Average story rating: 3.75 ☆

Eliza Clark breaks into the short fiction space in her short story collection She’s Always Hungry. The collection is loosely shaped around the themes of hunger, desire, and consumption, and Clark does an excellent job of exploring how these themes and motifs may manifest across a wide variety of genres. While each story is distinct in its own way, Clark’s prose shines throughout the collection, and her razor-sharp wit and dark humor give the book a cohesive feel. This is a great collection to tear through in just a few sittings, and is perfect for anyone wanting to feel unsettled and a little grossed out.

My favorite stories were those that delved into science fiction and dystopia, genres that I haven’t seen Eliza Clark explore in the past and hope that she incorporates more into her future work. My personal five stars from this collection were “Hollow Bones,” “Extinction Event,” and “Company Man.” An honorable mention goes out to “The King,” which was this extremely fun, campy work of absurdist dystopian fiction that read like the best parts of Fallout and Ali Hazelwood’s Bride wrapped up into one neat little package. Some of the shorter stories feel a bit lackluster in comparison, and the longer stories do a majority of the heavy lifting when it comes to the collection’s nuance and complexity. But I have also seen other reviewers highlight my least favorite stories as their personal standouts of the collection, so it’s all very much about personal taste.

The fun thing about short story collections centered on a theme or motif instead of a specific guiding genre is that there’s probably a little bit of something in here for every kind of reader (as long as you’re down to get a little weird and a little gross). Like all short story collections, there were some stories that played more to my personal tastes than others, but I recommend this one very highly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the e-ARC of this collection in exchange for my honest review.

This short story collection was truly remarkable. As someone who tends to be critical of short story collections, I had reservations about whether I would enjoy this one. However, Clark has proven to be an exceptionally talented contemporary writer. Each story carries a subtle, unsettling horror vibe and delves into contemporary issues such as body dysmorphia, assault, isolation, internet addiction, and more.

A collection of truth and macabre. Eat a big meal while reading this one. ;)

Would love a PB!

She’s Always Hungry was such a twisted treat. Clark wields her pen with lethal precision, mastering horror’s ability to get under your skin and interrogate social topics in an entirely different light.

Eliza Clark has just a captivating way of writing, it is all at once gross, humourous and deeply enticing. This short story collection explores that tantalising pull of desire in a range of forms of hunger, the type that leaves a gnaw inside you, consuming you. There are some difficult topics explored here, so you may wish to check content warnings, but Clark handles them with nuance and sensitivity. It is the type of horror that is designed to provoke and question, leaving you pondering its central themes. Clark’s writing is acerbic and addictive, delving into these topics with laser-like precision. These stories often take fairly common ideas or forms of hunger and twist them into warped, odd and unsettling stories. Clark packs in some fantastic twists throughout the collection. Every page feels impactful and carefully considered, with words deliberately chosen to provoke the reader. I always admire a writer that can pull off that potential lurking in a short story – how much it can deliver in such a short space. I would read the full-length versions of pretty much all these stories based on Clark’s slant on the brilliant ideas at their centre. Many are jarring and move into surreal territory but this just enticed me further.

I really appreciated how experimental in terms of form and narrative stylings this collection was. Clark takes risks and they pay off tenfold. I mean where else would you find a short body horror tale within the online reviews of a restaurant? There is quite a bit of Internet culture woven into this connection and is often quite evident in the writing, particularly that wry sense of humour. I loved how grounded the horror often was and how Clark found new insights into the everyday. You can recognise a lot of these characters in people you may know, while some are these hugely exaggerated forces. I have previously loved her characterisation and sense of voice, which is strengthened by this collection. In particular, there is a sense of dark humour that runs throughout the book. It is smart and striking, allowing for a moment of levity in these often intense situations. Humour is a weapon wielded by the wise and Clark utilises it perfectly. The collection bounces around different genres, usually spiralling out from a central idea around a form of hunger. It is just incredibly enticing and skin crawling in equal measure. We often encounter horrific scenarios, both frighteningly real and stepping into the realm of the other.

There is not a weak story amongst the bunch. Even those that may not hit as much for me still had fascinating components and that same strength of writing running throughout. They tie together thematically so well despite the vastly differing stylings. It feels like a cohesive if chaotic collection that I would highly recommend. If you want that slight sense of unease and distrust while reading, this is definitely a book for you. Clark’s writing is challenging and thought-provoking, offering no easy answers. Instead it is the type that thrives on ambiguity and the shadows of morality, leading to plenty of discussions after reading. For me, there were some absolute standouts in this collection, namely Build a Body Like Mine, The Problem Solver, Shake Well and The King. They just had slightly more impact on me, maybe because of themes discussed or that characteristic nuance Clark delivers.

She’s Always Hungry was absolutely sublime and you will be left ravenous for more.

A couple stories really shone for me, but overall the collection felt a bit thematically broad. The last couple stories didn’t really work for me, making the collection seem more lackluster than it was after I finished. Pleasantly surprised by the science fiction stories, but maybe they’d have been more at home in a different collection.

Thought I had finally met a short story collection that I would absolutely love, and I was proven wrong once again.

If these stories were a sandwich, I would only have eaten the bread. What I am trying to say is the only two stories I actually quite enjoyed were the first and last ones. There is just something about lesbians and worms. It has strangely become quite a common trope in horror and/or horror adjacent fiction and I honestly dig it. Aside from those, I just don't think I understood the vision. It made total sense why they were all packaged together, I just didn't really get anything out of them.

Eliza Clark is the epitome of weird girl fic and we love to see it. I especially enjoyed this by her because I could really get a grasp at all her repertoire, not just what we saw in Boy Parts or Penance. Now that I've read all three of her books I can actually call myself an Eliza Clark fan. Definitely looking forward to whatever she releases next and also looking forward to the hype this book will get because I can see it being extremely popular on social media.

Honestly, I really didn't love this one. Some of the stories were so weird and interesting, and I loved figuring out what they meant. Some of them were just plain weird.

I can’t believe this was my first Eliza Clark book! I’ve had her other books on my TBR for years (quite literally), so glad I finally finished one, even if it’s unlike her other books (a short story collection vs. a novel).

Short story collections aren’t necessarily my favorite, but they were entertaining via audiobook. Entertaining and a bit confusing, but I digress. I’d recommend it!

(Thank you, Harper Perennial and NetGalley, for the ARC and audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

This is a really solid work of short stories. These horror or sci-fi stories had the underling theme of hunger or desire. There were all unsettling and disturbing in very different ways. My favorites were: Build a Body Like Mine, Goth GF and Nightstalkers. If you love weird stories, I suggest you pick up a copy of this book. This is my first read of Eliza Clark and I cannot wait to read more.

She’s Always Hungry by Eliza Clark 5/5✨

Omfg this was brilliant!!!! I really loved the stories she included and my first thought was, “Wow these have range!” Each story was different and I really enjoyed all of them. I found them to be funny and the body horror aspects didn’t make me feel sick, which was a definite win for me.

Thank you so much to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks and NetGalley for the ARC!

Quite a few content warnings for this one. StoryGraph has a full listing!

#elizaclark #shesalwayshungry #hunger #shortstory

Man this book made me realize some things, dude. I've never read a book by Eliza Clark, so I'm not familiar with the dark humor and scary elements that other readers have mentioned. First, I can now say I have read and do not like body horror. Second, this book was actually pretty good and I fairly liked it! The stories I did like were ones that I could really relate to, but the ones I didn't still gave me a good laugh at least or made me say "what" multiple times. Overall, I think each story was executed well, especially with the major theme being hunger.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the gifted arc of this book!

I wasn’t into this at all, after Penance this was a major disappointment. The stories felt like they were TRYING to be edgy, which I absolutely hate in books. It just felt like she was trying too hard.

I will still read any other novels she releases but I just don’t think the short story is her art form.

4.25 rounded down to 4

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

She's Always Hungry is a collection of short stories revolving around the general feeling of hunger. Some stories were disturbing, some were grotesque; others were thought provoking, and others were silly/satirical. This collection was really eclectic and I feel like anyone reading this could enjoy or related to at least one of these stories.

My favorite in particular was "Hollow Bones," which definitely was more of a space/science fiction body horror. It made me feel physically sick and gave me intense dread and anxiety. It was phenomenal, and it made me want a full-length novel. I also really enjoyed "She's Always Hungry," which had a nice twist and focused on a matriarchal society rather than a patriarchal one - I just loved how the gender roles were basically flipped and men were viewed as how women are typically viewed in society - a weak link and the cause of destruction (much like how Eve is portrayed in the Bible). Another story that stood out was "The Shadow Over Little Chitaly" which was just a bunch of "reviews" of this Chinese/Italian fusion place, however it seemed kind of supernatural or something of the like - and even though it was kind of goofy, it left me feeling really unsettled and I have no idea why, but it was interesting and unique.

This was my first book by Eliza Clark, and I'm excited to read her backlog now, because this book was very well done even though I typically don't read short story collections. It was weird, dark, and did not hold back. Most of these stories will definitely stick in my mind for the near future.

I recently finished, She's Always Hungry, a short story collection that captivated me and earned a five-star rating in my book! Each story offers a unique blend of the grotesque and the entertaining, leaving me both intrigued and grossed out. The author demonstrates remarkable talent in weaving tales that challenge the reader's comfort zone while provoking deep thought and reflection.

What impressed me most is how each story lingered in my mind long after I turned the last page. I appreciate a collection that can entertain while also encouraging introspection.

If you're looking for something beyond mere entertainment that pushes the boundaries of storytelling, I highly recommend this collection. It’s a wild ride that I won’t soon forget!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Selling Pitch:
Do you want to read a collection of everyday horrors and some campy alien short stories?

Pre-reading:
There’s something about a pinky cover that will always do it for me. I swear the girl on this cover is Saoirse Ronan. I haven’t read this author before, but I’ve heard phenomenal things.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
Body:
God, that’s the dream, isn’t it?

Lol so triggering but so real. It’s a lot like Piglet.

I’m assuming she’s got a tapeworm or something. (Yup.)

They just copy-pasted my brain for this. This is horrible lol.

It’s the way it’s meant to be horrifying and like me and so many women would actually do that, and that’s why it’s the real horror. Our brains are nightmares lol.

3/5
————————-
Problem:
Oh cool, so we’re not doing fake horror stories. This is just here’s why every day for women is the real horror. Great. Well done, but a little sparse on new commentary.

4/5
————————-
Hungry:
A Sam!

We do love a gender dystopia.

That was grand. Reminds me a bit of Scorpio Races.

4/5
————————-
Shadow:
Aliens try to do door dash. That’s so funny.

3/5
————————-
Hollow:

What in the vagina horror??!? Holy shit, you should see my face right now. I think all the color drained out of it.

Dude, I love this. I would take a whole book about this. Do I secretly like sci-fi?

Oh my god, my jaw dropped.

Oh, I’m afraid.

Covid changed literature. I wonder if anything else did to this extent? Like I know the wars did, but were there any other big cultural events that just like shattered literature like this?

I hate that she named the doctor Nook because I can only picture the animal crossing guy.

That was fucking horrifying. Absolutely five stars. Give me more.

5/5
————————-
Goth:
That was just more men being gross.

2/5
————————-
Extinction:
That’s so sad. The poor little plants.

4/5
————————-
Nightstalkers:

I didn’t get this one. It was just like very plain. Closeted gay boy in love with his bestie who’s actually a piece of shit. And what about it?

1/5

————————-
Shake:

Just more sad girl everyday horror. Reminds me of that Augustina Bunny story.

3/5
————————-
King:
She’s at her best writing campy aliens. I normally hate aliens. Hers are so funny.

This is phenomenal.
This would make a phenomenal TV show.

Absolutely loved it. I think if the people behind The Good Place could get behind this with a script, it would be amazing television. Easy five stars.

5/5
————————-
Company:

I'm assuming she killed his son. (God, it's like never a twist.)

It’s weird that he would go down on the lady who killed his son. That’s yucky to me.

Meh. Very 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Cool motive, still murder, you know?

2/5

Post-reading:

I love a short story collection, but inevitably they can’t all be bangers. The alien short stories in this book are so, so good. They’re ready to pitch to TV. The others are kind of bland. It’s everyday horror, but they lack any insightful commentary to make them more. There are no one-liners to make you sit up or take the story away with you. They're all technically well written, but there's something missing.

I don’t think it’s the most successful collection. Despite the stories having similar themes, they don’t really flow together, and I’m not sure why. There’s just something lacking, some extra zhush even though I liked most of these short stories. Maybe it’s the lukewarm concluding story that's really dampening my enthusiasm for it as a whole. That recency effect is a bitch.

I think Hollow Bones is the most successful story. It is viscerally horrific. It has wildly efficient characterization. It’s got humor and immaculate tension. I would take an entire book.

The King would make a phenomenal, campy TV show. It’s got that black humor quality to it that just works.

Nightstalkers is the weakest in the collection. I don’t think I got it. It was just kind of there.

I don’t think it’s a life-changing collection, but I think there’s some good stories in here if you wanna pick it up.

Who should read this:
Short story girlies
Campy sci-fi fans
Femme horror fans

Ideal reading time:
Winter. I think you could read it anytime but they do kind of have a winter vibe to them.

Do I want to reread this:
I genuinely might reread the alien ones.

Would I buy this:
Yup. Pretty cover+stories I would lend to others=going on my shelf.

Similar books:
* Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado-femme horror short story collection
* Stranger Things Happen by Kelly Link-dark short story collection
* Mouth by Puloma Ghosh-dark short story collection, fairytale retellings, sci-fi
* You've Got a Friend in 10A by Maggie Shipstead-angry, sad girl short stories
* How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu-interconnected standalone dystopian, sci-fi short stories
* Piglet by Lottie Hazell-lit fic character study, family drama, eating disorder
* Any Man by Amber Tamblyn-lit fic character studies, rape culture commentary
* Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca-queer horror
* The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton-speculative mystery
* Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt-queer horror, gender commentary
* Nineteen Claws and a Blackbird by Agustina Bazterrica-horror short story collection

She's Always Hungry by Eliza Clark is a short story collection retaining her signature blend of absurdity and grotesqueness with dark humor, mining new dimensions of sci-fi and speculative fiction. This collection is not as explicitly dark as some of her previous novels, but it plunges deep into hunger, body image, violence, and power dynamics in a manner uniquely unsettling. Connoisseurs of Clark's work will find that she does not disappoint here with typical examination of grotesque situations, peppered liberally with quick-witted humor, though some of these stories may feel a bit uneven to the reader in some instances.

The collection starts off with 'Build a Body Like Mine,' a truly disturbing weight loss story where a woman invites a parasite into her body, setting the tone for the rest of the grotesque body-focused stories thereafter. In 'The Shadow Over Little Chitaly, Clark uses the form of Google reviews to show surreal and often unnerving orders from an Italian-Chinese fusion takeaway, fusing online culture with her own signature weirdness. The stories range out into speculative fiction, entries including a teenager buying acne medicine off the dark web and an immortal cannibal presiding over a new planet. There is an interesting exploration of sci-fi and apocalyptic themes, though they seem to fall a bit short compared to the visceral stories that Clark offered.

There is a bit of hunger in every single part of this volume, a common thread across the collection, while Clark satirizes societal expectations of beauty, body dysmorphia, and violence. Some stories, like 'Shake Well' and 'Build a Body Like Mine,' go into bodily pressures, using an absurdist style to make it uncomfortable yet compelling. Though these stories fit more neatly into Clark's deconstruction of the human experience, the sci-fi and space opera tales feel more disconnected and slightly less effective, probably due to the priority on world-building seeming to muddy the thematic focus.

The collection will be impossible to resist in its grotesque allure and address to modern preoccupations for some; for others, it might be too variable in quality or drag towards its ending, or give less than the reader would desire. It is here, in stories of body image and violence, societal pressures, that Clark really thrives, while the melancholy undertones of pieces like 'Extinction Event' allow a satisfying depth to cut through much of the often absurd humor elsewhere.

Though not quite as honed as some of her contemporaries-Ottessa Moshfegh, for example-Clark's voice is still fresh and sharply imaginative in navigating this cynical, mordant, disruptive space. Overall, this collection is quirky and discomforting in its exploration of hungers in all their forms: bodily, emotional, social-while Clark pushes the absurdity to its limits.

She’s Always Hungry by Eliza Clark

Why I Chose It: I’ve been trying to read more short stories.

This was my first encounter of Eliza Clark, and I must say I was impressed. This collection of stories was eccentric and graphic. Clark quickly painted a picture in each of the short stories that set the stage for what was to come. I did really like the Content Guide at the end; check that for triggers.

These stories are hard to categorize as some are horror and some are sci-fi, but they all brought something to the collection relating to society. My favorites were:

🍝 The Shadow Over Little Chitaly
🍝 Build a Body Like Mine
🍝 She’s Always Hungry
🍝 Shake Well

I always feel a little bit like I need to check on Eliza Clark after finishing one of her books. She walks the line of disturbing and darkly funny in such a unique way, and that statement holds true for this collection of stories. Each tale was wildly different but engaging in its own right; I don't think I had any immediate favorites but there are a few that will definitely stand out in my memory come the end of the year. The author also does a great job writing fully formed characters with such economy of style—a couple of sentences and a handful of internal remarks gives a clear picture of the narrator while still leaving room for some dazzling plot twists.

This would be a great fit for readers of Your Utopia, Bliss Montage or Women in Peril (all short story collections that I've enjoyed this year!)

Thank you to Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read and review!

Every time Eliza Clark writes a new book, I drop everything so I can read it, and she never disappoints. This is no exception.

This was gruesome, funny, hilariously on point. After each story I had to stop for a while to take it all in.

Highlights: Goth GF, Extinction Event, and The King.

I have a hard time rating short story collections since each one really stands on its own, but I suppose I’ll estimate an average of 4.25 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial for this ARC.

This was the most unhinged set of short stories I’ve read. I’ve never had so much fun reading them and truly never being able to guess what was going to come next.

Build a Body Like Mine ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - gross but hilarious and honestly relatable

The Problem Solver ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I wish this one was longer I feel like I missed something based on the last sentence but I’m not sure what it was 😂

She’s Always Hungry ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved the folklore vibes of this one.

The Shadow Over Little Chitaly ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - definitely my favorite. I neeeed to know more!

Hollow Bones ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - sci fi is definitely not my genre so this one wasn’t for me.

Goth GF ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - love love love.

Extinction Event ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- even for not loving sci fi, this one was just really entertaining to see play out. Black Mirror vibes.

Nightstalkers ⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨- good! I just love the way Eliza Clark tells a story.

Shake Well ⭐️⭐️ - this one was just too gross for me. pimple popping makes me want to throw up.

The King ⭐️⭐️⭐️- not for me but still entertaining!

Company Man ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- this story was so well drafted and fleshed out for being so short. Loved it!

4.5 ✨ overall for entertainment value. I’m going to NEED to go read more from Eliza Clark since this was my introduction to her.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!