Banana Heart Summer is a beautiful tale of a complex mother-daughter relationship mixed with the various occurrences in a quaint barrio—as explored through the lens of cooking. Heartfelt and tear-jerking, this book is ripe with witty commentary on living in 60’s Manila, as provided by its narrator, Nenita.
The author, Merlinda Bobis, cleverly foreshadows each chapter by titling them after a delectable Filipino comfort food. From banana fritters to dinuguan, the book does not miss the opportunity to tie these dishes back to the characters’ stories. As a result, Bobis cooks up a book that tickles your palate while being ridiculously addictive.
The (banana) heart of the matter
At the forefront of the book is 12-year-old Nenita’s rocky relationship with her mother, Marina. Often cold and punishing, her mother has been a constant source of fear for Nenita—yet she remains someone the child seeks love and validation from. Bobis does not shy away from displaying the extent of her harshness, like when she beats Nenita as a form of discipline or claws at her heart with sharp words. This painfully echoes how for most Filipino kids, this type of parenthood is their reality.
Bobis does not wholly villainize the mother either. Steeped in poverty and handling six children, there are some story beats that remind the reader that Marina is also just a woman trying to make ends meet as best as she can. Of course, this does not serve as an excuse for her actions, but it does add a layer of humanity to her character.
Nenita’s devotion to her mother is not romanticized. It is but an echo of how other mistreated kids still yearn for a parent’s affection, a cruel irony borrowed from real families.
Remedios’ amuse-bouche of personalities
Nenita’s world for the majority of the book is limited between the two ends of Remedios Street. However, this street houses a plethora of neighbors from all walks of life. There is Nana Dora, the neighborhood’s sole karinderya owner. She serves as a friend and mentor to Nenita, guiding the latter through both recipes and advice. On the other end of the road is Mang Tasyo, also known as the “Calcium Man,” is a grouchy old man tirelessly peddling seafood, a shroud of an enigma in each of his footsteps.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, these shanties stand next to concrete mansions and bungalows. The Ching family, for instance, is known to be the most affluent people on their street—with Nenita getting only glimpses of their house’s interior from going on scarce playdates with their youngest, Manito. There’s also the more modest and approachable Valenzuela family, who Nenita works as a helper for. Here, she forms a sister-like bond with Miss VV, the family’s only daughter studying to be a nurse.
Despite their differences in status, Bobis cleverly crafts connections between all of these characters, with twists that are sure to hook the reader in if they weren’t invested already. This rewards multiple readings, given the gift of renewed context. This extensive cast also perfectly captures the many people we once came across while growing up.
A culinary cry-fest
Despite being humorous at times, it is easy to feel for each character in this book. The main ones are fleshed out quite well, providing the reader with enough background to understand why they act the way they do, as discussed before with Marina. Bobis does what can be considered the most difficult thing to do in literature: making people care.
All these pivotal moments chapter by chapter build up towards Nenita’s ultimate future—and it is difficult not to be overwhelmed by the emotions obtained from the journey. At its very core, Banana Heart Summer is a simple story chronicling a child figuring out her identity as she enters adolescence. Yet, at the same time, it is so much more than that.
It is about the perseverance of love despite indifference. It is about the yearning to provide a better life for oneself and their family. It is about the importance of community, especially the empathy that we give one another. All of that, wrapped neatly in pandan leaves, over the course of one summer.
If you are interested in seeing Nenita’s story unfold, you may buy a copy of Banana Heart Summer in bookstores nationwide.
