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acmarinho3's review against another edition
4.0
Adoro Elena Ferrante e neste livro é evidente a revolta nas suas palavras. A ira. A crítica. É genial a forma como cria narrativas com personagens conflituosas, com pensamentos bastante complexos e intensos, verdadeiramente (e cruamente) humanos.
lizzyqd's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
gr_23's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
4.75
cocoabrown's review against another edition
5.0
The book begins with a pre-teen Giovanni overhearing her father call her ugly. He didn’t say it outright but instead compared her maturing features to that of his sister’s, Vittoria. All that Giovanna knew of her Aunt Vittoria was that she was to hate her and to never become her. Giovanni decided that she needed to confront the ugliness that was her aunt so that she could somehow save herself from it.
This is the first book that I have read from Elena Ferrante and it definitely will not be the last. I thought that I would just barrel through the novel, cry a bit and then mark it as read on Goodreads but NO! Giovanna’s (Elena Ferrante) words and descent into pages and pages of questioning the adults around her had me in a chokehold. The writing was so beautiful and so raw. Throughout the book Giovanna learned that she too could hurt people and I enjoyed hearing her reasoning before she decided to shake the table or spare the adults in her life. This reminded me of a quote from the book Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca - “People like to eat other people. I spent so many years forgetting I had teeth too.” I live for these two sentences. I really think about them often.
Some thoughts that came to me as I read:
Children really are listening but their understanding of the world is so limited. When issues between parents aren’t communicated honestly or go unaddressed they can build up so much resentment without ever fully understanding - even in their adulthood. I understand this.
I was wondering how we become who we become. I kept thinking: You either become what you are exposed to or what has exposed what you are used to.
I would recommend this to someone who was considered an obedient child.
This is the first book that I have read from Elena Ferrante and it definitely will not be the last. I thought that I would just barrel through the novel, cry a bit and then mark it as read on Goodreads but NO! Giovanna’s (Elena Ferrante) words and descent into pages and pages of questioning the adults around her had me in a chokehold. The writing was so beautiful and so raw. Throughout the book Giovanna learned that she too could hurt people and I enjoyed hearing her reasoning before she decided to shake the table or spare the adults in her life. This reminded me of a quote from the book Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca - “People like to eat other people. I spent so many years forgetting I had teeth too.” I live for these two sentences. I really think about them often.
Some thoughts that came to me as I read:
Children really are listening but their understanding of the world is so limited. When issues between parents aren’t communicated honestly or go unaddressed they can build up so much resentment without ever fully understanding - even in their adulthood. I understand this.
I was wondering how we become who we become. I kept thinking: You either become what you are exposed to or what has exposed what you are used to.
I would recommend this to someone who was considered an obedient child.
nastian's review against another edition
2.0
Still not quite sure what it was about, the ending was random. Maybe the original is much more beautiful in terms of language which would help, but I was just left with a thought of "what did I just read".
The only thing that kept me going was the honest depiction of a teenager's tumultuous life and thoughts, without the usual pretense of the innocence of childhood.
The only thing that kept me going was the honest depiction of a teenager's tumultuous life and thoughts, without the usual pretense of the innocence of childhood.
brendafw's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-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
3.25
annalise_0729's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-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
4.5
Ferrante has the amazing ability to quickly and fully immerse readers into the world of her creation. She benefits from a mostly cohesive setting among her novels, such that every novel feels more and more familiar. This novel is another great one, though it cannot rival the Neapolitan Quartet.
plum2488's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-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
3.0
clare_tan_wenhui's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-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
3.5
While this novel is populated with very unlikable toxic and angsty characters coupled with a somewhat soap-opera-ish and cliche ridden plotline, what makes it still rewarding is the enlightening introspection on the innate hypocrisy of adulthood, class and gender.