Little Eyes

by Samanta Schweblin · read August 29, 2021

Review

Like 'Fever Dream', this novel has a fantastic premise—keeping Furby-like pets that strangers 'dwell' in and control—and an eerie quality to it. I loved the style of vignettes that each explored a different dimension of the idea; the Barcelona vignette, in the home for the elderly, really struck me, and the general theme of connection/voyeurism is especially relevant. I wasn't ready for the ending — the conclusions for Alina, Enzo, Emilia, and Marvin were a lot to take at once.

Sometimes Alina lowered the book and asked him a question, just to find out if the person controlling him was still there with her, or if he'd left the crow to go do something better. The first option, the idea of someone sitting there and staring at her for hours, always intimidated her, and the second offended her. Wasn't her life interesting enough?

Julia Rodenburg © 2024