Like most short story and essay collections, there are certain chapters that are stronger than others, but Dinner on Monster Island is a rather dark, cohesive work. Despite not being a huge horror aficionado, I was able to connect with the few referenced works throughout. Amazingly, I seem to have been drawn to the same titles Tania happens to dive into, and perhaps that is not a coincidence. I really loved the analysis of Ringu, Sadako’s character, and the history of monstrous women in Asian mythology. 

Tania explores the full range of her disappointment, rage, and sorrow over the people and country that raised her, and I finished this with a heavy feeling in my chest. I will definitely be mulling over these essays for days to come.