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Little Eyes
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
A visionary novel about the collision of technology and play, horror and humanity, from a master of the spine-tingling tale. They've infiltrated homes in Hong Kong, shops in Vancouver, the streets of Senegal, town squares of Oaxaca, schools in Tel Aviv, bedrooms in Ohio. They're following you. They're everywhere now. They're us. In Samanta Schweblin's wildly imaginative new novel, Little Eyes, "kentukis" have gone viral across the globe. They're little mechanical stuffed animals that have cameras for eyes, wheels for feet, and are connected to an anonymous global server. Owners of kentukis have the eyes of a stranger in their home and a cute squeaking pet following them; or you can be the kentuki and voyeuristically spend time in someone else's life, controlling the creature with a few keystrokes. Through kentukis, a jaded Croatian hustler stumbles into a massive criminal enterprise and saves a life in Brazil, a lonely old woman in Peru becomes fascinated with a young woman and her louche lover in Germany, and a motherless child in Antigua finds a new virtual family and experiences snow for the first time in Norway. These creatures can reveal the beauty of connection between farflung souls - but they also expose the ugly humanity of our increasingly linked world. Trusting strangers can lead to unexpected love and marvelous adventure, but what happens when the kentukis pave the way for unimaginable terror?
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Soubhiville
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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This arrived today from @CSeydel , thank you! This sounds like my kind of weird. 🙂 From our #book2book swapping, hosted by @AllDebooks .

CSeydel Yay! It was definitely unlike anything I‘ve read before. I really enjoyed it—tough at times, but always thought provoking. 6mo
46 likes1 comment
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CSeydel
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Open to those who signed up for #BOOK2BOOK hosted by @AllDebooks

Here‘s my review of Little Eyes:
https://litsy.com/p/dFFFQWRCa3Bn

34 likes3 comments
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CSeydel
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

Finally read this gem of a book, which was a gift from @LadyCait84
I really enjoyed it! The premise is the rise of “kentuki,” stuffed animals with cameras and microphones that connect the user with an anonymous viewer somewhere in the world. Schweblin unflinchingly explores all the ways different people would interact with these devices, both as users and viewers. Well written, deeply moving and insightful take on the inevitability of longing.

LadyCait84 So glad you liked it!!! 8mo
CSeydel The structure is a series of vignettes from different users‘ pov. Some stories continue for multiple chapters while others are one-off. In a very short space the author manages to encapsulate the many forms of human longing and loneliness, the ways we deceive ourselves, and the narratives we construct about others - even in the absence of evidence. 8mo
CSeydel @LadyCait84 oh I did! Im only disappointed that I took so long to get to it 😄 8mo
42 likes1 stack add3 comments
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CSeydel
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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So my kindle is predicting that “Oscar Wars” will take 18 hours to read. Reading for my LA-themed book club. Probably more than I ever wanted to know about celebrity drama and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It is drawing me in already, but I also have a busy work week ahead so we‘ll see how it goes.

Little Eyes is my fiction book and Path to Enlightenment is my audio for the car. #jubilantjuly

Andrew65 Hope you have a good start to the Readathon. 8mo
CSeydel @Andrew65 Thanks! So far, so good 😊 8mo
40 likes2 comments
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GarethSouthwell
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

A skilfully interlinked series of stories exploring the disquieting consequences of privacy-invading robot pets. I realy enjoyed this. I must check out her other work.

Read my full review here: https://garethsouthwell.com/little-eyes-by-samantha-schweblin/

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Decalino
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

In this brief but deeply unsettling novel, a line of cute new robot animals appear on the market, each with the potential for a connection to a real live person. The implications are deeply disturbing, as anyone who's watched Black Mirror can easily imagine. Deft, precise storytelling render what could have been a tired premise both hauntingly familiar and freshly horrifying. I am still thinking about it days later.

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Rachiiebookdragon
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
Mehso-so

An odd book to read.

3.75/5

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j9brown
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

Interesting! A sci-fi tech story that felt like a light horror. Kind of quirky but on the verge of something terrible happening.
There were a few more places I felt like the story could have gone - like how the tech would have been absolutely overrun with creeps very quickly. Or how the tech could have been beneficial (or not) for people with disabilities or who are homebound. Would have made it even more interesting.
A very strange pick!

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Mirazzles
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Starting this one today. I bought this a few months ago. I‘m trying to read the books I own, but this is proving to be difficult with all the library holds that are coming in! I am also trying (and failing) to condense my collection. Alas alas 🤦‍♀️

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Yuki_Onna
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Since I'm on holidays and relaxing, I've tried to get back into reading. ⛱

The tagged book has helped immensely to put me out of a huge reading slump, so I decided it was the right time to give this #20in4 #readathon a go! ☀️

My goal is exactly what is asked: To manage reading for 20 hours within the four days of the readathon.🙂

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Yuki_Onna
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Not the most obvious pick for a beach read, ⛱ but this one has been on my TBR for ages.
So when I saw it at a bookstore at Cologne Main Station, it was an instant autobuy.
Now finally relaxing at the beach in the sun, this adds a nice creepy vibe...😈

#beach #beachreads #suspense

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Kappadeemom
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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I‘ve read ONE CHAPTER and I am hooked…what the heck is this book?😳

40 likes1 stack add
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Oryx
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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I'm so excited about reading all of these. It's going to be a good couple of reading months. This is what happens when you can't go book shopping in real life for so long. You get overexcited and this is the result.

BekahB Little Eyes sounds fantastic! Looks like I have an excuse to put in another Barnes and Noble order. 😂 3y
Oryx @BekahB doesn't it sound great? I'm really excited for that one. And I love the cover. 3y
emmaturi Great haul! 3y
See All 7 Comments
squirrelbrain Ooh you have some signed ones as well! I‘ve read 3 of them - all great! 😁 3y
quietlycuriouskate Nice haul! Little Eyes is really good. 3y
Caroline2 Great book haul! 😀 I have the vanishing half on my tbr book shelf too. all those books sound very good. 👍 3y
TrishB They look fab!! Have 2 of those ready to read 😁 3y
65 likes4 stack adds7 comments
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Kazzie
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
Pickpick

Wow! Strange but yet still very very possible and real story about AI essential, although not that high tech - more about how humans interact with each other - unanimously

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CSeydel
Little Eyes | Samanta Schweblin
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#BookCupidSwap @LadyCait84 @candority

Love all my goodies! Dove chocolates are my favorite, and there‘s 3 different kinds in there 💕 I hadn‘t heard of this book before, but it looks really good. I always like reading more translated works and this seems like it will be creepy and fun! Thank you so much!

❤️📚💗🍫❤️📚💕🍫❤️📚💕🍫❤️📚

CSeydel Oh and the Star Wars book clips!! Adorable! 3y
candority I really want to read that book! I hope you like it! Happy Valentine‘s Day! 💘💘💘 3y
CSeydel @candority thank you for organizing the swap! 3y
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candority @CSeydel It has been my pleasure! 💖 3y
LadyCait84 Hope you enjoy the book!! And the chocolates!! Happy Valentine‘s Day!! 3y
CSeydel @LadyCait84 @candority Happy Valentines Day! 💕💘 3y
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shadowspeak17
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was an unsettling read tinged with creepiness and sadness. The book is short and there are several characters (recurring and not), so there isn‘t a lot of time spent with each, but I thought the time that was spent with each was used well. I liked getting to see how all the different characters were affected by kentukis.

#booked2021 #LatinxAuthor #NewYearWhoDis #catsoflitsy #Ember

Megabooks Great review! 3y
Cinfhen I‘m so curious about this one!! Great use for prompt 😍 3y
58 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Sweettartlaura
Little Eyes | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

3.5 ⭐️ - almost 4 - maybe 4 - we‘ll see.

Another book about humans keep being human, no matter what tech they develop. And it‘s up to each character - and you - to decide if that‘s good.

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shadowspeak17
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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My last book of 2020 is Axiom‘s End, which I just finished for #lmpbc, and my first book of 2021 will be Little Eyes, which I‘m reading for #newyearwhodis.

#lastfirst

wanderinglynn Axiom‘s End is my first book for 2021. 🙌🏻 3y
shadowspeak17 @wanderinglynn Oh, nice. That should be a fun one to start the year with. Hope you enjoy! 😄 3y
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akfreeborn
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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These are the books I read in October. I forgot how much I love Agatha Christie. Little Eyes was creepy and with a similar theme to One by One.The All-Night Sun was a nice surprise and Leave the World Behind was perfect. Drive Your Plow was beautifully written and Priestdaddy was hysterical. When We were Vikings had a wonderful protagonist. Pretty good month! #octoberreads

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sparky89
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
This post contains spoilers
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"Sven had displayed her on her own pedestal; he'd separated all of her parts so very delicately that now she didn't even know how to move. A tingling prickled over her whole body, even inside, in her chest, and she wondered if she wasn't having an attack: Of nerves, of panic, of rage. Of inertia.... She could only move inside herself, like a woodworm crawling through its own tunnels, digging into an absolutely rigid body."

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Sg1224
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

An interesting look at how we adjust to tech in our lives. Would you be rather have a Kentuki follow you or be the random person watching/inhabiting the Kentuki...?!? 👀

Trashcanman The first 3y
16 likes1 comment
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wellreadredhead
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

I have been so absent from Litsy through a ton of life changes. Moving, job promotion, relationship developments. I am happy to be back after a tumultuous couple of months. Everything is looking up and these have been two books I‘ve read in the last few weeks that I would give more than five stars if I could.

Ruthiella Congratulations on the promotion and welcome back! 🥳 3y
64 likes1 stack add1 comment
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ImperfectCJ
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

A creepy, claustrophobic novel exploring our relationship with technology and with ourselves, the nature of freedom and capitalism, and how easy it is to make strong, often indelible judgments based on a limited perspective and very little information. I'll be seeking out more by Samanta Schweblin.

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Addison_Reads
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Mehso-so

#ReadingEurope2020 @BarbaraBB @Librarybelle I'm using this for #Croatia even though only a section of the book takes place there.

There's a lot I loved about this book. The idea of the creepy furby-ish toys controlled by someone else, the exploration of people's relationships with them, and the overall lonely feeling the book had. However, because the book was short, I felt like nothing ever developed to its full potential.

BarbaraBB I‘m sorry to hear that, I had high expectations of this book after 4y
Librarybelle The cover looks a little spooky to me - I‘m guessing because they are little eyes! 4y
37 likes2 comments
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Victoriahoperose
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Panpan

This was just so slow and over complicated. Maybe it was the translation, but I just could not stay interested in this one.

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vivastory
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Mehso-so

In his review of this novel, critic Jason Sheehan writes, “Schweblin is not a science fiction writer. Which is probably one of the reasons why Little Eyes...reads like such great science fiction.“ Schweblin uses an epitaph by Le Guin, a writer who I often think of as not a sci-fi writer but one who writes great sci-fi. I was anticipating that Little Eyes would be along the lines of a clever Black Mirrors episode. Alas, it is not.👇

vivastory (cont)Following multiple characters in a world of evolving single connection kentuki (think animal furby/.roomba hybrids) tech that involves a keeper (the one who buys the kentuki) & the dweller (the one who controls the kentuki). I admit, conceptually it's pretty brilliant. But I'm not sure how much more this novel offers. The commentary on the international connection of the kentuki (digital age) was made by countless books & movies (cont.) 4y
vivastory (cont.)In late 90s early 00s. Due to the large cast of characters, & clocking in at only 240 pages, there's no real character development & I felt like the motivation of the keepers was often amorphous, at best. Would have worked better with a smaller cast of characters. I didn't hate it, but as much as it pains me to say since I adore Fever Dream, I didn't love it either. 4y
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vivastory
Little Eyes | Samanta Schweblin
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"For almost a week now, Emilia had spent some two hours a day circulating around Eva's apartment. She'd told her girlfriends about it at their Thursday coffee, after swimming. Gloria asked what was this thing that Emilia called "kentuki," and as soon as she understood she decided to buy one for her own house, for the afternoons when she took care of her grandson. Inés, on the other hand, was horrified..."

Billypar I'm with Inés 😨 4y
61 likes1 comment
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Godpants
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

Wow! I loved this one.

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Godpants
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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I was pretty blown away by the supremely weird Fever Dream so I‘m pumped to see what this has in store.

Megabooks So good!! 4y
batsy Same! 4y
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shaynarae
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Mehso-so

This was an odd book for beach reading. Although it‘s kind of a neat lens through which to think about surveillance culture and how we engage with each other digitally (preference for seeing vs being seen), it never really gripped me.

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quietlycuriouskate
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

As someone who refuses to allow Alexa in the house, this book is deeply unsettling. It's damn good, though: I couldn't put it down!

Obviously, privacy is a recurring theme but what got under my skin was the discrepancy between individuals' assumptions about their interactions and the reality of them. Also, the damage people do to themselves and others when anonymity means a total lack of accountability for their actions.

I won't forget this one.

erank58 Stacked! I'm always looking for good AI-focused horror reads! I feel you on the Alexa dilemma 😅 4y
BarbaraBB Now I am tempted too. Real good review! 4y
Reggie Great review! 4y
See All 7 Comments
batsy Nice review! I really want to read this one. 4y
BookwormM I loved this one it really does make you think about devices and interaction 4y
CarolynM Sounds interesting. Stacked 🙂 4y
quietlycuriouskate @erank58 @BarbaraBB @Reggie @batsy @BookwormM @CarolynM It's really good! I was actually looking for her short stories: my library's online collection didn't have them but it did have this. ☺️ 4y
43 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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mdemanatee
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

I can always count on Schweblin for literary and weird in the best possible way. As if I needed more reasons to fear a Furby.

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WhatWouldJaneDo
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

Samantha Schweblin is mistress of the messed up. The ending of Little Eyes is absolutely haunting me. A new device called a Kentuki is all the rage. Imagine a furby on wheels, but if you're "keeper" to the toy, a stranger somewhere in the world is "dweller," watching, listening... Who has the power in this dynamic? How will people behave on either end of this connection?

40 likes2 stack adds
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Megabooks
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

A completely disturbing look at the good and bad sides of anonymous interactions through robotic “pets” and how horribly, horribly they can go awry. I was shaken and agitated in the best possible way. 4.5⭐️

#readingeurope2020 either #Norway or #Croatia

#nutsinmay 4/4 goals complete! I get my prize!! Going to try for 1 more of each 📚🎧

Librarybelle Glad you liked it! 4y
Andrew65 Well done 🍾🥂👏👏👏🙌 4y
Crazeedi Congrats!👏❤ 4y
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Cinfhen I‘m intrigued!!! Thanks for tagging me 😘 4y
batsy I'm looking forward to this! I loved 4y
BarbaraBB Echoing @batsy . Great review too. 4y
Megabooks @Andrew65 thank you!! 🥰 4y
Megabooks @Crazeedi thanks! 🤗🤗 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen you‘re welcome!! 😘 4y
Megabooks @batsy @BarbaraBB I haven‘t read Fever Dream, but this was very good, very interesting. It was just the right amount of disturbing to be thoughtful as opposed to just straight frightening. 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB thanks! 🥰😘 4y
92 likes1 stack add12 comments
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Megabooks
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Cinfhen Yay!! How long did delivery take??? 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen 10 days, so not much longer than usual. 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen how are you??? 😘😘💜 4y
See All 6 Comments
Cinfhen 10 days is awesome!!! I placed an order with them April 21 for our June bookclub choice but it‘s still not here. Mail is so sporadic 😝I‘m good , thanks for asking but I‘ve been putting off a big grocery shopping since Thursday so I think I may need to actually deal with it today 🤪 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen awww!! That stinks. Yes, mail is definitely slower! I hope they have the ban on mail to Israel lifted in time for me to send you a birthday gift!! Dads going to our grocery tomorrow too. Read for the rona to be over!!! 4y
Cinfhen Awwww thanks!!! 😘😘Supermarket wasn‘t as bad as I was expecting but I‘m ready for the Rona to be Ova too!!!!! 4y
88 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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catiewithac
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Picked up these 2 new beauties from my city‘s indie bookstore! 😍

Megabooks Little Eyes is coming Tuesday! I‘m excited about it! 4y
Megabooks Also, how are you doing? I‘ve been thinking about you. I‘m sorry I haven‘t written back yet. 4y
catiewithac @Megabooks I‘m doing well! Hope you are, too 🤓 I work 2 nights then have a little break 📚 4y
Megabooks So glad you‘re getting breaks! I‘m doing better than I was on most days. Just trying to climb the metaphorical hill! Enjoy the books! 💖💖 4y
56 likes4 comments
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mirnas
Kentukis | Samanta Schweblin
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Mehso-so

A novel about furry puppet like surveillance devices that connect two persons that do not know each other. Makes you to think about the social media, internet and technology that make our world turn around.

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RedbagReadbooks
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Currently reading 📖

BookwormM I really enjoyed this one 4y
24 likes1 comment
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BookwormM
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

#BookerInternationalLonglist2020
Book 6
4 ⭐️

The UK had the best cover IMHO. Pandas!!

Schweblin does it again this is totally different from Fever Dream but just as good.

This book asks what do we really know about the technology we invite into our lives. It is a character study of several different characters and 2 distinct types dwellers & keepers.

Slightly worried now about how much my fitness tracker really knows about me

tstan Can‘t wait!!! 4y
BookwormM @tstan when is it available where you are? 4y
tstan @BookwormM Not until May 5th. I may order through Book Depository 4y
49 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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Mehso-so

I loved the author‘s Fever Dream. I haven‘t yet read her short story out last year. But, I suspect it‘s excellent. Why? Because the first chapter of this book would be a nearly perfect short story. But, stretching this into a novel just didn‘t work for me. #Edelweiss #ARC

sheshedbooks ohgod. those many eyes. 🙈🙈🙈 4y
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samizdat
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin
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A little COVID reading

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BookwormM
Little Eyes: A Novel | Samanta Schweblin

#BookerInternational2020 the long list has been announced will this be the year Schweblin wins?

Blog updated with full long list www.thereadersroom.org

Anyone wanna join me in attempting to read rate and review these?

tstan You betcha! Bring em on! 4y
rockpools I‘d love to give it a go, but realistically (time & money) I don‘t think I‘d get through more than 6. Would that be ok? No probs if you‘re needing someone that can commit to the whole 13! 4y
BookwormM @RachelO that is no problem I also have the same issues I am super over committed on the book front and hubby has been out of work since Christmas. 4y
See All 8 Comments
BookwormM @RachelO @tstan a couple of these are not available in the UK yet The 8th Life and Little Eyes. Let me know what books you can get hold of 👍 4y
tstan I‘ll send you an email 4y
Emilymdxn Yes I'll be reading and reviewing as many as I can this year! I'm going to do my best to do the whole list (I've already read 1) but budget-wise as none of them are in my library doing all of them may end up being too expensive, I want to try all of them though and I'd love to join if that's okay. I just bought the memory police to start with! 4y
rockpools I emailed you 📚📚📚😁 4y
BookwormM @Emilymdxn welcome onboard will send you an email link to spreadsheet later I think I still have your address from last year 👍😃 4y
29 likes1 stack add8 comments
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Marni
Kentukis | Samanta Schweblin
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One of my Latinx author purchases. This one is in Spanish and I‘m very excited to read it!

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CaroPi
Kentukis | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

This is my book #2 for the #bookfitnesschallenge #bfc and I like it a lot. Is an excellent critic to our society and our relationship with technology. #espanol #spanish

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CaroPi
Kentukis | Samanta Schweblin
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So I was last week in Spain and of course I need it to buy a couple of books. This is my March #bookhaul....