Reviews

My Brilliant Friend, by Elena Ferrante

lgiegerich's review against another edition

3.0

I spent most of the book exasperated, & I'm not sure still why this is such a phenomenon. (Is it the insight into an Italian woman's mind? I suppose this is maybe rare in Italian/Neapolitan literature.) I don't care for the style/translation, I can't tell which is bothering me. But the last 100 pages or so got better, & I feel compelled to continue? Puzzling.

sillyzilly's review against another edition

4.0

I spent the first 75 pages of this wondering if it was for me, and the rest of it reading pretty compulsively, regardless of what else I was supposed to be doing. The last sentence made me gasp in small-scale horror. It's hard to say what's so compelling about it—and I wish I could read it in the original Italian; some of the translation is awkward—but it definitely got under my skin, and I ended up enjoying it very much.

livbarry's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

wendoxford's review against another edition

2.0

Liked this but certainly didn't love it. Focuses in on the growing pains of southern Italian youth against the backdrop of, effectively, the sins of their fathers. Small town rivalries, bonds, attitudes and social division bedevil the poor community. But we see the story unfold through the doubts and solipsism of teenagers.
Maybe I need to read the next 3 volumes to understand the publishing sensation that has surrounded this series of books.

daydreamangel18's review against another edition

4.0

My brilliant friend really showed the complications of friendship - love, envy, dependency, competition, even if they are meaningless in the end, even if all is not what it seems despite an outward appearance of perfection. It was also about growing up and outgrowing one's old neighbourhood, childhood friends and childish things. While, I enjoyed the story, the ending felt a bit abrupt to me, and I wanted to know more about the older Lina, but I guess that's for the next book in the series.

jlario's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

aliareadingbooks's review against another edition

5.0

Ferrante can cut you with her words and oh does she ever cut deep.

The dialogue between Elena and Lila is always sparse and always devastating.

There is something about their relationship, I can't quite put my finger on, all I know is I have never encountered anything quite like it.

bcbartuska's review against another edition

4.0

Really ended up liking this a lot! I’m glad I had access to the audio to get me through the first third or so, because it takes a while for the story to gain momentum. But I loved the friendship between Lila and Elena and thought the writing was great.

laurab2125's review against another edition

4.0

More like 4.5 stars, I'd say. Starting it, I didn't think it would hold my interest, but many of the critics that I look up to recommend it, so I knew I'd stick with it. And -- it was wonderful. The writing style is almost sparse and bare; I'm not sure how to describe it adequately. But I'm entirely entranced by the friendship between these two girls and cannot wait to read the next in the series.

lauribooks's review against another edition

4.0

La nota está entre un 4 y un 5 porque me ha encantado este libro. Qué personajes tan bien definidos y qué complejos. Sobre todo, qué amistad tan retorcida y tan estimulante para ambas en los momentos clave. Estoy deseando ponerme con los siguientes, después de semejante final necesito saber cómo continúa la historia.