Reviews tagging 'Miscarriage'

Un mal nombre by Elena Ferrante

43 reviews

risemini's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Violence, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Grief, Misogyny, War, Blood, Confinement, Death, Abandonment, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape

knkoch's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

4.0

I enjoyed this second installment in the Neapolitan quartet even more than the first. I found this teenage/young adulthood period in (MC) Elena and Lina's lives more eventful than their childhood, with bigger stakes and more connection to the other folks in the neighborhood, though the childhood events color the jealousies and decisions made, too. A blurb on the cover of my edition mentioned anger, and that clarified for me so much of the dynamic between the two women as well as their dealings with virtually all the men they (must) know. It's not so common to have stories so fully exploring women's anger in this way. 

The complexity of the relationships and mental experiences here are expertly dissected and recounted in Elena's first person narrative. I thought a lot about co-dependency, though I can't say I've seen that depicted between two friends in such a way before. Amidst the warmth and the intimacy of Elena and Lina's (or Lenú  and Lila's) bond, there is also negativity and resentment. That depth of feeling explored kept me engaged and curious throughout. When you're unbelievably close with someone, someone you've known since almost as far back as your lived memory stretches, how do they shape you? Is it for good, bad, or simply both? How do you grow together, or, how can you? If you grow in the same small space, you're bound to stunt each other, and yet, what a strange joy it must be to know another's mind and manner so well. The cost of such knowing to Elena's psyche is something the narrative is still spooling out, and and I look forward to the next installment to see how it all develops. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Miscarriage

Domestic abuse, rape:

the most difficult aspect of the narrative is the extensive physical abuse present in several marriages, including that of one of the main characters. Rape occurs several times in the midst of this. The physical violence in these relationships is quite graphically depicted.

kilonshele's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-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: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Miscarriage and Sexual assault

nadiaherondale's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed this one quite more than the first one, maybe It's cause I'm already invested on the characters or maybe it was the pacing. Once again we submerged ourselves into Lenu and Lina's world of violence, poverty and money (a central theme on this one specially), friendship and the hardships of being female. Nino Sarratore is exactly the kind of man I hate (pretends to be the good stuff and it's actually the worst of all) and the ending gave me chills, just when I thought Lenu was out of reach. At some points of the story I hated Lina with passion, I think it's just what the author intended since it's supposed to be Lenu's narrative and her feelings strongly bleed into the writing, and I actually loved that. All in all I'm excited to keep the series and see what we get ourselves into on the next one, now that both Elena and Lila seem to have escaped the neighborhood up to some point.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Death of parent, Infertility, Miscarriage, Body shaming, and Classism

lenaricharz'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Miscarriage

yumaa's review against another edition

emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Infidelity, Abortion, Violence, Suicide, Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Blood, 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

samarakroeger's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Rape, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Classism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, and Miscarriage

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