Book Review: "She's Always Hungry" by Eliza Clark

I initially read Penance by Eliza Clark thinking it would be not really my thing, but it definitely was my thing. The depth of soul that was embodied by that book made me want to seek out other things she had written. This led me to Boy Parts and eventually, as I was waiting for it to come out: She's Always Hungry. I was surprised to learn that it was a short story anthology. But not only that, I accidentally discovered some more body horror and reader, I was happy again.

"The Shadow Over Little Chitaly" is an experimental short story structured entirely as a sequence of increasingly erratic Google and TripAdvisor reviews for an imaginary Chinese-Italian takeaway restaurant. This unusual format invites readers to piece together the narrative from scattered, often contradictory perspectives. As the reviews progress, they unveil a series of peculiar and surreal details about the establishment, such as its eccentric menu, which includes calzones stuffed with banh mi noodles.

The story playfully blurs the lines between satire and the absurd, using the reviews to critique online culture, consumer entitlement, and the reliability of digital narratives. Through this fragmented lens, it explores themes of perception, subjectivity, and the strange intersections of the mundane and the bizarre in modern life. Despite its light-hearted tone, the underlying commentary provokes deeper questions about reality and the influence of collective opinion​. This was probably one of the stronger stories in the anthology because of its themes that are so common in our own times.

"Build a Body Like Mine," the opening story in the dark body horror anthology, offers a darkly satirical and unsettling exploration of body image and societal obsession with physical perfection. The narrator recounts her transformation into an idealised hourglass figure, achieved not through traditional means but by hosting a parasite—specifically, a tapeworm. She has since turned this disturbing practice into a commercial venture, marketing her "worm business" as a weight-loss solution.

The story uses biting humour to critique modern beauty standards and consumer culture. The protagonist's detachment and the clinical tone in which she describes her method highlight the absurdity and danger of prioritising appearances at any cost. The piece ends with a searing punchline, underscoring its satirical edge while leaving readers with a sense of unease about the extremes people go to for validation. It is an amazingly relevant story for our own times, especially concerning young people who constantly seek this same validation.

The titular story, "She's Always Hungry", explores the theme of insatiable desire and its consequences. It revolves around a protagonist consumed by a metaphorical hunger that manifests in destructive behaviours and obsessive consumption. This "hunger" is symbolic of deeper, unfulfilled emotional and existential needs, reflecting societal obsessions with appearance, moral superiority, and unattainable ideals of connection and redemption.

The narrative's visceral and often unsettling tone aligns with Eliza Clark's broader thematic focus on self-destruction and societal critique within the collection. The story incorporates vivid imagery and a biting, audacious style that balances dark humour with moments of raw intensity. I think that something that is not explored enough by readers of Eliza Clark's short story anthology is how she weaves in this dark humour into stories that are simply disgusting. It is a social commentary yes, but sometimes, you can be sitting there asking yourself whether it is okay to laugh at something like this because it is so bizarre and yet, so real. I honestly loved it and between this story and the story "Build a Body Like Mine", the dark humour was definitely flowing very well.

I would discuss more stories but then this review would probably go on for a lot longer than anyone wants it to. The ones I chose are probably my personal favourites from the book and the ones I found to be the most in-depth explorations of our own times. The way in which Eliza Clark has written these stories may feel at first to be quite deadpan and gory, but as you read on you start to unfold different aspects: metaphors, extended metaphors, themes and more - these all build to a perfect social commentary on how dangerous it is to seek out your validation and fulfillment from others.