A review by jesselopod
Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro

challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I don’t think I have ever read anything like this. Very complex characters, an unlikely protagonist for a crime novel both in age and physical state, and ultimately an incredible commentary on bodily autonomy, societal expectations and motherhood, but the less spoken about aspects of motherhood beyond the rose-tinted version we’re comfortable with. The writing style really helped the story match the struggles of the protagonist, but without the standard disability tropes and inspiration porn, she was tenacious and determined, hard and unlikeable, but with some cutting moments of vulnerability. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings