Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

26 reviews

girlsiread's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

no one can write girlhood like elena ferrante. it’s so unsettling, raw, but so deeply realistic. it explores the politics of italy, mother-daughter relationships, poverty, the male gaze, and friendship all in one and i’m just so obsessed. finished it on my kindle and instantly went to purchase the rest of the series. ty elena ferrante. and here’s to women in translate month :*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

lydia_reads's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Gun violence, Violence, and Classism

katrinarose's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

This was a really interesting book, the friendship between Lenu and Lila is so complicated. I wanted them to stick together more and it was sad to watch them go on separate paths for reasons out of their control. They are both such interesting characters. The chapters were short and easy to read but I also felt like the book was a bit slow; there was almost no plot so that is a major thing to consider before deciding to read this. I thought about removing another half star for the times where it felt like it dragged, but I think that was almost the purpose. This is a story of their lives, not a typical conflict-driven plot with a climax and conclusion, so it felt wrong to rate it like it was. I think I will continue with the second book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Violence

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Death of parent

anna_catherine73's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This series from Ferrante is an absolute triumph, each book as enthralling as the last. I couldn’t recommend this series more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual harassment

calireisreading's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.0

This book is a very interesting exploration of the friendship and rivalry between the two main characters, but also of the social context they are in. I found their relationship to be realistic and complex, and the author did an outstanding job at describing its nature, both through their interactions and through the narrator's own account. They live in a difficult social context, and I advise reading the content warnings as the book often mentions and occasionally depicts violence. The writing style is great, simple, but expressive; the narration flows effortlessly, with occasional descriptions that are very well balanced by action and never interrupt the flow too harshly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexual content

The setting is a poor neighborhood in 1950s Naples, where life is hard and people live in poverty. In this context, the social rules and customs presented in the story are quite backwards compared to today's, so the book contains sexist and classist remarks which are, however, directly or indirectly challenged and questioned throughout the story.

_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, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Stalking, and Toxic friendship

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

grobe_liz's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense 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? It's complicated

“My Brilliant Friend”, translated from Italian, catalogues in detailed scope the early childhood and adolescence of two best friends growing up in a poor Italian neighborhood in the climate of the 1960s. Told in the POV of Elena we see her family, best friend Lila, and the harsh community through her eyes as she grows-up alongside it. Elena brings to her narration moments of intense clarity and authenticity that make her story come to life in rare form. The complexity of Elena and Lila’s friendship is painful, honest, and is exactly what I hoped it would be when I read the reviews for this book. The ending of  “My Brilliant Friend” was entirely too cruel and so naturally I am going to reach for the next book asap.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Minor: Gun violence and Sexual content

lindsaccount's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Gore, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

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

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

Minor: Gun violence and Homophobia

liawindsor's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

2.25

I was so ready to love this book and I'm gutted I didn't.

Things I liked: the atmosphere of Naples - Ferrante really brings the neighbourhood and their culture to life. I liked the side characters a lot more than the main ones. I would have preferred almost a more general, cross-sectioned narrative showing what their life is like, rather than this zoomed-in look on Lenu and Lila.

Things I didn't like: Unfortunately, I found the main character so irritating that I could never relax into the narration. I'd seen this book praised as a brilliant portrayal of female friendship, but those reviewers need to make some real friends because this was the most toxic, jealous, unhealthy friendship! The main character never feels anything but spite or envy towards her friend, and there was never any development in this. 

I want to know how the characters turn out, but I can't sit through three more books of Lenu's perspective. A book with so much potential that unfortunately didn't do it for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Sexual content and Violence

Minor: Gun violence