Takeout Sushi

Christopher Green’s latest book, Takeout Sushi, is a captivating collection of slice-of-life short stories that transports readers into the heart of Japan. Despite not being a native speaker, Green masterfully captures the essence of Japanese culture, delivering stories that feel authentic and deeply immersive. The anthology is a delightful blend of genres, categorized under “Stories of Japan” and “Stories of Other Places and Time.”

Unlike typical immigrant narratives that tend to focus on the challenges of adapting to a new land, Green’s approach is refreshingly different. Much like sushi with its diverse flavours and fillings, each story in this collection explores a unique theme, from the emotional to the humorous, nostalgic, and even futuristic. These stories are not just entertaining but also hopeful and thought provoking—all woven together by Green’s engaging writing style.

Green’s narrative provides a vivid and honest glimpse into the Japanese way of life, with rich visual imagery that makes the brief journey to Tokyo and other parts of Japan feel incredibly real. However, the second part of the collection, though well-written, didn’t resonate as strongly with me. But almost all the stories still surpass the three-star mark.

Some of my favourite stories are Swallows, Burned, Crime for Dummies (loved the unique narrative style), Anywhere but Nice (with its clever wordplay), Magpie Man, and Apartment 601 (this one had my imagination running wild with scenarios ranging from horror to the paranormal).

Just as sushi might not be everyone’s first choice, some may find the idea of this anthology unusual. However, for those who enjoy soothing, thought-provoking stories set in Asia, Takeout Sushi is definitely a delightful read.

Wordsopedia Rating–4/5

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Neem Tree Press. This review reflects my honest and voluntary opinion.

Buy your copy here on Amazon

About the Author

Born in Middlesbrough, UK, Chris grew up in various locations in the UK, Germany and South Africa. He writes short stories and children’s stories, sometimes illustrated by Jenny Fionda, his sister.

Chris’ favourite authors include Graham Greene, Shusaku Endo, Raymond Carver, Kuniko Mukoda, Ha Jin, Eric Carle and John Ryan (of Captain Pugwash fame). ​

Chris has been in Japan since 1994 and currently lives near Tokyo with his wife and daughter. When he is not working and writing, he pens poor haiku in Japanese and plays park golf badly, but not at the same time!

Get in touch with the author on his website.

This post is part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2024, a 15-day blogging challenge.