Pájaros en la boca

This collection of short stories by Argentine writer Samanta Schweblin, her first, takes everyday settings and slides them into the uncanny. In the title story, a girl who has stopped eating is found eating live birds. Others show a man who steps off the edge of his normal routine and a house that seems to change. The stories are brief and unsettling, often ending before the strangeness is explained, which leaves readers with a sense of unease more than a solution.

Readers who like short fiction by Latin American authors in the tradition of Cortázar will recognize the approach. It also suits anyone who wants a quick read that stays in the mind for days.

Deep, open-ended and thought-provoking; an easy read.

Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?