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mi_bookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
A book using crime tropes but tells a story exploring the themes of ageism, disability, and abortion - not to mention the influence and arrogance of society and religion over feeling the need to control other peoples' bodies.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny
firmino_g's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Grief, and Abortion
rachelc1012's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Minor: Domestic abuse and Suicide
leahb88's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.75
Such a good read. Read from the perspective of Elena, a mother searching for answers surrounding her daughter’s death. It’s main themes are around the control women have over their bodies and other’s bodies as well as the role that religion plays. Elena’s poetic reflections about her past and her current life grappling with grief and her illness was lovely to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Pregnancy
moniipeters's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Death of parent
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Excrement, Dementia, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
woweewhoa's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infertility, Excrement, and Abortion
ashmont27's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is simply incredible. The writing is stunning and the take-home message is somehow even better. I loved the ride this took me on and I genuinely think this is a book everyone should read. Instant favorite. The parallels this book made between Elena's loss of control of her body and Isabel's decision regarding her own body being stripped from her by others... Stunning.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, and Abortion
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
a mysterious read thats surprisingly gripping, elena knows puts the reader firmly thru the experience of a person w/ parkinson's, the frustration and helplessness the disease wreaks on the afflicted, so detailed and realistic piñeiro's descriptions are. the social critique doesnt go unnoticed as well.
the book starts off slow and i was mildly disinterested by the story and endless rambling-style of the writing, however it gets better and becomes quite engrossing by the last 1/4, when elena finally arrives at her destination and the novel divulges its juicier reveals. isabel and elena's convo - and what it shows abt the characters and their core beliefs, esp pertaining to the body and bodily autonomy - is not only at times thrilling but also stellar w/ its emotional heft and how it upends the whole book so far.
in short, it takes a long while for the book to get going, but the last section is worth the ride.
the book starts off slow and i was mildly disinterested by the story and endless rambling-style of the writing, however it gets better and becomes quite engrossing by the last 1/4, when elena finally arrives at her destination and the novel divulges its juicier reveals. isabel and elena's convo - and what it shows abt the characters and their core beliefs, esp pertaining to the body and bodily autonomy - is not only at times thrilling but also stellar w/ its emotional heft and how it upends the whole book so far.
in short, it takes a long while for the book to get going, but the last section is worth the ride.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Medical content
Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Abortion
Minor: Domestic abuse and Rape
annemaries_shelves's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
On the surface, Elena Knows is a novel about a woman determined to find out who killed her daughter. Within the text is a piercing exploration of complex and difficult mother-daughter relationships, disability and navigating the world and its bureaucracies with a degenerative disease, and a indictment against the Catholic church's dogma and control of women's bodies.
I loved how Piñeiro writes her characters and their interactions with each other and the world - she doesn't shy away from uncomfortable topics, opinions, or difficult characters. Her writing itself is gorgeous and I appreciated the cyclical writing of the litanies Elena employed.
I don't have Parkinson's or other disabilities that make living in our current world so difficult, but I appreciate how she explored those themes and highlighted the indignities people experience (especially those of intersecting identities such as gender and age).
Elena thinks she knows her daughter, but as the title ironically shows, she really doesn't. She seems to grasp the hypocrisies of some of her daughter's behaviour, but it takes a lot of unlearning for her to realize the mistakes she and Rita have made, and that she doesn't know Rita all that well in the end. Rita's behaviour to Isabelle - insisting she have a child and will regret the abortion decision - despite not having children herself (or necessarily the inclination) and the medical trauma of being inspected for a uterus - really highlights how pervasive the Catholic church's worldview is within Argentinian (and other) societies. In the end, the person who killed Rita was herself and by extension the society in which she lived. She's unable to face caregiving for her mother with little to no love for her remaining or support from her community. It's another way to demonstrate how society often devalues disabled lives and those of the people giving care. And yet, Elena wants to live. Her life has value.
Piñeiro packed a lot in this book and I'm looking forward to exploring more of her works. She seems to be a crime/literary crime writer tackling social issues and ethics from a perspective that I haven't read a lot.
CW: abortion discussions, descriptions of bodily functions and disability relating to Parkinson's, medical trauma, abusive relationships, forced pregnancy, suicide, strained mother-daughter relationships.
I loved how Piñeiro writes her characters and their interactions with each other and the world - she doesn't shy away from uncomfortable topics, opinions, or difficult characters. Her writing itself is gorgeous and I appreciated the cyclical writing of the litanies Elena employed.
I don't have Parkinson's or other disabilities that make living in our current world so difficult, but I appreciate how she explored those themes and highlighted the indignities people experience (especially those of intersecting identities such as gender and age).
Piñeiro packed a lot in this book and I'm looking forward to exploring more of her works. She seems to be a crime/literary crime writer tackling social issues and ethics from a perspective that I haven't read a lot.
CW: abortion discussions, descriptions of bodily functions and disability relating to Parkinson's, medical trauma, abusive relationships, forced pregnancy, suicide, strained mother-daughter relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Abortion, and Pregnancy
madelonpaige's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Abortion
Moderate: Domestic abuse