Reviews

First, to be fair, I'm not sure this was translated as well as it could have been. That definitely takes a toll on my rating- it'd probably be 4 stars if the writing hadn't felt a little clunky and off. I assume that's about translation- but I believe this is the first book I've read from a translation, so I can't be sure.

Secondly, I would say this is really 3.5 stars- the second half of the book picks up a lot. It's the story of a long time friendship- maybe obsession- between two girls in Itlay. And it's clearly meant to be a saga- it starts well in the future and this first book follows the story of the girls from childhood through the age of 16. It ended in a way that truly left you hanging- not precisely a cliffhanger, but definitely an abrupt stop that made me want to turn the page to the next book immediately. Instead I hopped online and reserved the next book at the library immediately, lol.

I'm looking forward to our book club discussion about this, for sure.

jamiebrew's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring sad tense 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

4.0

Content Warnings

alpheaa's review against another edition

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reflective 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? Yes

4.0

samsbooksorbit's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

clmckinney's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This is the story of two girls growing up in Naples in the 50s. We see them go from early school to late teens. I liked the exploration of these character's evolution. At times, this story can be pulpy but at other times, it is smart and evocative. On the surface it could be considered sentimental, but it tackles a time that was very challenging to be a girl or woman. And also the obstacles that stood in the way of their choices, namely education. But I think inherently, this is about friendship and how powerful it is. I am fascinated how the story will continue. I have already bought all of the other books, so I will be starting the next one very soon. I give this one a 4.2/5

sarahkarver's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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

4.0

lilytucker's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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