"Little Eyes" by Samanta Schweblin
Review by Cecilia De Olivera, Senior Library Assistant at Central Library
“Little Eyes” is an exploration of human connection mediated by technology. Samanta Schweblin, an internationally acclaimed Argentinian author, creatively pushes the frontiers of our imagination by introducing Kentukis. These are robot-like creatures that can take the shape of a bunny, mole, crow, panda or dragon which are fully controlled by human beings. In a world where Kentukis are increasingly common, people are categorized into keepers and dwellers. The keepers are the ones who buy the Kentuki and let them roam freely in their houses, while dwellers are the ones who control the Kentuki from their computers at home. Once the Kentuki connection is established, the battery should never run out. If it does, the link between users is lost forever. Schewblin masterfully intertwines various stories, which stress the idea of connection among far-flung places and people.
From the comfort of her house in Lima, Peru, Emilia controls a pinkish bunny that lives with Eva in Erfut, Germany. A mother-daughter bond is developed between them, which helps Emilia fulfill the empty space in her life left by her son’s neglect. However, she ends up becoming overly protective of Eva’s life.
In Antigua, Guatemala, Marvin finds himself secluded in his father’s office trying to improve his grades after his mom’s death. By becoming a dragon Kentuki dweller, he tries to free himself from his own life while he roams through the streets of a remote place making meaningful connections with people.
In Oaxaca, Mexico, Alina accompanies her partner on an artist retreat while their relationship is falling apart. She gets a crow Kentuki called “Colonel Sanders” purely out of boredom and loneliness. However, she ends up mistreating the crow as she feels it to be an intrusion on her privacy.
In these dystopic narratives of human interaction, there is a dark and perverse shadow that lurks in what would otherwise be a technological breakthrough to get people to come together and have meaningful relationships. Why would a person choose to be a Kentuki and crawl around a stranger’s house rather than creating connections in real life? Why would someone lean towards having a stranger look at them in the privacy of their homes? Are Kentukis a type of armour that allows people to disguise their true selves?