Samanta Schweblin „Little Eyes“

Samanta Schweblin is an Argentinian writer, who started her career with highly-acclaimed short stories. Her two novels „Fever Dream“ and „Little Eyes“ could both be found on the shortlist of the Man Booker International Prize that focuses on the author as well as the translator of a book splitting the prize money between them.

„Little Eyes“ is a dystopian novel focusing on society’s need to pry into the private lives of others as well as on our own wish to lay ourselves open to others.

These needs are catered for by „Kentukis“, small stuffed animals on wheels like bunnies, panda bears or dragons, whose eyes are cameras connected to a global server. People who decide to buy such a gadget, the „keepers“, provide a home for them and keep them charged. However, you can also be a „dweller“ who is connected to the Kentuki via the Internet. This means you can control its movements and utter animal sounds in order to communicate with your keeper. The pictures recorded by the Kentuki’s eyes are transfered to your computer screen. If your owner forgets to recharge your battery, the dweller’s connection with his electronic device, the Kentuki, is cut off for good.

The novel tells the stories of several dwellers and keepers around the world. We meet a lonely old woman in South America and her keepers in Berlin, in Antigua, a small boy called Marvin experiences snow for the first time in his life with the help of his Kentuki which, for him, is a means for exploring a strange world and distract himself from his grief for his lost mother. In Italy, Enzo is seriously trying to connect with his Kentuki enjoying its attention and companionship.

All these stories are loosely connected by the Kentukis and illustrate the different motifs of dwellers and keepers; control, escape, loneliness, the wish for independence and for easy companionship are just a few of them.

Samanta Schweblin has written a spooky novel about the interconnectedness of our global society showing its drawbacks and dangers. In addition, it is a novel about the characters‘ wish to observe and control their Kentuki-selves as well as to interact. This book might also be interpreted as a genuine reflection of our lack of communication in an increasingly technological world.

And interesting and original read!

Prof. Münzer-Jordan