Samanta Schweblin’s collection, Good and Evil and Other Stories, confronts the chilling reality that the greatest monsters don’t live in fantasy realms, but within the unsettling ambiguities of everyday human experience.
This collection serves as a psychological mirror, reflecting our deepest fears and anxieties by blurring the line between the mundane and the surreal, revealing how the monstrous can lurk just beneath the surface of the ordinary.
Critics consistently laud Schweblin’s work for its taut, precise prose and its ability to create a sense of pervasive dread without relying on traditional horror tropes. Reviews from The Guardian and Kirkus Reviews highlight how she crafts a literary universe where “the monsters of everyday life come so close to us that we can almost feel their breath”. The stories are described as “outrageously original and deeply felt,” with an “indelible effect” on the reader.
Best for / Not for: This book is for readers who love short stories, particularly those who appreciate psychological horror, magical realism, and ambiguous narratives that linger long after the final page. It is not for those who prefer clear-cut plots, happy endings, or a rigid separation between good and evil, as the book thrives on unsettling uncertainty and moral complexity.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
Samanta Schweblin’s collection, Good and Evil and Other Stories, is a captivating and unsettling work of contemporary fiction translated from Spanish by Megan McDowell. Published by Picador, this book showcases the author’s mastery of the short story form, earning her acclaim as a major voice in modern literature.
The collection’s genre is a compelling blend of literary fiction, psychological horror, and magical realism. It doesn’t rely on jump scares or supernatural creatures, but instead creates a palpable sense of unease by introducing bizarre, uncanny elements into otherwise mundane settings.
Schweblin’s thesis is clear: the most profound and terrifying questions of morality and human nature are not found in grand, epic battles but in the small, intimate, and often disturbing moments of daily life.
2. Background
Samanta Schweblin, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1978, is a highly acclaimed writer known for her chilling and psychologically intense short stories and novels. Her work, including the novel Fever Dream, has been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize.
She has been recognized as part of a new wave of Latin American speculative and horror fiction, yet her writing stands out for its unique ability to inject the uncanny directly into the everyday, avoiding traditional tropes. This background informs the stark, unsettling nature of Good and Evil and Other Stories, as Schweblin maps out a journey through fear and the terrifying permeability of our boundaries.
3. Summary of the Book
Plot Overview:
The collection, Good and Evil and Other Stories, consists of six fiercely written tales that explore the raw, tragic, and astonishing aspects of human relationships. Each story is a standalone piece, yet they are connected by a shared atmosphere of dread and psychological tension.
The collection opens with “Welcome to the Club,” a bravura story that establishes the book’s core themes. A woman attempts to drown herself but surfaces, having inhaled water and a new, unsettling lucidity. She returns to a family life that is not altered, but rather “clarified in its inadequacy”. This tale sets the stage for the recurring idea that one’s psyche can be breached, leading to a new, terrifying reality.
Another standout story, “An Eye in the Throat,” is a deeply moving and eerie tale about a child who swallows a battery and must undergo a tracheotomy. The new opening in his throat becomes a central point of existence for both him and his parents, symbolizing how a single traumatic event can fundamentally alter a family’s reality. The story delves into the loosening of boundaries between selves, as the silent child begins to intuit his father’s fears.
Other stories include one about a young father haunted by a moment of distraction, another where an injured horse complicates a tragedy, and a tale of an attempted poisoning between two writers that leads to a startling conclusion. The final story, “A Visit from the Chief,” sees a woman visiting her senile mother in a care home, leading to a robbery that doubles as a twisted therapy session.
Setting:
Schweblin’s settings are deliberately mundane and realistic, which makes the uncanny intrusions all the more jarring. The stories take place in everyday environments: a lake, a home, a care facility, a seaside resort. The familiarity of these locations creates a disarming effect, as readers are lured into a world that feels recognizable until something inexplicably sinister happens. The settings play a crucial role in shaping the narrative by acting as a canvas for the psychological drama, making the horror feel intimately personal. It is the contrast between the ordinary environment and the extraordinary events that gives Good and Evil and Other Stories its particular power.
4. Analysis
4.1. Characters:
The characters in Good and Evil and Other Stories are deeply vulnerable and profoundly human, often trapped at a point of no return. They are not heroes or villains in the traditional sense, but complex individuals whose morality is blurred by circumstance. The characters are isolated and “riven by uncertainty,” wavering between guilt and tenderness. Schweblin’s genius lies in her ability to make these characters and their anxieties feel so real and relatable, so that when the terrifying and strange occur, it resonates on a visceral level.
4.2. Writing Style and Structure:
Schweblin’s prose, exquisitely translated by Megan McDowell, is remarkably taut, clear, and precise. Her narrative techniques are subtle and masterful, creating a constant state of tension and disquiet. The author’s use of language is purposeful, avoiding stylistic traps and instead looking directly at the world to pierce its deceptive surface.
The pacing is expertly controlled, pulling the reader into each story like a “snare: tightly, exquisitely wound, ready to snap at a touch”. This structural precision is a defining characteristic of the collection and the reason why Good and Evil and Other Stories is so impactful.
4.3. Themes and Symbolism:
The central theme is the exploration of the slim barrier between reality and perception. The title, Good and Evil and Other Stories, is a deliberate misdirection, as the book challenges the simplistic binary of good versus evil. Instead, the stories explore the “monsters of everyday life—ourselves”.
Themes of guilt, grief, and severed relationships permeate the collection, as do the “unspeakable bonds of family, love and longing”. The book also touches on the porousness of the self and the human body, as seen in “An Eye in the Throat,” where a physical wound becomes a psychological and emotional gateway.
5.4. Genre-Specific Elements:
As a work of short fiction, the collection excels in its economy and focus. Each story is a perfectly constructed, self-contained world.
he lack of a unifying narrative or world-building allows Schweblin to explore a different facet of her core themes in each tale. The dialogue is piercing and psychologically precise, contributing to the unsettling atmosphere. For whom is this book recommended?
Anyone who appreciates short fiction that pushes the boundaries of genre, offering not just a story, but an experience. The book is best for readers who enjoy being challenged and are comfortable with ambiguity.
5. Evaluation
Strengths: The greatest strength of this collection is Schweblin’s ability to generate profound dread from the simplest of premises. The stories are emotionally resonant and intellectually stimulating, leaving a lasting impression on the reader. The prose is brilliant, a testament to both Schweblin’s skill and Megan McDowell’s flawless translation. The collection, Good and Evil and Other Stories, is a powerful reminder of what the short story form can achieve.
Weaknesses: Some readers might find the book’s ambiguity and open-ended narratives frustrating. The lack of traditional plot resolution can leave some feeling disconnected or confused. Additionally, some reviews note that a few stories might “fly over [their] head,” a common critique for works that defy easy interpretation.
Impact: Good and Evil and Other Stories resonates on a deep, intellectual level. It forces a reader to question their own perceptions of reality, morality, and security. The book’s subtle terrors work their way under your skin, making you more aware of the unsettling currents that pulse just beneath the surface of daily life.
Comparison with similar Works: Schweblin’s work has been compared to authors like Shirley Jackson, Mariana Enriquez, and even Franz Kafka due to its uncanny, allegorical quality. While she shares a lineage with these writers, her voice is uniquely her own—calmly terrifying and psychologically precise. The collection, Good and Evil and Other Stories, stands on its own as a masterwork of contemporary fiction.
Reception and Criticism: The book has been met with widespread critical acclaim, with starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. Critics praise its originality and depth, cementing Schweblin’s reputation as a master storyteller.
6. Personal insight with contemporary educational relevance
Reading a collection like Good and Evil and Other Stories offers a powerful lesson in navigating an increasingly uncertain world. The stories’ focus on porous boundaries—between self and other, between safety and danger—reflects contemporary anxieties about privacy, identity, and the digital self.
In a time when fake news and misinformation blur our sense of reality, Schweblin’s literature of the strange provides a framework for understanding how the seemingly solid can easily dissolve.
It challenges us to confront our fears not by fighting external monsters, but by looking inward and questioning the very nature of our perception. Good and Evil and Other Stories is a vital read for anyone seeking to understand the psychological landscape of the 21st century.
7. Quotable lines/Passage/quotes
- “The characters of Good and Evil find themselves at a point of no return, dazzled by the glare of impending tragedy.”
- “Outrageously original and deeply felt stories with an indelible effect.”
- “Schweblin’s prose uses tension and truth to construct a literary universe in which the monsters of everyday life come so close to us that we can almost feel their breath.”
- “These stories, too, require an adjustment of the eyes, so that just after we are shocked by an eerie threat… we see something else entirely.”
- “No one writes like Samanta Schweblin. Her narratives are sui generis—wonderfully unpredictable and invitingly strange.”
8. Conclusion
Good and Evil and Other Stories is a magnificent collection that solidifies Samanta Schweblin’s place as one of the most brilliant short story writers working today. It is a haunting, fierce, and provocative book that offers a masterclass in controlled, subtle terror.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to readers who appreciate literary fiction with a dark, psychological edge. It is perfect for fans of authors who write in a similar vein of magical realism or the strange. Ultimately, this collection is not just about the stories it tells, but about the chilling questions it leaves in the reader’s mind, making it a significant and worthwhile read.
