A review by afi_whatafireads
Such Small Hands by Andrés Barba

dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Finishing this at almost 12 am.... is definitely not a good idea :') Good thing I don't have any dolls near me :')

"Maybe it was the obligation to be human, to cry and to stamp her feet, to suffer."

This book served as a chilling read that left me very unhinged. The translator's note had written that this book was inspired by a true story in the 1960's in Brazil where the girls in the orphanage and had killed a child; and played with her parts for a week.

Such small hands is a take in the darkest thoughts of children that has gone through trauma in their life; and what's worst, they are unable to process those emotions. These leads them to have a somewhat-psychosis-state-like; where each and every perspective of a human felt like a dream and felt unreal.

"It was like carrying everything she knew with her at all times, like carrying something haughty and cruel, like a flag. I'm different."

Barbra's writing had brought forth the sinister feeling in his writing. His prose had showed the perspective of children that has been abandoned, and we are brought as readers to the darkest minds of what a child can be; when their view in life has been distorted. Not only its disturbing, its to a point that leaves you in awe of his writing but at the same time felt both sad and horrified at what is going through the children's heads. Barbra has brought a view in which we're looking into the lens of children that is uncared for, felt unworthy of love and turns into darkness as a coping mechanism.

A chilling read that will leave you staring at the wall for a good 10 minutes. Recommended if you're into horror-thrillers.