Thoughts 
by Samanta Schweblin, Riverhead 2017, 192 pages
Translated from Spanish by Megan McDowell
Challenge: Tournament of Books 2018 Genre: Contemporary Lit? Type/Source: eBook / Kindle-Amazon Why I read this now: It was next on the list with a prominent spot on the bracket chart.MOTIVATION for READING: This one has been on my want list for some time now! but I was often deterred by cost per page. Gulp. Please don’t ask how much I’ve spent this TOB.
WHAT’s it ABOUT: This is an odd fast-paced frantic story of poison.
It’s about … uh,
parents caring for their children, witchcraft, and the fuzzy blurring of dreams and reality? I think. And worms.
No, not really, no worms.
WHAT’s GOOD: The pacing, the atmosphere.
What’s NOT so good: It’s too short! But this likely makes it perfect.
FINAL THOUGHTS: I believe this one the Summer version of TOB which I failed to participate in for whatever reason (the reason was moving from NC to RI; my whole world turned topsy-turvy in a good way). So I missed the wonderful discussion but the few reviews I did read (mostly yesterday!) suggest big themes so if you are curious, read this book and then go find a few reviews.
RATING: Four slices of pie. No pie mentioned.
“Sooner or later something bad is going to happen,” my mother would say. “And when it happens I want to have you close.”
Your mother is not important.
Care's Books and Pie 
When I read the description, I figured this isn’t for me but then I saw you liked it so I might have to consider it.
Well, it is so short, you’ll be almost done before you wonder if it’s for you! It would be a fun discussion book for a club, too, I think. One of those that you get more out of it when you hear others thoughts.
I agree that this is a book where discussing it afterwards with other readers would likelydeepen the experience. There are quite a few of those kinds of books on the TOB this year. You know, where as a reader it is hard to be 100% sure if your interpretation is “right”? Like Stephan Florida and Idaho are both like that I think.
I live vicariously through your TOB posts! 🙂 Love your enthusiasm for the project.
It’s so fun!
“parents caring for their children, witchcraft, and the fuzzy blurring of dreams and reality? I think. And worms.”
Parents caring for their children? Good.
Witchcraft? Very good.
Fuzzy blurring of dreams and reality? Concerning.
Worms? It depends on whether it is a horror novel.
GOTCHA!!!