Reviews

I was in the mood for thrill and shock, so I was almost prepared to throw in the towel after a few dozens of pages in. Had I not plodded further to take in and savour the little details, I would probably not treasure it as the gem it deserved to be.

The beauty of Pineiro’s writing is in the little details, the small blocks that slowly build to form a solid story of longing and forgiveness. Within this simple reflection of a woman who was on her way back to her hometown, we learn of the tragedy that had formed her life, and shaped her into the woman she had become. Going back to Temperley, Argentina, after many years of separation, she was forced to confront her past in order to face her future.

Impatient as I was at the beginning of the story, I soon grew accustomed to the slow, but steady pace as demanded of me by Marile, the main character. She was on her way to face her past, but she would do so with her own volition, at her own time. In other words, she and her story, grew on me and I was not able to look away until I learn what was to become of her.

The execution of the story alone deserved praises, but I also found Pineiro’s general commentary noteworthy. All through Mary’s ‘logbook’, I felt like I was drifting through her pockets of thoughts as she pondered about destiny, actions, motherhood, faith, and of course, luck. The way Pineiro strung these bits of ideas into a coherent story was marvellous, and I especially appreciate the way the story ended. So much contained within two hundred pages (despite the slow start!). I initially found the slow build up a little excruciating (like is this woman gonna tell me her secret past or not??), but this also added a little bit of mystery to the story.

Recommended!