Elena Knows

Stephanie Jane reviewed Elena Knows by Frances Riddle

Good, but I wanted more

3 stars

Content warning 2nd paragraph alludes to the ending

Elena Knows came highly recommended to me so I was eager to read this novel both for its storyline and for its Argentine authorship. While I did appreciate several aspects of the book, I did rather too quickly lose my enthusiasm for it overall which was was a disappointment. Elena herself is certainly a memorable character and the portrayals of her fraught relationship with her daughter rang very true. However, I found that there wasn't enough narrative to keep me gripped and, while the repeated minutiae of Elena's experiences are no doubt the depressing reality for Parkinson's sufferers, I wanted more to happen outside of this.

I do feel heartless saying that as I did sympathise with Elena, but I thought there would be more to her quest than there actually is. That said, the eventual truth was a shattering revelation.

otrops reviewed Elena Knows by Frances Riddle

Review of 'Elena Knows' on 'Storygraph'

No rating

Elena’s daughter has died. The court and police say it is suicide, but Elena knows it’s not.

Elena—who has Parkinson’s—sets out on a journey to call in a debt and find the truth. The result of this journey will stay with me for a long time.

Elena’s internal monologue is worthy of Virginia Woolf. The book as a whole challenges simple notions of what is “right” and “good.”

I would love to read more crime
fiction like this and will certainly be seeking out more of Claudia Piñeiro’s books.

Catship reviewed Elena Knows by Frances Riddle

I like it

4 stars

I wasn't totally in the right mood for it but I liked a lot about it. It's very slow for a long while and then there's a moment when I realised it was going to get pretty heavy. I liked the way in which it got heavy.

Erin reviewed Elena Knows by Frances Riddle

Review of 'Elena Knows' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

3.5 stars that I’m rounding up because I really enjoyed the “twist,” if you want to call it that.

The writing itself was sort of dense and repetitive for me, so I didn’t love the style of the storytelling. But the idea of what Elena knows vs what she thinks she knows was handled so well. As Elena shares her memories about Rita and Mimi, I started to question her judgment. Rita is obviously the focus, but Elena’s opinion that Mimi didn’t want Rita to marry her son did not mesh with any of the memories she had of her. It started to feel like a projection of Elena’s own feelings.

I was very intrigued by Isabel’s story when it was introduced - it made me raise a brow. And I appreciated how it was concluded. I think it’s connected in that bodily autonomy and control are a theme, as …

3.5 stars that I’m rounding up because I really enjoyed the “twist,” if you want to call it that.

The writing itself was sort of dense and repetitive for me, so I didn’t love the style of the storytelling. But the idea of what Elena knows vs what she thinks she knows was handled so well. As Elena shares her memories about Rita and Mimi, I started to question her judgment. Rita is obviously the focus, but Elena’s opinion that Mimi didn’t want Rita to marry her son did not mesh with any of the memories she had of her. It started to feel like a projection of Elena’s own feelings.

I was very intrigued by Isabel’s story when it was introduced - it made me raise a brow. And I appreciated how it was concluded. I think it’s connected in that bodily autonomy and control are a theme, as well religious authority over choices about our bodies.

But the book is quite short and feels like it tried to tackle a lot, so I was left a little dissatisfied.

Michael @ Knowledge Lost

rated it

Jan. 16, 2022

David B.

rated it

Jan. 17, 2023

Lists