A review by marywahlmeierbracciano
Mouthful of Birds: Stories by Samanta Schweblin

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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