Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

95 reviews

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

4.5

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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

bekconn's review against another edition

reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Objectively very good. An incredibly detailed, intimate, & nuanced exploration of a friendship, of character dynamics. Just not particularly exciting. Also there are so many characters and it was hard to tell some of them apart from one another. Loved the protagonist, though, and would like to continue the series so I can be in her head through the other stages of her life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, and Murder

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

chlschn's review against another edition

reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Violence

guavasoup's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

marcepax's review

challenging emotional reflective slow-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

3.0

I can understand the hype and I don't think it's undeserved. I enjoyed this book to some extent, but I felt asphyxiated for the most part. The obsession of Elena for her firend is so strong it felt claustrophobic, especially since the first person point of view locks us up in her head. The story doesn't pull any punches regarding the violence in Naples, the domestic violence, the violence of poverty. It's a harsh story, filled, also, with all the seemingly univeral insecurities of a girl growing up. The skillful writing made all of this hit very hard.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, and Classism

Moderate: Mental illness

sara_ramelb's review against another edition

emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A powerful retelling that reminded me of what it was to be a young girl with a brilliant friend, somehow still ringing true across an ocean and a century. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

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