Review: Single Sashimi

Venus lost part of the weight because of a persistent stomach bug, but once she got started, she kept going until she was no longer a pudgy computer programmer, but a tall, slender, formidable business executive.

That’s where the rub came, for Venus, the main character in Camy Tang’s Single Sashimi, trusted few. She remembered the sting of rejection from the old days and assumed that those who now wanted to be with her were drawn only by her good looks.

She longed to be seen as the same Venus inside. Those who were intimated by her appearance (she also took to wearing stilettos to go from 5’9” to a strong tower) earned her scorn for not seeing the real her while those who reacted warmly to the new Venus were rejected as being superficial.

Venus painted herself into a corner where very few could be trusted and then mourned the isolation she felt. It even seemed like God had abandoned her.

This book mirrors some of the questions women grapple with. Am I loved for the real me inside? Does my physical appearance matter? But why do I feel better when I lose the weight and do the exercises? If I find a beautiful body, then what?

I was expecting a lightweight read with Single Sashimi but Venus’ struggles with success grabbed me. It made me think – and I like a book that does that.

You can read the first chapter of Single Sashimi here.