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A review by emory
Mouthful of Birds by Samanta Schweblin
challenging
dark
4.0
I really enjoyed this book and was a bit sad to see how many reviews were negative, and not about the writing itself, but about how they were unaware of the upsetting content! So if you by odds read reviews before deciding to read a book, know that there are, in particular, a story including the graphic death of small birds (eponymous story Mouthful of Birds), a story in which the narrator is forced to kill a dog (The Test), and a story from the point of view of a man violently racist against Korean and other Asian people (Heads Against Concrete). All are challenging reads, and I don't know if I'm particularly happy with how the final in that list was handled, but they do serve a purpose, although are easily skippable if necessary.
This is such a unique collection. I've had it on my radar since reading Fever Dream and absolutely adoring it. This is such a haunting writing style. Schweblin's characters all exist in the perfect space between realistic enough not to break the reader's suspension of disbelief yet odd enough to consistently intrigue and unsettle. The mood drives the stories, and close to all of them left me with a disquietting and moved feeling at their conclusion with only a few pages each. Some are allegorical--and I find these ones particularly strong--some are simply about the feelings they evoke, and some I haven't figured out yet. But if you are also looking for stories in which the author is setting you up with something to think about rather than giving you all the answers, I think this is an excellent short story collection. I especially loved her exploration of depression and hopelessness, parent and child relationships, and the nature of violence in art. There were a couple of stories that did not work for me, and sometimes i found the pacing challenging, but overall I found this a very good read.
This is such a unique collection. I've had it on my radar since reading Fever Dream and absolutely adoring it. This is such a haunting writing style. Schweblin's characters all exist in the perfect space between realistic enough not to break the reader's suspension of disbelief yet odd enough to consistently intrigue and unsettle. The mood drives the stories, and close to all of them left me with a disquietting and moved feeling at their conclusion with only a few pages each. Some are allegorical--and I find these ones particularly strong--some are simply about the feelings they evoke, and some I haven't figured out yet. But if you are also looking for stories in which the author is setting you up with something to think about rather than giving you all the answers, I think this is an excellent short story collection. I especially loved her exploration of depression and hopelessness, parent and child relationships, and the nature of violence in art. There were a couple of stories that did not work for me, and sometimes i found the pacing challenging, but overall I found this a very good read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child abuse and Physical abuse
One story (Heads Against Concrete) is written from the POV of a violent racist attempting to justify himself. He is explicitly racist against specifically Korean people and others of Asian descent. Includes mention of physical assault against these groups, as well as others throughout the narrator's life including a girlfriend.
Another story (The Test) is about a person who must kill a dog in order to prove themselves to a group of people. Graphic and upsetting.