Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Birds in the Mouth by Samanta Schweblin

7 reviews

emory's review against another edition

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Racism, Animal cruelty, Violence, Murder, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Moderate: Physical abuse and Child 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.

heidishartrandnewell's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Blood, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Death, Violence, Murder, Infertility, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Abandonment, Homophobia, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Pregnancy, Racism, Ableism, Abortion, Cancer, Child death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

jtkerlin's review against another edition

challenging dark

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

0.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Mental illness, and Misogyny

Majority of stories simply end

lain_darko's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Animal death, Gore, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Pregnancy, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism

horizonous's review against another edition

I read 10/20 stories and didn't like / understand any of it:

1. Headlights - ⭐️⭐️
2. Preserves - ⭐️
3. Butterflies - ⭐️⭐️
4. Mouthful of Birds - ⭐️⭐️
5. Santa Claus Sleeps at Our House - ⭐️
6. The Digger - ⭐️
7. Irman - ⭐️
8. The Test - ⭐️
9. Toward Happy Civilization - ⭐️⭐️
10. Olingiris -❌(DNF)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Moderate: Abortion, Fatphobia, and Mental illness

Minor: Blood, Infidelity, and Vomit

◦ Mental illness = Depression

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

5.0

Mouthful of Birds is an unsettling collection with a wide range of fascinating characters, finely tuned to focus on misogyny and parenthood, life and death.  Across many of the stories in this book, it feels like the characters are running towards something until suddenly they realize they’re running away from it instead.  Either way, their desperation is palpable.  The final story, "The Heavy Suitcase of Benavides," absolutely slays—it’s a brilliant, albeit disturbing, take on male violence and idolization.  Published in Spanish over a decade ago—though, you’d never know it—this collection has never been more relevant. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, Violence, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Misogyny

kelseyland's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Samanta Schweblin's stories are the creepiest kind of horror, the kind that magnifies and exaggerates the ugliness of humanity. These short stories are strange, surreal and haunting, the kind of thing that sticks with you for a long time after you've read it, for better or worse. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Death, Blood, Gore, and Violence

Moderate: Infidelity