Reviews tagging Murder

My Brilliant Friend, by Elena Ferrante

12 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

_shonahenderson's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Body shaming, Stalking, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Classism, Death, Murder, Racial slurs, and Violence

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

mts's review against another edition

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

adeliab's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

Graphic: Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexual content, Murder, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Classism

Minor: Gun violence and Homophobia

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

kowtherq's review against another edition

adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

 I loved this!!

To the naked eye, this book might seem a little slow with not much happening throughout it.
On the contrary, so much constantly happens throughout this book. It was gripping from start to finish. It is a book that deals with so many themes, class being an important one. I enjoyed how this book deeply explores the friendship between Elena and Lila in all its complexity throughout childhood and adolescence, and how it was impacted by their different changing lives. This book also deeply speaks to the idea of community and what it means to be a part of one.

As I mentioned, class is a central theme in this book. It isn't sugarcoated either so it is refreshing to see it dealt with in such a real manner. From the disdain of the poorer families towards the rich family to their envy and wanting money, to having to choose between education and family due to money constraints, and even wealth affecting their relationships.

I wasn't planning on picking up the rest of the books in the series, but now I think I will! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism and Sexual assault

Minor: Murder

breadwitchery's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Blood, Death, Body shaming, Bullying, Injury/injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Murder, and Pedophilia

Minor: Child death, War, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, and Homophobia

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