Elephant Crusher by S.E. Bourne

Telling a strongly autobiographical story through a collection of short stories and other prose, Elephant Crusher by S.E. Bourne is a brilliant piece of diaristic writing. From Sophia’s childhood spent swimming in the polluted river by her house, to her travels as a middle-aged woman, the collection is a clear, honest, and original work of autofiction with a delightfully dark sense of humor.

Sophia always felt aloof, including with her family; distant and troubled, her parents and relatives rarely made her feel cared for, both economically and emotionally. The deep traumas that scarred Sophia’s life, however, didn’t stop her – she went to college, worked hard to save money, and carved out a life of her own.

Now older, Sophia can look back on her past with a new sense of clarity on her parents’ push-and-pull kind of love, her unfaithful boyfriends, her unsavory work experiences, and most of all the inner knowledge that she has always been different. Through writing these pieces, the author has put order into her painful, joyful, adventurous memories, finding meaning and solace in her life to this point, which translates to the reader.

Written in prose that manages to be both conversational and lyrical, Elephant Crusher is the collage of a highly intelligent woman with a fresh perspective – both strong and vulnerable, independent and lonely, disillusioned with a childlike sense of wonder, for a truly multifaceted and rewarding read.