A review by kaabtik
Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin

challenging mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Read this for the Book Lust Reading Guild's BOTM.

A very unique premise that was executed well. The beauty in it was that it gave the readers enough of a glance of the world from all angles, but still keeping the story within that of the characters. It mirrored reality in a way that didn't come off as pretentious or too on the nose, which I appreciated. Also had me changing and fixing up my digital footprint lololol.

BOTM Discussion:
Q1: Kentuki
Do you think that something similar to the kentuki could ever exist in the real world? Would you like it to be? 
Though I wouldn't want there to be little anonymous people in my house, something similar to the Kentuki is definitely possible. Autonomous delivery robots already exist, and drones have become more commonplace. 

Q2: Owner or dweller?
If the kentuki were real and you were to receive one (you can't say no!), would you prefer to be a dweller or to own one? Why?  
Dweller, definitely, as I'm someone who liked to cut back on travel expenses as much as possible lolol. A pretty shallow reason but to be an owner and to have a stranger in my house at all times is something that would take years off my life every day.

Q3: The stories
Do you think the stories were easy to follow? Which ones did you like more? The creepy ones, the ones that gave just a glimpse of a connection, the sad ones...   
The stories were pretty easy to follow, and I think I liked Emilia's and Grigor's the best as they were the most intriguing. Their stories were opposites, with Emilia having little tech experience to Grigor's wide understanding of it. I didn't like Marvin's a lot as I found the 'revolution' very meh and couldn't really get behind the whole cause. I did like the touch of how the kentuki would be involved in legal stuff though, but the whole "liberation" thing was... not it.

Q4: Characters
Which character (or characters) did you like best?   
I liked Enzo the best as his interactions with his Kentuki were very sincere imo. Though it turned out for the worse, I still think he was acting out of a place of love for his son — and one out of loneliness.

Q5: The vibes
One thing I really enjoyed of this book was the subtle creepiness that emerged from time to time. What about you?  
I liked how it didn't shy away from the darker aspects of the kentuki being used and what was in store for them. There had never been a moment in the book that I felt safe in the presence of the kentuki, yet I could see why the characters acted the way they did. Which made it more creepy and fun to read. A bit emotionally exhausting though, not going to lie.

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