Reviews with content warning for Chronic illness - Η Ελένα ξέρει

A book that makes you reflect. I haven’t seen grief and acceptance explored like this before. I was on the verge of tears throughout.

I think a sharper reader would’ve seen the ending coming. That doesn’t change how much it winds you though. A moving novel with a lot to reflect on.

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mmccombs's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

I thought I knew where this story would go and it completely took me by surprise. This was one of the finest uses of the “unreliable” narrator I’ve seen, I was right along with Elena for the entire book, wholeheartedly believing her perspective until the final scenes that make you realize that her “knowing” is not all that it seems. This was a book about bodies and who gets to control them, whether it be by others or even an illness. It explores disability while using Elena’s experience with Parkinson’s as a device to further limit the scope of what the audience is able to perceive, resulting in a restrictive feel to the narrative. This book used flashbacks very well, and the organization of the plot into Elena’s pill schedule was effective. For such a short book, this sure does pack a punch, I would highly recommend for great translation work and a wonderfully nuanced story about motherhood, disability, and what we are truly able to “know” about ourselves and others.

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sarah_dietrich's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Beautiful and painful. The descriptions of how Elena struggles to cope with Parkinson's Disease were difficult to read.

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loremakuu's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Elena knows:

+ complex relationship between mother/daughter

+ « Ella » personification of Elena’s illness. It almost feels like an initiation story.

+ How other people interact with a sick elder through the eyes of the person in question.

+ Social/economic context (including the sense of tradition/ religious importance).

+++ Final part: climax/ (p169)/Isabel challenges Elena’s story/daughter POV.

- Although, I believe it is relevant for the reader to understand how « Ella » is affecting every sphere of the life of Elena. The pace in the first half of the book is occasionally too slow.

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Fiction

Perso: complex, pessimistic, flawed

Structure: time jumps

Style: raw, even when moving toward themes like suicide. (P183) Aligned with the personality traits of the protagonist.

Characterisation: the reader is getting to know Elena through her illness embodiment. There is an evident contrast between her physical reality (struggling movements) and her idealisation/nostalgia for a functional body. As a result, the reader empathises with Elena, although she is not an easy-loving protagonist.

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viictoriaa's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

este es un libro perfecto, cada palabra tiene su significado y su propósito. claudia piñeiro es una genia y ojalá pudiera abundar más pero es que las palabras no me dan

increíble y si sigo analizando, se pone cada vez mejor. espero verla ganar un nobel de literatura fr fr, todos sus libros se volverán clásicos

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