Takeout Sushi by Christopher Green is agreat collection of short stories based predominantly in contemporary Japan, but not exclusivlely (also Italy, America, South Africa) The theme that connects all of the short stories is a feeling of humanity, humour and the experience of living life. For humour, Burned is my clear favourite and for narrative, the Pool.

The illustrations are whimsical and give a really nice punctuation to each story

A very enjoyable collection and a book that can be read again and again

Thank you to Netgalley, Neem Tree Press and the author Christopher Green for this wonderful ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

I am a big fan of short story collections and there were some good ones in this book… but they were broken up by some that were long and not too engaging. I also struggle a bit with open endings, and a lot of the stories were really open.

But I feel like this is a good collection that isn’t meant to be read in one sitting. I appreciate the book because the good ones were that good.

Generally speaking, I am not a lover of short stories. However, every now and again I discover a collection which entices me to read them. When I was offered an advanced reader's copy of this book I was sufficiently interested to try it.

The stories are entertaining and some are written with wit and humour. I laughed out loud at the efforts that a husband went to demonstrate that he could cope alone when his wife was away on business in Burned.

There are just a few stories towards the end of the collection which are set in other parts of the world but are equally entertaining.

The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter were a nice addition, and I liked their simple yet appealing style.

I recommend this book to lovers of short stories and those interested in modern Japan.

4.5 stars.

With thanks to Netgalley for the early copy of this short story collection.

Unfortunately the first story wasn't for me but I raced through the rest and loved them. Such skill to write short stories that tell you everything you need in just a few pages. Many of these stories will stay with me for a long time to come.

In a Nutshell: An interesting collection of stories, with most of them set in Japan. Loved the writing style and enjoyed the diverse emotions. Much recommended!

This story collection has, as the title suggests, a strong Japanese flavour. So let me begin by confessing that I am not a fan of Japanese literature. Most Japanese fiction that I tried hasn’t suited my reading tastes, so I generally keep away from this genre. The reason I picked this collection up is... No, no, the sushi had no role to play in my decision; I can’t stand even the thought of sushi! The reason I wanted to read this is that the author is NOT a Japanese! 😁 I know this sounds quite silly to declare, but had the author been Japanese, I would have resisted opting for this. But by virtue of his being an “outsider”, I thought it was a great opportunity to get a look at Japan without risking the writing style’s not working for me yet again.

Usually, I avoid cultural fiction by non-OwnVoices writers as they often tend to be stereotypical. However, author Christopher Green has been a long-time resident of Japan, so his view of Japan has to be somewhat genuine. This factor also worked in favour of my interest.

“Takeout Sushi” is Green’s debut adult fiction collection, with some of the stories being inspired from his own experiences. The tales offer a memorable medley of both nihon-jin (Japanese resident) as well as gaijin (non-Japanese outsider) points of view, possibly due to the author’s dual perspective into the country of his residence.

The seventeen stories in this book are divided across two sections: “Stories of Japan, today”, which has thirteen stories, and “Stories of Other Places and Times”, which has the remaining four stories coming from non-Japanese settings. While I enjoyed most of the tales, the Japanese ones were superior to the rest.

Most of the Japan-centric stories in this collection have the main character as a non-Japanese settled in the country. They are ordinary characters living ordinary lives until one decision of theirs takes a turn for the extraordinary. The stories thus evoke a variety of emotions, ranging from hope to panic to fear to laughter. Each of them impacts the head and the heart!

It would have been easy to write every Japan-based story as a set of experiences of immigrant settlers. However, the stories in this book are absolutely varied in theme, never feeling repetitive or stereotypical, and none of them are about adjusting to the Japanese way of living i.e. the immigrant perspective. I appreciate this writing choice because it gives the book a far widespread range of topics and emotions to explore, and also makes it stand out in the plethora of similar-sounding immigrant narratives.

The stories in the second section offer a slightly different experience. Though these also had variety in content and intriguing characters, somehow they left me wanting more. Again, they aren’t bad stories at all. But in comparison with the outstanding Japanese set, the non-Japanese ones don’t leave as much of an impact. I wouldn’t even have minded if these stories had been skipped in favour of more Japanese experience tales.

Regardless, the writing in both sections is impeccable. Most stories have a clear flow, and whether written in first person or third person, you actually *feel* the narrator’s emotions. The author’s writing seems almost effortless, whether he is penning something funny or serious. The emotions spring genuinely from the situation and don’t feel shovelled into the narrative.

The endings of some of the tales felt a little abrupt. Thankfully, a majority of the stories reach a more realistic finish, if not a perfectly happy one. I like such endings better, but those who want a short story to seal off neatly might be dissatisfied.

Every story is introduced with a little illustration that represents the upcoming tale nicely. These add to the allure.

As always, I rated the stories individually. Of the seventeen stories, nine stories reached or crossed the 4 star mark. All the remaining stories got between 3-3.5 stars. In other words, not a single bad story for me; all were either good or great. My top favourites were:
🌸 Swallows - The emotions in this tale are stunning. It has a subtle kind of frustration and a hope that stems from nature. I have rarely seen male writers capture women’s feelings so well. (Sorry, that’s gender-biased, I know! But still…) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🌸 Burned - Easily, the best story of the book. The title made me assume that it might be a story of a disaster. Well, there was a disaster, but a man-made one. A MAN-made one! 😉 I laughed harder than I should have at this tale. My female-identifying friends, you will have a blast reading this. My male-identifying friends, this might be painful to read, but I hope you will learn a lifesaving lesson from this story. 😂 Fingers crossed that ‘Burned’ wasn't one of the stories inspired by the author's experiences! 😬🤭 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌸 Spinning Wheels - Corporate culture at its best, and worst. Loved how well this incorporates Japanese work ethic into a futuristic premise. All those worried about AI and its repercussions might enjoy this story. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🌸 The Jogger - Another story that didn't go the way I expected it to, and ended in an even more memorable way! The ending elevated my rating. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌸 Plastic Irises - This one really took me by surprise because I just didn’t figure out where it was going. The titular plastic irises are a nice metaphor to the content. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

All in all, I loved this unusual story collection. While the setting is primarily Japanese, the stories are more about the people than the place, and the human emotions are universal.

Heartily recommended to all lovers of short fiction and East Asian fiction, and to those who enjoy the journey more than the destination. This is one sushi (and the only sushi) that I’d love to try again!

3.9 stars, based on the average of my rating for each tale.

My thanks for a complimentary copy of “Takeout Sushi”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This collection of short stories has something for everyone! While nothing massively leaped out to me as truly standout, I really enjoyed all of the stories! As far as collections go, it was good - normally I veer heavily towards loving or hating short story collections, but here I found that they were all good, enjoyable, but not masterpieces. I'd recommend this to anyone attempting to find a short story collection they enjoy, but haven't had any luck with what's currently on the market.

A collection of stories primarily set in Japan, but written from different points of view. I think it is fair to say that there is something for everyone here. As a person who has lived in Japan, I found the stories relatable and quite apt. Green knows of what he writes! I admit that I skipped the few stories that weren't set in Japan, because, after all, I just came here for the sushi!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. Itadakimasu!

I enjoyed reading this collection of stories based in Japan. My favourites were 'Bodies', 'The Choice' and 'Venus'. They stuck with me the most as they were all so unique. A lot of the stories have messages behind them, I thought, and I really liked reading this book.

Thank you NEEM tree press and TheWriteReads PR for connecting me with this review copy. I enjoyed many of the short stories, the somewhat abrupt and tangental writing worked for me as it captured a more real, lived in experience, I felt connected to little snapshots and insights into the character's experiences. Some of the stories felt a little less focused and harder to connect with but overall this was an thoughtful set of stories that helped me consider diverse cultural experiences.

I rarely read short story collections because I find them so hard to review as books. Obviously I’m going to like some of the stories more than others and therefore, the whole thing becomes a bit of a balancing act. However, this one stood out to me as something I’d enjoy because most of them are set in Japan and comment on Japanese culture, which is really interesting to me. Thank you to The WriteReads for allowing me to join the blog tour for it!

Takeout Sushi features 17 short stories each with a matching illustration. The stories focus on social interactions, corporate life, displacement, loneliness and more.

Each of the stories are prefaced by a simple line illustration by Rebecca Purton. They give a flavour of what’s to come and I would have loved to have seen them in colour for that extra bit of life in the stories.

The opening story Swallows has a melancholic tone as it sees a couple who want different things in life. Matsu has always done the things that Tsune wants to do, so while she is full of wonder about certain things like the swallow nest in their building, he is bored by it. Although the ending is sad, there is an inevitability there.

Moving on to Burned, which is a funny story with a clumsy narrator. It’s an honest, unromantic look at long term relationships in an amusing voice.

Spinning Wheels is a dark cynical satirical view of corporate life and how dangerous technology can be. It’s a narrative where robots take over and how that could potentially play out. It’s about being undervalued at work and how big companies value profit and efficiency over people and experiences.

The Choice is a strange story with a funny ending. It’s about making choices and how sometimes choices are made for us. It is perhaps the most philosophical in the collection but still uses the dry style of the rest of the collection.

Swirl is a sad yet triumphant story of a widow who discovers that her late husband had another life as a poet, when he posthumously wins a haiku competition. There are mixed feelings of grief, anger and victory against him at the end as she is annoyed that he kept it from her and appears to have been inspired by a past that doesn’t include her.

Like Burned, Crimes For Dummies is centred on an idiotic character. It has a very abrupt ending and that was really jarring.

Bodies is a story of introversion and a character finding their feet as an immigrant. There is a really lovely, satisfying, happy ending.

Magpie Man is a story of redemption and realising you were wrong. Much like the previous narrative, it’s about feeling out of place in a foreign country.

In Apartment 601, there is a strange, unsettling vibe that has an unexpected dull ending. I really wanted some more darkness from this one because it had the potential!

The Tree is a story of neighbours and the effects of unemployment. It’s a small contained story that perhaps has much more going on internally than what we see on the page.

Misdirection sees a classic anxiety dream come true, when the narrator meets a stranger who he previously gave wrong directions to. I definitely felt that anxiety in the writing and that character could have become really relatable, had I spent more time with them.

Plastic Irises explores feelings of loneliness and the disrupting of social norms within a big city, as the narrator is thrown out of a cafe for talking to strangers. It’s also about transitioning between life stages, as the narrator has recently entered retirement.

The Jogger is a funny story about giving in to temptation, as the narrator steals a stranger’s luxury car and goes for a joyride. The anxiety builds and then it gently puts you back down with a ’d'oh!’.

The collection then shifts to a group of stories set in other places and times than contemporary Japan. I’m not sure these stories really belong in this collection and would have perhaps been more appreciated in another book entirely.

Venus is about a painting that has been hidden from public view for decades and is finally unveiled. The story has a really poignant, sweet reveal at the end.

Henry Sparkles is a moving story set during World War One, following the relationship between a young artist and a sparrowhawk that he raises. I could feel the sorrow and fear that war brings as well as how it lingers but Barney the sparrowhawk felt like a symbol of hope.

The Pool is a strange tale of grief and obsession, told by a haunted soul.

Anything But Nice sees a woman with an odd obsession with a particular model of Citroen due to a man who ghosted her years before. She ends up letting go of her attachment to both the car and him.

Takeout Sushi is simply written and Green’s style is very matter-of-fact. There isn’t much in the way of description but as these little slice of life snapshots are so character focused, I’m not sure it matters so much. I don’t think short stories as a format are really for me because I always end up wanting more but I did enjoy some of these stories a lot, so I’d recommend it if you like short stories.

The author of this book is not Japanese. Defends his reasoning for writing the book as having lived in Japan with his wife since 1994. A cis het white man living in Japan does not a Japanese man make. Some of the stories in this book really dance on the line of what’s acceptable for a non Japanese author to write. I’d much rather support the work of an own voices Japanese author, especially given the disparities of publishing statistics between white and minority/ BIPOC authors. Additionally there is a short story in this book that mentions Harry Potter. Again I will remind readers and authors alike that including Harry Potter content of any kind in any work is unacceptable and transphobic. Trans people have shared that due to the authors views and transphobic actions the Harry Potter franchise is no long safe for them and hurts and harms them. This is basic information known within the Bookstagram and LGBTQIAP+ community, and I encourage all authors to never mention the franchise again.

DNF @ 72%

My sincerest thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

one of the prettiest covers! i was't sure about this one at first and then i discovered that the writing style changes with each story which i enjoyed. i liked the humour, the variety of situations, and the breadth of culture.just sometimes with short stories i feel i;ve read enough, by the time i get to a certain point

This is an EXCELLENT story collection. All very unique and compelling. Even with a few that seem to start off feeling very ordinary and quiet, something happens, and it was like a jolt that made me sit up more in my seat. I actually quite love how ordinary the characters and circumstances are in these stories, but then the most extraordinary events take place. I will be re-reading many of these!

The beautiful, bright blue cover of this book was so eye-catching that I couldn't resist requesting it. At the time, though, I wasn't expecting much beyond a few short stories set in Japan. However, as I delved into each story, I was glad I had made the right move in requesting it.

Takeout Sushi is a collection of 13 short stories showcasing the complexity of the city and interactions of an humans day-to-day life in Japan. The author, having lived in Japan for some time now, has precisely captured the essence of contemporary Japan and its people, penning each story in a witty manner along with a range of emotions. Each story was meaningful and carries a moral of some kind. The stories mainly focus on a variety of dynamics such as the relationship between husband and wife, boss and employee, the city and its citizens, etc. Additionally, the book includes 4 bonus stories from a different time and setting. This book also showcases some simple illustrations.

Though, I liked most of the stories, here is a glimpse into some of my favourites:

Swallow tells the story of a childless husband and wife who move into a new apartment, where swallows have built their nest. The wife finds comfort in seeing the swallows hatch and grow, but resistance from the husband brings the story to a practical end.

Burned was the most funniest story in the whole book and one of my favourites.This story teaches us never to iron clothes naked. Specially, if you're a man.

Spinning Wheels tells the story of a hardworking employee stripped of his managerial position and transferred to another department when the company decides to hire robots to improve efficiency. What happens next is a disaster, highlighting that robots can never truly replace humans.

Magpie Man is the story of a common office-goer who begins finding unique small lost objects on the road fallen from the pockets on commuters on their way to the station. Instead of returning the objects to the lost and found department, he ends up keeping it in a cookie box in his apartment, which eventually grows into a habit. But what happens in the end forces him to reflect on breaking this habit for good.

Henry Sparkles is another heart-touching story where an artist is called to serve at the Western Front and finds comfort in a sparrowhawk amidst the war.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to reading more from the author in future. Highly recommended if you like short stories and Japanese Lit.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers at Neem Tree Press and Author Christopher Green for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Takeout Sushi is an unexpectedly fun collection of short stories with a twist.

The blurb attracted me with the comparison to Before The Coffee Gets Cold. I am a big fan of contemporary Japanese literature, especially slice-of-life cozy stories, and this book didn't disappoint. The topics of the stories range from robots to car enthusiasts to personal relationships. They're all well written and can stand on their own as compelling little slices of life in Japan from the point of view of an immigrant.

What I didn't expect was for the book to actually feature two parts - the one set in contemporary Japan spans about 75% of the book, and there's a shorter collection of assorted stories from various places around the world and across time. It initially felt a bit jarring to move from one section to the other because I enjoyed the first part so much, but that soon stopped when I realized this second part is equally well written and somehow even more enthralling than the first. It's like discovering a hidden bonus chapter at the end of your favorite author's book that gives you more of what you loved before you even knew you wanted it.

Overall, you get 2 themed collections bundled in one enjoyable book that is sure to serve as a nice palate cleanser in between longer reads. This is great for fans of Japanese literature and short stories as a format.

✨ Disclaimer ✨ I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.

Takeout Sushi is a collection of short stories mainly set in Japan. It's a solid collection with some standing out more than others. I think I expected more of an exploration of Japanese culture when reading the stories but I did enjoy most of them.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Takeout Sushi' by Christopher Green.

'Takeout Sushi' by Christopher Green is a collection of short stories. And as is common with short stories, there's some you enjoy and some you just dislike. I really liked the little sketches after each story, it redeemed even the stories I disliked. Green has a nice writing style so I would be interested to read more from him.

I’m afraid that this collection of short stories really wasn’t for me, and I left it unfinished 60% of the way through (11 of the 17 stories).

These stories are small slices of life, mostly from the perspective of a foreigner living in Japan. Each little vignette nicely captures a mood, but, while there was a charm in many of them, the mood that was mostly captured seemed to be that of a mundane daily life. The world being painted felt quite grey. Unfortunately, I simply wasn’t engaged by any of the stories, and I found the outcome of most of them to be unremarkable. There were a few times when the author teased me with a what seemed to be a tantalising moment of insight - for example, the subjective nature of “under budget, and on time” in ‘Spinning Wheels’, or ignoring the roots while being captivated by the leaves in ‘The Tree’ - but these were unsatisfyingly underdeveloped.

Maybe I’m missing the point. Maybe the point is to immerse oneself in the grey mundanity of daily life, and enjoy these gentle fables of regret, hubris, and growth.

I did laugh out loud in ‘Burned’, though. And the illustrations are nice.

Thank you #NetGalley and Neem Tree Press for the free review copy of #TakeoutSushi in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A thoroughly enjoyable short story collection which I devoured in two sittings!

The only critique I have is that the last few stories not based in Japan felt a little out of place but they were still great so perhaps would have been better suited in a collection of their own!

This was a delight to read and it's a good insight into different aspect of Japanese culture. Enjoyed it quite a bit!