This collection of short stories from award-winning Argentine author Samanta Schweblin burrows into the mind and sets up camp, like an itch that can't quite be reached. In the deeply strange "Preserves," a frightened and overwhelmed expectant mother undergoes a mysterious treatment to reverse her pregnancy and spits her unborn child--"the size of an almond"--into a preservation jar for safekeeping, until the time is right. In "My Brother Walter," a depressed man appears to be in a parasitic relationship with his relentlessly happy and successful family. And in the title story, "Mouthful of Birds," a father's unconditional love for his child is tested by her monstrous appetites.
These stories operate with the absurd logic of particularly dark fairy tales. They are bizarre, disturbing and electrifying. There is some variation in quality; "Butterflies" is a bit obvious, "The Digger" is far less so. But, as a whole, the collection is unquestionably brilliant. Most striking are the stories about families, exploring the prismatic ways that parents make sacrifices for their children and damage them. It should be said, however, that this collection is not for everyone. These stories are unsettling and demanding, requiring readers have an open mind and an expansive imagination. Schweblin's writing is strategically vague, challenging the reader to engage on a deeper level. Like a literary Rorschach test, it presents an image but does not dictate its meaning. Reading this book is work, but if you're up for it, Mouthful of Birds is not to be missed. --Judie Evans, librarian