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A review by justinkhchen
She's Always Hungry by Eliza Clark
4.75
An eclectic collection of vivid, imaginative work, if you have not yet read from Eliza Clark, this short stories collection is a great point of entry. I really enjoyed Boy Parts, but can acknowledge its literary 'edginess' might not be everyone's cup of tea. She's Always Hungry on the other hand feels more 'loose and fun' readable and less like the author is writing to win prestigious accolades. Overall highly recommend!
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Build a Body Like Mine: 3.5 stars
A decent opener. While the reveal isn't particularly surprisingly, the buildup and overall execution really makes it tongue in cheek and darkly comedic.
The Problem Solver: 3 stars
There's a point to this, but overall a little stagnant due to it's very short length.
She's Always Hungry: 4.25 stars
An off-kilter, dark and imaginative folklore—I can see why this ends up being the marquee story for the collection. Vibe-wise reminiscent of Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh.
The Shadow Over Little Chitaly: 5 stars
A collection of food delivery reviews about a mystical Chinese-Italian restaurant. Did Eliza write this while she was high!? This is so silly (in a great way) and oddly mouth-watering, love it!
Hollow Bones: 5 stars
A sci-fi body horror fever dream packed with haunting, surrealist imagery. There's a surprising amount of world building here—now I need the full-length novel taking place in this universe!
Goth GF: 4 stars
A welcoming palette cleanser after a series of out-there, fantastical stories. A candid and grounded depiction of a submissive male, in style that is more reminiscent of the Eliza Clark I'm familiar with (reminds me of Boy Parts).
Extinction Event: 4.25 stars
An extremely effective eco-thriller, vividly envisioned and rightfully anxiety-inducing.
Nightstalkers: 4 stars
Another very nice change of pace with a slice of life teenage angst.
Shake Well: 4.5 stars
This feels like a great fusion of the two modes this collection is operating under so far: depiction of contemporary anxiety (towards beauty in this case) and potent dosage of grotesqueness.
The King: 5 stars
A satirical tale of barbaric power struggle between 2 Gods after global destruction — love the snarky humor in this one!
Company Man: 4 stars
A dream-like psychological suspense with a great setup, the reveal turns out to be a tad predictable.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
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Build a Body Like Mine: 3.5 stars
A decent opener. While the reveal isn't particularly surprisingly, the buildup and overall execution really makes it tongue in cheek and darkly comedic.
The Problem Solver: 3 stars
There's a point to this, but overall a little stagnant due to it's very short length.
She's Always Hungry: 4.25 stars
An off-kilter, dark and imaginative folklore—I can see why this ends up being the marquee story for the collection. Vibe-wise reminiscent of Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh.
The Shadow Over Little Chitaly: 5 stars
A collection of food delivery reviews about a mystical Chinese-Italian restaurant. Did Eliza write this while she was high!? This is so silly (in a great way) and oddly mouth-watering, love it!
Hollow Bones: 5 stars
A sci-fi body horror fever dream packed with haunting, surrealist imagery. There's a surprising amount of world building here—now I need the full-length novel taking place in this universe!
Goth GF: 4 stars
A welcoming palette cleanser after a series of out-there, fantastical stories. A candid and grounded depiction of a submissive male, in style that is more reminiscent of the Eliza Clark I'm familiar with (reminds me of Boy Parts).
Extinction Event: 4.25 stars
An extremely effective eco-thriller, vividly envisioned and rightfully anxiety-inducing.
Nightstalkers: 4 stars
Another very nice change of pace with a slice of life teenage angst.
Shake Well: 4.5 stars
This feels like a great fusion of the two modes this collection is operating under so far: depiction of contemporary anxiety (towards beauty in this case) and potent dosage of grotesqueness.
The King: 5 stars
A satirical tale of barbaric power struggle between 2 Gods after global destruction — love the snarky humor in this one!
Company Man: 4 stars
A dream-like psychological suspense with a great setup, the reveal turns out to be a tad predictable.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**