This debut is a collection of illustrated slice-of-life short stories mostly set in Japan. This was a really refreshing read for me as I felt Christopher Green mastered the art of short story telling here in a way that kept me gripped throughout. I read most of this book on a flight from Manchester to Paris - it isn’t a long flight by any means so that tells you how engrossed I was and how quickly I sped through this book!
The author writes domesticity and everyday human interactions with a tightness and accuracy that I loved, whilst also managing to find a perfect balance of humour and unease. Stand out stories for me (if I had to choose) were Spinning Wheels and The Choice. The former follows a Japanese businessman, who was recently demoted and given a new robot manager. All goes downhill from there. The latter tells the tale of a chronically indecisive young man who, after a collision with another train passenger, is left with the world’s slimmest smartphone lodged in his brain and the ultimate decision to make...
All of the tales within Takeout Sushi point towards the plights of modern life but the author manages to remain playful. It’s a collection that I picked up for a light read but one that will stick with me and, for this, I’m glad.
Reviewed by Abi.
Takeout Sushi was published on 02/05/24 by Neem Tree Press.
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