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A review by pleasereadittome
I'm Not Hungry But I Could Eat by Christopher Gonzalez
4.0
The title and description of “I’m Not Hungry But I Could Eat” – also a personal life motto – is what prompted me to add this to my queue, and I’m glad I did. While food or alcohol is a thread between each story, it’s the themes of sacrifice, belonging and coping that drew me in.
Christopher Gonzalez applied sardonic humor to mundane situations - like happy hours, housewarmings and bachelor parties - but also gave each story an emotional center to make you care. He showed a measured restraint in his prose and keen sense for understanding when an idea had run its course. If only more writers were that self-aware.
Oftentimes with themed collections, each story is a variation of the next, but that wasn’t the case here. Some tried to do a little too much, but all were satisfying and unique. I honestly could not tell where most were heading.
The standouts: "Better Than All That," Enough For Two To Share," "I'm Not Hungry But I Could Eat," Here's The Situation" and "Juan, Actually." Of the 15 stories, only two completely missed the mark and three were interesting but full of mid-20s problems I can't relate to anymore.
Minor criticisms aside, the length of this collection makes it a must read for fans of the genre. Christopher Gonzalez showed a lot of promise with this debut, and I’m eager for him to write a full-length novel.
Christopher Gonzalez applied sardonic humor to mundane situations - like happy hours, housewarmings and bachelor parties - but also gave each story an emotional center to make you care. He showed a measured restraint in his prose and keen sense for understanding when an idea had run its course. If only more writers were that self-aware.
Oftentimes with themed collections, each story is a variation of the next, but that wasn’t the case here. Some tried to do a little too much, but all were satisfying and unique. I honestly could not tell where most were heading.
The standouts: "Better Than All That," Enough For Two To Share," "I'm Not Hungry But I Could Eat," Here's The Situation" and "Juan, Actually." Of the 15 stories, only two completely missed the mark and three were interesting but full of mid-20s problems I can't relate to anymore.
Minor criticisms aside, the length of this collection makes it a must read for fans of the genre. Christopher Gonzalez showed a lot of promise with this debut, and I’m eager for him to write a full-length novel.