Reviews tagging 'Rape'

De geniale vriendin by Elena Ferrante

22 reviews

bladedented's review against another edition

adventurous reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, and Violence

carojust's review against another edition

challenging hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

We're introduced to childhood friends Elena and Lila, growing up near Naples. Their relationship illustrates so much of what we endure in adolescence -- a competitiveness, inferiority, envy, awkwardness, a desperation to feel understood. And with all these feelings, Elena looks upon Lila with such purity of love and admiration. She is shaped by her friend's ideals and interests, and has a hard time finding her own identity beyond Lila's. Together, they try to navigate their difficult families, poverty, and the affections of boys. 

This book drew me in slowly. Ferrante has incredibly dense prose, yet succinct. She describes her own character's writing this way, and its charm is inescapable. It takes so long to read, but you feel at home with the characters and cadence. 

I wouldn't say this is a book where much happens, though it covers many years in their lives; there are repetitive themes and relationships that emphasize the rural, everyday life these characters trudge through. I think there's still a lot of subtle meanings I haven't picked up on, and need to sit with. But what I'm left with is a feeling of admiration for these two girls, who set their own standards high amidst a time and environment set against them.

Will continue reading the rest of the quartet and see how this goes!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

leticialdalmeida's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder

lenucciagrecos's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse and Rape

kellylover86's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Lots of short chapters which helps move the book along. The book tells the story of two smart, quick friends, girls becoming women in 50s and 60s Italy. Deals some with themes of misogyny, lack of opportunities for women at that time, violent masculinity. It was hard to keep the characters straight. The cast of characters is pretty large and many have similar names.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault

augie_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

miller8d's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.25

This book is brilliant in a way that makes me say “This is the story of a real life,” not “omg I love this book.” Like, I don’t really feel like I read a fictional story. (I actually have no clue if it’s autobiographical or not but I won’t google it because I don’t want to spoil it). Perhaps for that reason, this book took me an incredible long time to read. Like, months on end of picking it up and loving it, but being unable to pick it up again because it was so difficult to read. I don’t even think it was actually difficult literature for me, but instead so emotionally dense and detail-heavy that I couldn’t pay anything but 100% attention while reading, otherwise I’d have to go back dozens of pages to figure out why I was confused. Also,

this is perhaps the only book or story I’ve ever known which accurately depicts how tumultuous and confusing and painful it can be to survive childhood and grow up. I absolutely loved her depiction of how the child’s mind can equally spin fantasy and horrific terror on the same coin— not simple boogieman stuff, but much scarier, finding awful and disturbing fears in/around the mundane figures of your social world and daily life, even when there’s nothing truly wrong there.

Beautiful book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

alyssakueppers's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

flovntic's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Classism

megansoetaert's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

4.25

this was an emotional look into girlhood, with so many themes and emotions that transcend time and place. while the setting of mid-twentieth century, working-class Italy heavily informed the plot and the characters, it still felt relatable as someone who experienced growing up a girl. 

the complex relationship between Elena and Lila was written so well. i felt like i knew the two girls, and often felt like i had to hide behind my hands because girls still act like that sometimes!! i really enjoyed the commentary on class and injustice in that era of Italy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: Rape