Takeout Sushi is a collection of 17 illustrated short stories set mostly in contemporary Japan that explore feelings of belonging, displacement, and the strangeness of everyday human interaction.
In an innovative, fast-paced company, a man’s job comes under threat when a team of robots are brought in to replace the HR department. A husband’s search for shortcuts to his domestic tasks goes painfully wrong. Overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, a foreigner takes a weekend break and discovers something other than solitude in the mountains.
Marking Christopher Green’s debut adult fiction and inspired by his own experiences, these whimsical slice-of-life tales are full of heart and humour—perfect for fans of Convenience Store Woman and Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Book source ~ TWR TourShort Stories | Anthology
2 May 2024
272 Pages
My Rating ~ 4 bites
This is a collection of short stories that are just the right length, so you can easily pick it up and put it down as life dictates. I read it pretty much in two sittings, but I happened to have some time to do so. Well-written and fine-tuned, the stories are varied, but they all have one thing in common: they are entertaining.
I’m sitting here trying to decide which one I like the best and which the least. It’s a difficult choice. Apartment 601 intrigues me the most and the ending to The Tree makes me wonder about what the wife means. I don’t like the main characters in a couple of the stories since I think they are a bit mean-spirited or idiotic. I think I like Henry Sparkles the most even though the subject and tone is at times horrifying and sad. The most humorous in my eyes is Burned. I admit to a few chortle-snorts while reading it. As for my least liked, I believe that would be Crime for Dummies.
There’s something for everyone in this collection so I suggest giving it a go!
A long-time resident of Japan, Christopher lives near Tokyo with his wife and daughter. Christopher writes short stories and children's stories. His first collection of short stories Takeout Sushi is due for publication by Neem Tree Press in May 2024.
Christopher's Goodreads page for his children's books is here.
My brain won't let me read short stories bc I can't get attached to any of the characters, but a friend of mine has been trying to get me into Japanese lit so... maybe! This cover is ADORABLE as well! Glad you enjoyed! :)
ReplyDeleteI love short stories for when I'm short on time. They're like snacks between meals.
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