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Inspired by a true crime story, The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou by London-born Cypriot author Eleni Kyriacou explores the intersection between crime novel and linguistic and communication challenges.
Accused of killing her daughter-in-law, Zina Pavlou will fight to prove her innocence, with the help of her young interpreter, Eva. The search for the truth and our curiosity, as readers to figure out the details of the crime story, do meet the challenges of being a stranger in a big city, unable to speak the language, and eventually the target of suspicions of all kinds, due to the ´foreign´ status.
As a translator myself, I share some of the challenges of Eva as well, especially when it comes to give voice to the voiceless, surpassing the simple professional role for more human endeavours of protecting and helping those who need to be made understood.
The book is hard to be put down, and couldn´t stop myself from following the story without taking too many breaks. The two plans of the story - the psychological part of being a woman and a foreigner, respectively the crime part - do alternate and meet sometimes, which makes the story even more fascinating to follow. There is also a legal part of the novel - involving the legal proceedings surrounding the crime case which are carefully researched and add more crime consistency to the story.
The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou is a recommended read to any lover of crime stories, particularly with strong women characters.
Rating: 4 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
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