show). And there is much foolishness and mayhem on “this one sky day,” as the novel is called in the U.K.

The novel follows two lovers, Xavier and Anise, who have long been kept apart by unhappy marriages to other people. Anise is a healer of female bodies, but cannot heal her own physical and emotional wounds. Xavier is a magically talented chef whose task is to make each islander one spectacular meal just when they need it, seasoning his food with hope, dreams and clarity. Everyone in Popisho is born with a “cors,” a magical power or talent which is a gift from the gods.

You can taste, smell, and see the magic and beauty in all aspects of island life, but especially in the mouthwatering food and miraculous healing powers of bodies and souls. The island isn’t free of sorrows and pain: Ross is careful to show how sexism, poverty, corruption, addiction, and injustice remain as the dark legacy of slavery and colonialism. But this novel celebrates the resilience of bodies in all their forms, especially female bodies, with an exuberant lust for life, food, and love.

As Xavier prepares for a wedding banquet for the Governor’s daughter, he goes on a traditional “walkabout” to gather special ingredients. Xavier leads us on a raucous romp through the islands, and at times the story feels like a frenzied fever dream, including the scene where all the women’s “pum-pums” fall out of their bodies and need to be reattached (yes, you read that right). You can only imagine the chaos and shenanigans that follow.

There's a mischievous imagination and irrepressible absurd humor to the storytelling, but don’t expect everything to make sense. This is a book that seduces and dazzles, but you have to enjoy both the magic and the touches of gritty realism to appreciate this book fully. I enjoyed this gorgeous, earthy island tall tale much more than I expected, falling for its strange enchantment. ...more

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