Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

De geniale vriendin by Elena Ferrante

33 reviews

risemini's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

nukkoldv's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Murder

theabee's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Murder

quietspectacle's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Visceral and beautiful (at times) storytelling but drags and feels redundant in the middle. The Naples neighbourhood, beach town, and Naples city are all described in such detail that you feel you’re there. I think most would agree the second half is better than the first. The book does a great job at detailing the intricacies of human relationships and I think it’s better read and digested at a slower pace which I wasn’t able to do as I was reading it for my book club. It may have been the high expectations given the sheer number of must read book recommendation lists this is on or the mystery shrouded around the author but there are a lot of tropes it relies on for a coming of an age novel that doesn’t really challenge upon them or present something new. In that way, it feels much like a elevated soap opera with a little more realism. I was left a bit unsatisfied by this novel at the end but I still consider it a decent read and don’t regret picking it up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault

kaiulanilee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Classism

lenaricharz's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

kgorinshteyn's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

radfordmanor's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

anna_catherine73's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This series from Ferrante is an absolute triumph, each book as enthralling as the last. I couldn’t recommend this series more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual harassment

paulawind's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I don’t get how some people might speculate that the author under Ferrante’s pen name is a man because no man could write woman like this, even more the friendship dynamics of Lila and Elena. This is a piece of brilliant writing which shows the beautiful, ugly truth of people closest to us who we love to hate, who are pieces of our souls, ones who define who we are as people. 

I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and what trajectory those binary stars will take - closer or away from each other, how will their friendship progress and how will they develop as people. This novel is a perfect example of writing about the most mundane life in such a captivating way that you feel as if you were reading about lives of famous individuals 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Blood, and Classism