sharply written piercing exploration of mother daughter relationships, ageing and sickness as well as the control (or lack thereof) we have over our own bodies. as we follow elena on a journey over a single day, we understand her and her daughter, their relationship with religion, the debilitating effects of parkinson’s and finally we meet isabel the woman elena has been seeking out. control and power are key themes of the book but they weave in and out of the story through secondary characters and forces beyond human control (illness, god, the church). i would recommend this book to anyone who would like a glimpse of argentinian writing and society but to be prepared for the harsh and blunt discussion of pain and suffering throughout