Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - The Story of a New Name

I have been really excited to read this book ever since I finished My Brilliant Friend.
I was not disappointed, and I think I enjoyed this even more than its prequel.
Ferrante's writing is so immersive and detailed, without being boring or pretentious. I liked Lena's reflections on her friendship with Lila as she becomes more mature.
Of course there are many elements of their relationship which are dysfunctional but it is a product of the environment it was formed in, and I do not believe it is our job as readers to judge the actions and decisions of characters. The economic and socio-cultural background of the novel explains, I believe, the tension between jealousy and love in their relationship.
I see Lena and Lila's friendship as more of a sister-like bond, which places the love-hate aspect of it into context.
It may be easy to say "Why are they even friends?", but to say that none of us have asked ourselves these questions of some of our own, most valued relationships would be a lie.
Ferrante's textured and honest portrayal of a lifelong (and imperfect) friendship will certainly stay with me.

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samarakroeger's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

I liked this so much more than the first book! While it felt like I was dragging my feet through parts of My Brilliant Friend, I was hooked to this one. This book follows them from the ages of 15-23, focusing on Lenu’s pursuit of education and Lila’s tumultuous and abusive marriage.

If I thought the first book had kill all men energy, then it is even stronger here. Every single man is downright terrible here.

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hannahbanana1's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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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greatexpectations77's review against another edition

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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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iuniper's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-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

5.0

It took me two volumes to understand the brilliance of this story, the exquisite craft hidden in the plain words, the gripping power of these characters' lives. They are raw and flawed and powerful. They explode off the page in their complexity, pulling you in into their world, in the Napoli of the 60s. Elena Greco tells the story with the precision of a surgeon. She analyses her feelings and the world surrounding her as if she were in the OR, dissecting every single thought that passes through her mind, trying to understand its origin in an attempt to understand herself better, and the world. But she is not a Mary Sue. Elena Ferrante knows how to expose her protagonist's biases and flaws and flawed judgement through clear, raw writing. Lenu and Lila are two stories that mirror each other, two peas in the same pond. They both lied to become part of a world that was outside their reach. They both were disappointed, heartbroken, angry. They both wanted to become better than the sum of their parts, their history, of their family. They grow apart, and they grow closer because, in the end, they only have each other. I am so excited to read the next books.

Hands down one of the best books I have read in recent years.

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