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A review by hmmitsvenus
Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
I've never really read a book quite like this one before.
First of all, Elena Knows is a story about a grieving mother searching for answers. After Elena, an elderly widow suffering from Parkinson's disease is told that her daughter Rita has committed suicide, she knows that can't be true, that Rita must have been murdered, and sets out on a trip to call in a twenty year old debt to help her in her investigation.
While the synopsis reads like a crime story, let me assure you that this is anything but. This book's central themes of mother-daughter relationships, religious doctrine, bodily autonomy, and most notably abortion, paired with this story's setting and unique perspective come together to create a haunting and interesting atmosphere. There is just something so deeply tragic hanging over every page and every scene of this book like a dark cloud - right up until the very end, the climax and resolution, where everything (which is to say, Elena) changes.
There is not a single good person in this book. Rita is especially wretched to everyone around her, although when you take into account her circumstances by the end of the book, it's understandable. Notably, the plot revolves around three women - Elena, our heroine with her failing body, Rita, Elena's uptight and snappy daughter and caregiver, and Isabel, who owes Elena and Rita a debt. Or at least Elena thinks she does. It's hard to get into it without venturing into spoiler territory, but I loved how this book wove in its central themes, especially of bodily autonomy, alongside the narrative. None of these women's bodies are theirs, their bodies do not belong to them. The main course of events is spread out over one day, but we jump back and forth through time to see Elena and Rita's strained relationship and the events that led up to that fateful day, and the writing handles this shift impeccably.
Speaking of the writing - the writing was what truly held up this entire book. Paragraph breaks are practically nonexistent, and we get pages and pages of text block before a new paragraph begins, but even so, the writing feels fluid and natural. It would be incredibly hard for most writers to pull this off well, but Piñeiro is clearly a master at her craft.
A short but wonderful read.
First of all, Elena Knows is a story about a grieving mother searching for answers. After Elena, an elderly widow suffering from Parkinson's disease is told that her daughter Rita has committed suicide, she knows that can't be true, that Rita must have been murdered, and sets out on a trip to call in a twenty year old debt to help her in her investigation.
While the synopsis reads like a crime story, let me assure you that this is anything but. This book's central themes of mother-daughter relationships, religious doctrine, bodily autonomy, and most notably abortion, paired with this story's setting and unique perspective come together to create a haunting and interesting atmosphere. There is just something so deeply tragic hanging over every page and every scene of this book like a dark cloud - right up until the very end, the climax and resolution, where everything (which is to say, Elena) changes.
There is not a single good person in this book. Rita is especially wretched to everyone around her, although when you take into account her circumstances by the end of the book, it's understandable. Notably, the plot revolves around three women - Elena, our heroine with her failing body, Rita, Elena's uptight and snappy daughter and caregiver, and Isabel, who owes Elena and Rita a debt. Or at least Elena thinks she does. It's hard to get into it without venturing into spoiler territory, but I loved how this book wove in its central themes, especially of bodily autonomy, alongside the narrative. None of these women's bodies are theirs, their bodies do not belong to them. The main course of events is spread out over one day, but we jump back and forth through time to see Elena and Rita's strained relationship and the events that led up to that fateful day, and the writing handles this shift impeccably.
Speaking of the writing - the writing was what truly held up this entire book. Paragraph breaks are practically nonexistent, and we get pages and pages of text block before a new paragraph begins, but even so, the writing feels fluid and natural. It would be incredibly hard for most writers to pull this off well, but Piñeiro is clearly a master at her craft.
A short but wonderful read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Excrement, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Pregnancy