Samanta Schweblin

About

Samanta Schweblin is an Argentine writer celebrated for her unsettling, atmospheric fiction that blends psychological suspense, surrealism, and elements of horror. Born in Buenos Aires in 1978, she has become one of the most prominent voices in contemporary Latin American literature. Her works often explore human vulnerability, environmental anxiety, family relationships, and the disturbing consequences of ordinary choices. Her acclaimed novella Fever Dream (2014) was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2017, while her short-story collection Mouthful of Birds (2009; English translation published in 2019) received international recognition. Schweblin’s distinctive, minimalist prose creates an atmosphere of unease, blurring the boundaries between reality and the uncanny.

Books on TheBookRoads

All genres Horror Fiction Short Stories

All themes Family & Heritage

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Seven Empty Houses

The seven houses in these seven stories are strange. A person is missing, or a truth, or memory; some rooms are enticing, some unmoored, others empty. But in Samanta Schweblin's tense, visionary tales, something always creeps back inside: a ghost, a fight, trespassers, a list of things to do before you die, a child's first encounter with darkness or the fallibility of parents. In each story, twists and turns will unnerve and surprise: Schweblin never takes the expected path and instead digs under the skin, revealing surreal truths about our sense of home, of belonging, and of the fragility of our connections with others. This is a masterwork from one of our most brilliant modern writers.

2023 Argentina