Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Meine geniale Freundin by Elena Ferrante

30 reviews

ringofkeyz's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

at the end of the day, my nonna was just a girl trying to find a way out of malito despite all of the odds stacked against her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault

tourmalinequeen's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

I read this for my book club. I did not expect to enjoy it. but here we are with a four star rating and partway through the sequel. It begins very slowly. The entire plot is the setting and characters, which is a departure from books I'd usually gravitate towards. 

The setting is vividly drawn, post-WW2 Naples, in an area full of poverty. The narrator is first-person pov and the other main character is the titular "brilliant friend" who is the sort of friend who is only a friend when it suits. And the characters are flawed; they argue, are prideful and petty and childish (they are children for most of the book to be fair), and utterly compelling. If one has something the other doesn't there is both support and jealousy, which is so human and real to me.

The pace is glacial, and it took me a good quarter-to-third of the book to get into it, but once I was hooked I was hooked. It got to a point where I would start the audiobook just to ensure I got through the slog, but after so many chapters I realised I was looking forward to finding out what happened next. It sneaked up on me, and I am so glad it did.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

arayo's review against another edition

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Classism

sadhbhprice's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Rape, and Grief

Minor: Pregnancy

lzad's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

friendly_neighborhood_grandma's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.5

It felt very realistic and maybe therefor a bit underwhelming with all the hype around it. Read it if you want atmospherical poor napolitan neighborhood vibes, girlhood and the life of people that usually get glossed over. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Fire/Fire injury

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

nikkimccooltaylor's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

lexcellent's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism

eve81's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic friendship, War, and Classism