Reviews tagging Toxic relationship

My Brilliant Friend, by Elena Ferrante

10 reviews

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

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

reflective medium-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

My Brilliant Friend is a highly regarded international treasure, focusing on a female friendship in 1950’s+ Naples. While I cannot relate to Elena (our narrator) in a environmental or physical sense, her connection with Lila embodies so much of my own relationships from adolescents to now. It’s resonance with readers spanning multiple years highlights Ferrante’s brilliant (haha see what I did there) ability to articulate the human experience, many events of which I am still trying to put together with words.
I cannot wait to continue on with the rest of the Neapolitan series, and Ferrante’s backlist in general.
After checking trigger warnings, I would highly highly recommend if you enjoy character based novels!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Body shaming, Classism, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Murder

laurenleigh's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-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

4.5

This is one of those novels where there’s very little action, but there’s just something about it that engrossed me. A sign of very good writing, and an especially good translation! The way this narrator looks at the world is both unique and relatable. The part where the girls learn about the recent past and its atrocities (WWII, fascism, etc.) is really sticking out in my mind. I didn’t read in print, but there’s a poignant line about suddenly recognizing that every place and custom and institution is rooted in history from before your birth, for better or for worse. I can’t do it justice in a quick recap! I’d argue the 1950’s and 60’s are often mythologized here in America, and I found it fascinating to see a new perspective on that time period, in a more rural Italian setting. That these girls were in adolescence and had never been in a car! Wild. I don’t think I’m desperate to start the sequel right away, if at all, but I thought this novel was very well done.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Pedophilia, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Racial slurs

samirasbt's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, Sexual harassment, Murder, Child abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Mental illness

hollsbookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Misogyny, and Violence

dannythestreet's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Homophobia and Kidnapping

girlsownthevoid's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Sexism

Minor: Racism

sophiemd's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Grief, and Emotional abuse

nirnaeth's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense medium-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

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence

femboy_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Coming from an Italian family, this book hit close to home. The way the stories are told remind me of those my father and his siblings have recounted over the years. Ferrante is a beautiful writer, even in translation her storytelling is cutting. This book spoke to me and my heart. It is the first in a long time that I haven't been able to put down. I cannot wait to continue on with this series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence