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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
La vida tiende a ser así: una gota, una gota, una gota, una gota, y luego nos preguntamos, perplejos, cómo es que estamos empapados.
Estela se muda a Santiago de Chile en busca de trabajo, dejando atrás su tierra y a su madre para convertirse en la empleada doméstica de una familia "bien". Su plan es ganar dinero y devolverse a su lugar de origen, pero pasan los días y se va quedando y quedando, y de repente han pasado 7 años y sigue ahí. Posiblemente, jamás hubiera dejado ese empleo de no ser por una serie de tragedias imposibles de evitar que culminan en la muerte de la niña a la que ha criado todos estos años.
Limpia comienza por el final, sabemos que hay una niña muerta y que nuestra protagonista sabe qué pasó, lo interesante de esta historia es conocer cómo llegamos a ese desenlace trágico. Empezamos desde el momento que Estela entra a trabajar, y vivir, en casa de esta familia acaudalada donde la rutina poco cambia. El día a día de Estela es monótono, al punto de ser desesperante, y nada tardan en aparecer las grietas en la relación entre la protagonista y sus empleadores. Si bien entiendo lo que quería expresar la autora sobre la explotación de los pobres y las relaciones de poder entre empleador y empleada doméstica siento que no llegó a ningún lado, no hay nada nuevo expresado en este libro.
Escribiendo esta reseña un mes después de haber terminado el libro, me doy cuenta que no me impresionó nada de lo que leí ni rescato alguna idea del texto, mi opinión sobre la historia es más bien neutral. La prosa es lo que más me gustó, Alia Trabucco es excelente narradora, pero la trama no me atrapó. Lo peor es que es un libro que no llega a las 250 páginas, pero estas se me hicieron eternas, sí supongo que eso es lo mismo que sentía Estela ante la rutina de su vida y la autora logró que sintiera esa frustración, pero vaya que me aburrió. Quizás me hubiera gustado un poco más si el final fuera diferente.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Classism
Moderate: Eating disorder, Gun violence, Sexual content, Suicide, Death of parent
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
This was marketed incorrectly IMO. I would have liked it more if I had different expectations.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Clean is a really beautifully constructed novel. It tells the story of a 40-year old housemaid working for a rich couple and their daughter in Santiago, Chile. Right from the start we know that things aren’t going to end well; the woman narrates from behind a locked door telling us she will tell us her tale in her own time.
And she takes her time. Or the author does. The first half of the book feels like a kettle coming to the boil. Such skill to keep that interest as the suspense grows. And then it doesn’t so much explode as I thought it might, but there is a threat of violence to the succession of events in the second half of the novel.
Great characters, amazing structure, brilliant writing and translation.
And she takes her time. Or the author does. The first half of the book feels like a kettle coming to the boil. Such skill to keep that interest as the suspense grows. And then it doesn’t so much explode as I thought it might, but there is a threat of violence to the succession of events in the second half of the novel.
Great characters, amazing structure, brilliant writing and translation.
This book! So well written it made me feel claustrophobic. I will think about this book for a while. The ending made me scream.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this for Women in Translation Month and was completely blown away. Clean is razor-sharp, biting, and unflinching in its portrayal of class, labor, and the emotional labor of women. Especially those whose work is quite literally to clean up everyone else’s mess.
The translation by Sophie Hughes is outstanding, precise and emotionally resonant without ever losing the tension or edge. And the audiobook? Slivana Kane’s narration is brilliant, bringing just the right amount of tension and tone to the story.
If you like your fiction dark, smart, and socially incisive, this is a must-read (or listen). I loved it.
The translation by Sophie Hughes is outstanding, precise and emotionally resonant without ever losing the tension or edge. And the audiobook? Slivana Kane’s narration is brilliant, bringing just the right amount of tension and tone to the story.
If you like your fiction dark, smart, and socially incisive, this is a must-read (or listen). I loved it.
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Was really intrigued with this one, but the ending was ambiguous and that left me feeling like it wasn't worth it. I am trying to read more diverse authors, and this is by a Chilean author and translated. I liked the writing -- it kept me turning pages, but wrapped up too quickly and weirdly for a 4-star.