Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Storia di chi fugge e di chi resta

Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Storia di chi fugge e di chi resta by Elena Ferrante

11 reviews

jenni28's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

I’ve devoured this series - and I think this is probably my favourite of the three I’ve read so far.

It continues to story of Elena and Lila, now older, with children and at a point where their lives have gone in very different directions and the intimacy of their younger years has definitely waned.

Like the other instalments of this series, the characters are quite infuriating. I think that they’re written in such a realistic way that you get angry at their many faults but can’t help feel empathetic for the difficult situations they find themselves in.

What I really enjoyed about this novel is that it is set against the backdrop of Italy in the 1960s/1970s - the “Years of Lead” and all the political violence and upheaval that goes along with that. I think the book explores some political ideas without shoving it down your throat, and I found it interesting to get an insight into that volatile period in Italian history through the eyes of the characters in the book.

I found the parts with Lila and the factory, the union campaign and the Communists and Fascist brawls, especially interesting, particularly given her central role in it. So often in these histories we get the story of the leaders of movements rather than the ordinary people who live through them and I found the account of Lila’s experience to be very thoughtful and believable.

I can really see why these books are so hyped. Can’t wait to start the last one!

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maddalenacesco's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

reenactment of “marriage story“ (I’ve never seen marriage story)

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dafni's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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lindseyhall44's review against another edition

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emotional reflective 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

5.0

This is probably my least favorite of the Neapolitan novels, but was still phenomenal! Elena is such a complex and fleshed out character, and I will be sad to see her and Lila go in the final installment!

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radfordmanor's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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samarakroeger's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

I think this series gets progressively better as it goes on! Maybe I just know the huge cast of characters better now and am invested in the adult Lenu more as a supremely flawed and unreliable narrator, but I liked this book better than the two that came before it. That makes me want to pick up the last one really soon!

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