Linda's Reviews > Elena Knows

Shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Award

Argentinian author Claudia Pinera pushes the boundaries of crime writing in her finely crafted novel Elena Knows. The story centers on the death of Elena's 43-year-old, devoutly religious daughter. Rita, who the police found hanging in the local church belfry. They ruled her death a suicide. However, Elena, 63, who suffers from advanced stages of Parkinson' Disease, does not believe her daughter killed herself. Due to the limitations of her illness, she decides to seek the assistance of a woman, Isabel, whom her daughter helped twenty years ago.

The book, which takes place over one day, chronicles the arduous journey of Elena, who cannot move without the assistance of medications she takes throughout the day. As Elena traverses Buenos Aires, she remembers. Her flashbacks, coupled with her meeting with Isabel, provide the key to what happened to Rita.

On the surface, Elena Knows appears to be a mystery. However, it investigates more than Rita's death. It examines the impact of a chronic brutal illness on the mother-daughter relationship when the daughter becomes the caregiver. It also looks at how religious dogma influences life choices.

The book is short yet moves slowly and painfully like Elena and captures the trauma of having one's life governed by a disease progressively worsening. The writing is taut and captures the ambiance of sorrow and suffering. It is an excellent book, though sad, and I found it difficult to read at times because of the harsh reality it so vividly portrayed. Nevertheless, I felt Elena Knows deserved its Booker nomination.

Thanks to GR Friends Meike and Daniel Schindler for inspiring me to read this novel.