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A review by giulay
Hungry Hearts: 13 Tales of Food & Love by Elsie Chapman
3.0
Mini Rather Random Reviews™️
Rain by Sangu Mandanna: 2.5 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: Anna’s mum is dead. To remember her she decides she’s gonna cook her mother’s signature dish.
Ridiculously short personal comment: felt this story was a bit underdeveloped and too easy. Was not particularly thrilled by this one. And I thought the writing style was too basic, simple and juvenile. Indian Rep.
Kings and Queens by Elsie Chapman: 1.5 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: Chinese mafia meets Chinese restaurant.
Ridiculously short personal comment: pardon my French but what the actual fuck was this? I guess it is safe to say that I truly did not like this short story. I thought it was messy, underdeveloped and the writing style was a bit too choppy and detached for my tastes. It tried to be deep, profound and heart-breaking but it was just confusing, random and alienating. Also, I was not expecting this to be this gloom and – for lack of better word – violent, and I did not like it. Only cool thing was the last lines – literally. Chinese Rep.
The Grand Ishq Adventure by Sandhya Menon: 3 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: Girl-in-love runs a column giving romance advice, and a new e-mail arrives that will challenge her.
Ridiculously short personal comment:Super cute and relatable read. Nonetheless, it was painfully predictable; hence the average rating. Indian Rep.
Sugar and Spite by Rin Chupeco: 2 ⭐️ (TW: bullying)
Ridiculously short synopsis: magic, vengeance and cooking go hand in hand. Did you know that?
Ridiculously short personal comment: the second person narration threw me off so bad, I couldn’t really enjoy the story. It was a bit alienating, tbh. Filipino Rep.
Moments to Return by Adi Alsaid: 3 ⭐️ (TW: panic attacks)
Ridiculously short synopsis: girl freaks out when she thinks of death (#relatable). She decides to go on a culinary journey to get over her fear.
Ridiculously short personal comment: This was definitely darker than anticipated. If I gotta be honest, though, it was nothing groundbreaking but still, it was very much enjoyable. The writing style was good enough and the story developed smoothly. Montenegrin Rep.
The Slender One by Caroline Tung Richmond: 3.5 ⭐️ (TW: racism)
Ridiculously short synopsis: boy has to deal with ghosts. Who you gonna call? Him and his grandma, apparently.
Ridiculously short personal comment: This was super cute! Loved the story, the writing style and the characters! Mandarin-Chinese Rep.
Gimme Some Sugar by Jay Coles: 3 ⭐️ (TW: panic attacks, anxiety)
Ridiculously short synopsis: Masterchef, in book/short story form.
Ridiculously short personal comment: Liked this one as well. Really appreciated the relationship between the main character and his mum and his grandma. It touched my heart. His voice was fresh and funny at times. Overall, I thought the ending was too predictable and easy. Still cute, though! Black Rep.
The Missing Ingredient by Rebecca Roanhorse: 3 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: what are you willing to do to fulfill your dreams and aspirations? What are you willing to sacrifice?
Ridiculously short personal comment: What, in the sweet name of Jesus, did I just read? What the fuck did I just read? I am shooketh – and not in the positive way. I mean, actually, I gotta say that this story took me off guard. I definitely was not expecting the plot to unravel like that. It was confusing and unpredictable. And I truly appreciated it. Native American Rep.
Hearts à la Carte by Karuna Riazi: 1.5 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: Your guess is as good as mine, tbh. I do not know what the plot of this short story was. Send me a message if you’ve got a good synopsis for this story. Mine, for now, is: girl stars talking to a boy who literally fell from the sky. What happens next will confuse you.
Ridiculously short personal comment: I have no idea what happened. Did not like ti. The writing style was just…confusing. And I was detached by the story and the characters. Egyptian Rep.
Bloom by Phoebe North: 3.5 ⭐️ (TW: alcoholism, PTSD)
Ridiculously short synopsis: girl is trying her best to hang in there. Things are about to change.
Ridiculously short personal comment: This was so sad but also so sweet. I truly loved this one. I was a fan of the whole cultural and historical bits and pieces that were present throughout the story. Also, the main character is Bi. Good stuff! Jewish Rep.
A Bountiful Film by S. K. Ali: 4 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: girl wants to win a movie-competition and starts investigating in the strange disappearance of a boy.
Ridiculously short personal comment: finally. Finally a short story that I appreciated from start to finish! Really liked the characters, the atmosphere and the overall plot. Enjoyed every single aspect of this story. South Asian Rep.
Side Work by Sara Farizan: 3 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: after the car-crash, girl has to pay her father back so she drops her college-dreams and start working at the Peruvian family restaurant that is barely getting by. But things are about to change.
Ridiculously short personal comment: easy and simple read. Nothing groundbreaking or breath-taking, but still enjoyable and mindless. Moreover, the main character is lesbian. Persian Rep.
Panaderia-Pasteleria by Anna-Marie McLemore: 4 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: when words fail, turn to food and desserts.
Ridiculously short personal comment: Anna-Marie McLemore will never let me down – that’s a fact. This was honestly too short. I would more than gladly read a full length novel centered around these characters and their patisserie. The writing was magical and beautiful –McLemore’s style – the characters and the plot were lovely and lighthearted. What a goddamn masterpiece. Also, there was a trans character. Mexican Rep.
Overall
Rating: 2.88 ⭐️
Hungry Hearts was no exception to the previous experiences I had with collections of short stories: there were some (the minority, tbh) that I truly liked; there were others that I just couldn’t understand (again, the minority, thank god), and then there was the majority that I simply found okay, average.
It was a good and easy-to-read collection. Liked the cultural diversity and loved reading about the various foods. But I can’t say that I’ve been blown away.
Nonetheless, this was a very cute collection of short story centered around food, cultures and love and pride you feel for both these things.
Rain by Sangu Mandanna: 2.5 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: Anna’s mum is dead. To remember her she decides she’s gonna cook her mother’s signature dish.
Ridiculously short personal comment: felt this story was a bit underdeveloped and too easy. Was not particularly thrilled by this one. And I thought the writing style was too basic, simple and juvenile. Indian Rep.
Kings and Queens by Elsie Chapman: 1.5 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: Chinese mafia meets Chinese restaurant.
Ridiculously short personal comment: pardon my French but what the actual fuck was this? I guess it is safe to say that I truly did not like this short story. I thought it was messy, underdeveloped and the writing style was a bit too choppy and detached for my tastes. It tried to be deep, profound and heart-breaking but it was just confusing, random and alienating. Also, I was not expecting this to be this gloom and – for lack of better word – violent, and I did not like it. Only cool thing was the last lines – literally. Chinese Rep.
The Grand Ishq Adventure by Sandhya Menon: 3 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: Girl-in-love runs a column giving romance advice, and a new e-mail arrives that will challenge her.
Ridiculously short personal comment:Super cute and relatable read. Nonetheless, it was painfully predictable; hence the average rating. Indian Rep.
Sugar and Spite by Rin Chupeco: 2 ⭐️ (TW: bullying)
Ridiculously short synopsis: magic, vengeance and cooking go hand in hand. Did you know that?
Ridiculously short personal comment: the second person narration threw me off so bad, I couldn’t really enjoy the story. It was a bit alienating, tbh. Filipino Rep.
Moments to Return by Adi Alsaid: 3 ⭐️ (TW: panic attacks)
Ridiculously short synopsis: girl freaks out when she thinks of death (#relatable). She decides to go on a culinary journey to get over her fear.
Ridiculously short personal comment: This was definitely darker than anticipated. If I gotta be honest, though, it was nothing groundbreaking but still, it was very much enjoyable. The writing style was good enough and the story developed smoothly. Montenegrin Rep.
The Slender One by Caroline Tung Richmond: 3.5 ⭐️ (TW: racism)
Ridiculously short synopsis: boy has to deal with ghosts. Who you gonna call? Him and his grandma, apparently.
Ridiculously short personal comment: This was super cute! Loved the story, the writing style and the characters! Mandarin-Chinese Rep.
Gimme Some Sugar by Jay Coles: 3 ⭐️ (TW: panic attacks, anxiety)
Ridiculously short synopsis: Masterchef, in book/short story form.
Ridiculously short personal comment: Liked this one as well. Really appreciated the relationship between the main character and his mum and his grandma. It touched my heart. His voice was fresh and funny at times. Overall, I thought the ending was too predictable and easy. Still cute, though! Black Rep.
The Missing Ingredient by Rebecca Roanhorse: 3 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: what are you willing to do to fulfill your dreams and aspirations? What are you willing to sacrifice?
Ridiculously short personal comment: What, in the sweet name of Jesus, did I just read? What the fuck did I just read? I am shooketh – and not in the positive way. I mean, actually, I gotta say that this story took me off guard. I definitely was not expecting the plot to unravel like that. It was confusing and unpredictable. And I truly appreciated it. Native American Rep.
Hearts à la Carte by Karuna Riazi: 1.5 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: Your guess is as good as mine, tbh. I do not know what the plot of this short story was. Send me a message if you’ve got a good synopsis for this story. Mine, for now, is: girl stars talking to a boy who literally fell from the sky. What happens next will confuse you.
Ridiculously short personal comment: I have no idea what happened. Did not like ti. The writing style was just…confusing. And I was detached by the story and the characters. Egyptian Rep.
Bloom by Phoebe North: 3.5 ⭐️ (TW: alcoholism, PTSD)
Ridiculously short synopsis: girl is trying her best to hang in there. Things are about to change.
Ridiculously short personal comment: This was so sad but also so sweet. I truly loved this one. I was a fan of the whole cultural and historical bits and pieces that were present throughout the story. Also, the main character is Bi. Good stuff! Jewish Rep.
A Bountiful Film by S. K. Ali: 4 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: girl wants to win a movie-competition and starts investigating in the strange disappearance of a boy.
Ridiculously short personal comment: finally. Finally a short story that I appreciated from start to finish! Really liked the characters, the atmosphere and the overall plot. Enjoyed every single aspect of this story. South Asian Rep.
Side Work by Sara Farizan: 3 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: after the car-crash, girl has to pay her father back so she drops her college-dreams and start working at the Peruvian family restaurant that is barely getting by. But things are about to change.
Ridiculously short personal comment: easy and simple read. Nothing groundbreaking or breath-taking, but still enjoyable and mindless. Moreover, the main character is lesbian. Persian Rep.
Panaderia-Pasteleria by Anna-Marie McLemore: 4 ⭐️
Ridiculously short synopsis: when words fail, turn to food and desserts.
Ridiculously short personal comment: Anna-Marie McLemore will never let me down – that’s a fact. This was honestly too short. I would more than gladly read a full length novel centered around these characters and their patisserie. The writing was magical and beautiful –McLemore’s style – the characters and the plot were lovely and lighthearted. What a goddamn masterpiece. Also, there was a trans character. Mexican Rep.
Overall
Rating: 2.88 ⭐️
Hungry Hearts was no exception to the previous experiences I had with collections of short stories: there were some (the minority, tbh) that I truly liked; there were others that I just couldn’t understand (again, the minority, thank god), and then there was the majority that I simply found okay, average.
It was a good and easy-to-read collection. Liked the cultural diversity and loved reading about the various foods. But I can’t say that I’ve been blown away.
Nonetheless, this was a very cute collection of short story centered around food, cultures and love and pride you feel for both these things.