Takoyaki Tales - Christopher Green - ★★★.½

AUTHOR: Christopher Green

GENRE: Short Story Collection

PUBLICATION DATE: August 6, 2026

RATING: 3.4 stars.

In a Nutshell: A short story collection spanning multiple genres. Set in Japan and elsewhere. Relatable characters with realistic reactions, even when the situations are surreal. A good collection that somehow misses the oomph to make it great. Still, an entertaining enough read.

This short story collection contains eighteen stories divided across two sections. The first section contains eleven stories set in Japan (though the protagonists aren’t necessarily Japanese), while the remaining seven stories are the second section titled “Stories of Elsewhere.”

There is no author’s note or foreword introducing the stories, but as I had read the author’s debut story collection, ‘Takeout Sushi’, I knew what to expect and this collection worked on similar lines.

I am usually not a fan of non-OwnVoices writers penning stories about a culture they don’t have first-hand experience of, but the author is a Britisher who has been a resident of Japan for a long time. This not only reflects a familiarity with Japan in his writing but also creates the opportunity to present one of three character perspectives in the stories: that of a Japanese, that of a white in Japan, or of a character in some other country. All these three are utilised in his stories. I like that he doesn’t resort to the immigrant narrative in his writing, instead looking at all his characters as insiders to the country and culture.

While there is no common genre across the stories, each of them shows a character caught in a difficult situation. What makes the story strong is the response of the character: it is always relatable and believable rather than over the top. As such, it is easier to connect with the characters even when their situations aren’t necessarily realistic.

The stories employ a good mix of first-person and third-person narratives, and the prose is simple enough to make this a quick read. The endings are mostly on point.

Strangely, in both the story collections, I enjoyed the author’s Japanese stories better than the stories set in other locations. The latter stories are also good, but something stops them from being remarkable.

Each story begins with a pencil illustration, which connects well to the core conflict of the tale.

As always, I rated the stories individually. Of the eighteen stories, seven earned four or more stars. Most of the rest got 3-3.5 stars, which means I ended up liking most of the stories. Here are my top favourites, all from the ‘Stories of Japan’ section:

🌬 Wild is the Wind: Such a great first story! I would have given it all the stars had I got a few more answers from it. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

🚑 Sirens: An interesting story possibly set in the near-future. I enjoyed the overall flow as well as the ending. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

⚰ Intuition: A story about a death and yet a story that helps us appreciate life better. Quite nice. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

🪑 Red Chair: A story as simple as the title and yet interesting. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

🍣 A Matter of Taste: A very interesting story about an ex rugby player caught in a sticky situation. Simple yet thought-provoking. Loved the ending. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

🚓 The Prisoner: A nice cat-and-mouse story with a fun ending. I enjoyed the thrilling ride. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

☠ Fallout: Quite a lengthy story that took some time to get going. But once I got into the groove of this multi-perspective story, I was hooked. Not for those who need answers to every question. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overall, this turned out to be a good collection with many satisfying stories. Many of them would have worked even better for me had they contained some punch, but they strode too close to the safe zone. The stories that ended up my favourites were all ones that pushed the boundaries in some way. Regardless, this collection offers a lot of thought-provoking entertainment, even if it won't be too memorable in the long run.

Recommended to readers of short fiction looking for an eclectic collection.

3.4 stars, based on the average of my ratings for each story.

My thanks to Eye Books Group and Wilton Square Books for providing the DRC of “Takoyaki Tales” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.