Hard to rate this based on one very short, short story

It's a fun story written in an inventive and interesting way

I look forward to reading the rest of the stories when the book is published

I really enjoyed the sample short story that I read - The Shadow Over Little Chitaly. The format of the story was unusual, being told entirely through the medium of food delivery app reviews, but a strange and amusing picture gradually emerged.

I’d like to read the rest of the stories in the collection and am looking forward to publication in November..

Much like the characters in this short story, I didn't know what I was getting into! It seems I'm not alone, but it's completely my fault for not realising this was just a short story and not the entire collection. I jumped at the chance to read Clark's newest work and I'm still grateful for the preview! That said, it's pretty hard to judge a collection based on a 13 page entry. However, the choice of story has intrigued me. Given Clark's other work, I thought the hunger would be metaphorical, but this was literal in the sense that it's people reviewing takeaway - which is also quite funny. I'm a big fan of author's playing around with formats as well, especially in short story collections. I find it helps me stay engaged and can make the book more memorable. Overall, still very keen to get my hands on all the stories. Love the cover too. Need more asap!

The Shadow Over Little Chitaly is brilliant storytelling in a bite sized chunk (pardon the pun). Clarke’s writing lends itself to the uncanny and strange and manages to capture the essence of different formats (evidenced in the brilliance of Penance). I’m truly impressed by a short story focused solely on the just eat reviews of an elusive restaurant whose strangeness eludes its customers and becomes somewhat a ghostly and omnipotent presence. Definitely has me intrigued as to what else has been cooked up for the rest of the collection.

Well colour me intrigued! This galley included one story from Eliza Clark's forthcoming short story collection (the first collection to follow her stellar novels Boy Parts and Penance), called "The Shadow Over Little Chitaly." It was a pretty quick 13 page read, told entirely in a sort of epistolary format of Google/Yelp reviews from customers who ordered food delivery from a mysterious restaurant with no physical storefront. The IG pizza account mentioned in the short story is a real account associated with the short story in question, lending further mystery to the story (https://www.instagram.com/hannah_special_pizza). Having now read the title story ("She’s Always Hungry") excerpt in Granta and "The Shadow Over Little Chitaly", I am fully on board to see what Eliza Clark has in store for us this November! She's Always Hungry comes out November 12.

Eliza Clark's short story, 'The Shadow Over Little Chitaly' was absolutely delightful. I felt like Little Chitaly was a real restaurant, and oddly enough, I found myself excited to move from review to review and see what would happen next. This short story was pretty bizarre, and had a strange uncanny vibe to it that drew me in as a lover of all things spooky. It was funny, unsettling, and weird all at once. I don't know why I found it so compelling but I'll definitely buy the full novel when it comes out!

I didn't notice this would only be a very short story in the book. I haven't read Clark before and this was pretty short and with a creative style that doesn't tell me much about the book nor if I'd like the collection. It was okay, too short and it had nothing special but how it was written. 2.5 stars.

I'll keep an eye out for the whole book as ARC or in the library.

3.5
'The Shadow Over Little Chitaly'
This short story presents a quirky format as it is made up of reviews for a Chinese/Italian takeaway which may or may not exist. These customer reviews were really funny and fully of character. We don't get much closure on the mystery of Little Chitaly but this taste of She's Always Hungry (accidental pun) has definitely maintained, if not increased, my excitement for Eliza's new publication. How I wish this arc was the fully story collection.

I didn't read the description. It didn't seem necessary considering the cover/title and the author had already sold me.
I read this SHORT STORY in about 3 minutes and what can I say? It was fine. Interesting gimmick, which gets old quickly and never satisfactorily wraps up. As a stand alone, it's not a strong story but is potentially part of a good collection.
I am bothered that my rating will represent a collection when I haven't had the chance to read it.

Aww, I didn't realize it was just the first story of the collection—I was so hyped 😄

But nevertheless I dove in and was confronted by a wonderfully weird first short story. Now I'm all the more ready for November!

sorry, i don’t think i connected to it at all. i guess i liked boy part’s build up with its peculiarity and eeriness, but as a short story (or a collection of it) it might just be too much for me. thank you for the arc!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Faber & Faber Ltd for the digital galley in exchange for my honest review.

I’m so excited to read She’s Always Hungry and was disappointed to only see a snippet. I liked “The Shadow over Little Chitaly” and was entertained but I’m certain it won’t be the strongest story in the collection.

It was told in an interesting format and reminded me of the mixed medias used in Carmen Maria Machado’s “Her Body and Other Parties.”

'The Shadow over Little Chitaly'

Eliza Clark you never fail to amaze me. This short story is told through restaurant reviews for a peculiar takeaway spot called 'Little Chitaly', who seems to serve Italian/chinese fusion and delivered by an super speed Aussie dude. But as guests soon see, theres clearly a twist. Clark has such an authentic and engaging comic voice which ultimately pulls this whole text together. She is able to avoid the online writing cliche's by actually just being f*cking hilarious. ('They can suck my big clitaly' is a fave). You would wonder how she's able to create characters and a storyline through a bunch of restaurant reviews, and yet she does it! And it's fun!

Im SO ready to pounce on this when it comes out in November - im normally an avoider of short stories collection but i'm hooked already give me more!

I'm so confused .... but so interested.

I've got to get my hands on that Hawaiian pizza.

my reply: :)

A great collection of unsettling and bizarre stories all centred around the theme of hunger, which makes sense cause this book ATE. If you’ve read Eliza Clark’s other books you’ll be sure to love this and if you new to this author, firstly where have you been? And secondly, give it a go!

As a big fan of Boy Parts, I knew as soon as I saw this I wanted to read it. The arc is one of the short stories; which is in the format of Google reviews of a mysterious 'Chitalian' (that's Chinese/Italian) fusion restaurant. In particular, one patron who keeps going back for more. Loved the format, very unique and unexpected, didn't know I would feel so creeped out from reading Google Reviews! I'm super intrigued to read the rest of these stories and can't wait for the book to release!

Eliza Clark's "The Shadow Over Chitaly" is an intriguing short story (a chapter from the book) told through a series of wild Justeat reviews for the Chitaly restaurant, each from a completely different location in England. Each review contributes to the narrative, yet I couldn't help but feel the story was incomplete (perhaps the other short stories are interconnected). As an excerpt from her upcoming collection, it's a fun and engaging read, and left me wanting to read more.

She’s Always Hungry - Eliza Clark
(The Shadow of Little Chitaly)

I have more questions than ever after reading this. I’m pretty sure the description I read when requesting this ARC didn’t highlight that it was a short story, part of a larger collection. Hence me being extremely confused when reading what appeared to be a collection of reviews for a takeaway.

However, after looking back at the description and getting a better idea of what the ARC actually was, it made a lot more sense (kind of). I still have no idea what it was about, why the delivery driver spoke in an Australian accent, delivered to houses hundreds of miles away and put apple on their Hawaiian pizza. Although, the review about the option to order ‘boneless pizza’ made me laugh out loud.

It was weird, made me slightly uncomfortable but also made me laugh. I didn’t hate it, but I am extremely confused.

Thank you NetGalley and Faber and Faber for the ARC in return for an honest review!

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this short story

Reading this I felt like I had been thrown in halfway through a book since it was only 13 pages long so I felt a bit lost in its journey

finito di leggere in poco tempo questo raccontino, molto interessante, particolare per lo stile e la modalità. un po' weird, decisamente strano, non vedo l'ora di leggere il resto della raccolta!