Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Storia del nuovo cognome by Elena Ferrante

20 reviews

therecoveringbookworm's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Physical abuse

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

Minor: Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, and Classism

jenni28's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I adored this book. 

I received the first of the Neapolitan Quarter as a Christmas gift and devoured it, but the second instalment I loved even more. I read this in almost one sitting! 

This book made me feel a lot of things… 

I went through a bit of a rollercoaster with almost every single character, on one page feeling compassion and empathy for their struggles, by the next feeling utterly enraged by their pettiness and self-centred attitudes.

With Lina, for example, you can’t help but feeling a heartfelt sense of pity given how quickly her young marriage descends into a prison of abuse and unhappiness. At the same time, there were parts of this book where her treatment of Elena really disgusted me, and I wanted to scream at Elena to stop letting her friend walk all over her. But in this novel, as in life, nothing is simple - and that really comes through in the realism of Ferrantes writing.

Every character is so well-written, so believable and so enraging at times that you can’t help but be absorbed by their lives, by a story where not very much happens in terms of plot, but where I was totally glued to the page.  

This book often gets sold as a book about female friendship, and I suppose that is true at the most basic level. But the parts that I found most compelling dealt with 1960s Italy, especially through the prism of class. Without being didactic, I think it was a beautiful exploration of how culture, family, friendships, social relations, communities and art are all affected by our class and our upbringing. 

Despite her great success by going to University and writing a novel, Elena is almost constantly frozen by what I can only describe as “imposter” syndrome. She had a constant feeling of self doubt, never feeling good enough, that always seems to harken back to her competitive relationship with Lina or her embarrassment and shame about her own background. Lina, on the other hand, despite gaining wealth and success, feels trapped in a loveless and abusive marriage due to her social conditions. She is eventually able to break free, but not without huge consequences that affect her life and that of her whole family and community.

I was totally immersed in this book. Can’t wait to read the third instalment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Grief, Sexual assault, Suicide, Rape, Domestic abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Sexism, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse

serena_hien's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Violence, Grief, Confinement, Physical abuse, and Infidelity

maddalenacesco's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

gave me trust issues.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Abortion, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Violence

lk3ssaf's review against another edition

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

5.0

I really enjoyed it, I loved the complexity of Lila and Lenú's characters. The way Nino's character acted as a bridge between them was very interesting as well. I especially liked the chapters of the summer they spent in Ischia, before it all fell apart.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

juliep810'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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

radfordmanor's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Infidelity, Body shaming, Dementia, Bullying, Classism, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship

anahisa's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense 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

disrespectfully, I need nino sarratore to drop dead !

ahhhhh the drama in this installment was crazy. Lila + Lenu make me insane, actually. They’re relationship is so complex. The girls are fighting, battling the shared restrictions of their environment in very different ways, and remain inseparable despite the animosity between them! 

your honor, they love each other, I know it! They’re just so, so bad at expressing it, and men 😐 keep getting in the way!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Sexual content

Minor: Suicide and War

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-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

4.75

Books have rarely hit me as hard as those in the Naples series. It may be the first time I learned that it was okay for a female character to be unknowable. It's just really incredible.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny

Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Classism

Minor: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Abortion, and Blood

augustwordsworth's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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: Rape

Moderate: Suicide, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse