Publication Date: 2nd May
Format: Paperback
Price: Pb £8.99
Publisher: Neem Tree Press Limited
I would like to say a huge thank you to The Write Reads for organising and inviting me to take part on this wonderful and exciting collection of short stories tour. I would also like to say a huge thank you to Neem Tree Press for allowing me to read and review a physical copy. I would like to say a huge thank you to the creative talent, Christopher Green for creating and crafting some wonderful short stories that reflect modern Japan and its culture and traditions but also the many characters that make these different sides to Japan extraordinary and at times poignant. Intrigued? Let’s head to the blurb and find out a bit more.
Takeout Sushi, is a collection of 17 illustrated short stories set mostly in contemporary Japan that explores the 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…..
As soon as I started reading the first page, I was instantly hooked and swept up into these short stories. Japan feels like another character as you navigate your way through human interactions with each other or with the surrounding countryside itself. You have one story right at the beginning which involves a couple who have recently moved in together and one of them notices swallows are building a nest above their door, for them is is both exciting, charming and fun to have nature on their doorstep, whereas for the other person it is seen as a nuisance, dirty and irritating, this leads into one of the couple realising that their relationship won’t survive much longer than the span of the best and so when they do leave each other nature may have helped the process. There are many more wonderful little gems such as this story, and all are uniquely different and written in a beautifully simple style.
The illustrations also added a touch of charm to the whole collection. There are many tales of minor embarrassments especially one of a man who tries to prove he can do domestic chores but ends up hurting an awkward part of him instead. There’s also another tale of a practical joker that gets his comeuppance in “misdirection” all of these stories are crafted with love, care and devotion and show little snippets of normal life with some unique, strange and wonderful characters. I absolutely loved this collection, I can’t tell you which are my favourites as they all are brilliant.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves short stories and love Japan.
Ratings: 5 🌟s with a large ☕️ and a large 🍰
Author’s Blurb:
Christopher Green 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.For a little more about Christopher and his books, please visit http://www.greeninjapan.com
I hope you have enjoyed this lovely journey into a collection of wonderful stories based in and around Japan and how surroundings and the lives of these characters affect them. It has been a pleasure to read. If you are wanting a copy, you can find this on Amazon. I will leave you now to say Happy Reading and see you soon!!!
Zoe's Book Nook 