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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
a coming of age story written in beautiful flowery language with many wise reflections sprinkled in, but at times it the sexuality was almost grotesque in the way it was described (esp with the way her aunt talked to her about sex 🤢)
Read this book right as I needed to. I love the way elan ferrante writes about communication experiences with such a taste and perspective of youth that promotes idealism and realism of lifestyle in all of her storylines. I love how every storyline is fundamentally the same, giving the reader a taste into her upbringing and life lessons.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“Lies, lies, adults forbid them and yet they tell so many.”
After reading Ferrante’s “The Lost Daughter” back in May, I knew I had to read more of her work. This story follows a pretty 12-year-old girl named Giovanna. She loves her intellectual parents and they love her back. She has two friends who adore her. She is not missing anything. She feels secure with her life at home—that is, until she overhears her father saying that she is turning ugly like her Aunt Vittoria, whom he despises with a passion. Desperate for the truth, Giovanna travels down the city of Naples to visit her despicable, nasty aunt and ends up being swept away in a world of sensuality and manipulation. It’s a coming-of-age story about a girl who once looked up to her parents and is now confronted with the truth. No one is perfect—especially adults. We see Giovanna navigating sex, family dynamics and history, friendships, and love.
Ferrante has such a way with words that just envelopes you. I was quite literally consumed by her writing, which was introspective, honest, funny, and brutal. I think it’s the best coming-of-age book I’ve read in a while, one with a memorable main character. The characters—even the minor ones—were all interesting and vivid. I literally felt like I knew them. I’m also impressed with the translator’s work; there weren’t any awkward sentences that confused the meaning of Ferrante’s intention.
The only “negative” thing I have to say is that sometimes, the pace was slow. This does not affect my rating at all. The book doesn’t have a conclusive ending, so I’m hoping that we’ll see Giovanna’s story continue. In the meantime, I’m going to read Ferrante’s other works!
It’s still not too late to participate in women in translation month! Whether you just read one book (like me) or 5, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you expand your worldview. Who knows—your new favorite book might be on the other side of the world!
Quotes that stick out to me:
* “Two years before leaving home my father said to my mother that I was very ugly.”
* “I feel ugly, like I’m a bad person, and yet I’d like to be loved.”
* “I realized she wanted many things at the same time, and that kept her in a permanent state of dissatisfaction.”
After reading Ferrante’s “The Lost Daughter” back in May, I knew I had to read more of her work. This story follows a pretty 12-year-old girl named Giovanna. She loves her intellectual parents and they love her back. She has two friends who adore her. She is not missing anything. She feels secure with her life at home—that is, until she overhears her father saying that she is turning ugly like her Aunt Vittoria, whom he despises with a passion. Desperate for the truth, Giovanna travels down the city of Naples to visit her despicable, nasty aunt and ends up being swept away in a world of sensuality and manipulation. It’s a coming-of-age story about a girl who once looked up to her parents and is now confronted with the truth. No one is perfect—especially adults. We see Giovanna navigating sex, family dynamics and history, friendships, and love.
Ferrante has such a way with words that just envelopes you. I was quite literally consumed by her writing, which was introspective, honest, funny, and brutal. I think it’s the best coming-of-age book I’ve read in a while, one with a memorable main character. The characters—even the minor ones—were all interesting and vivid. I literally felt like I knew them. I’m also impressed with the translator’s work; there weren’t any awkward sentences that confused the meaning of Ferrante’s intention.
The only “negative” thing I have to say is that sometimes, the pace was slow. This does not affect my rating at all. The book doesn’t have a conclusive ending, so I’m hoping that we’ll see Giovanna’s story continue. In the meantime, I’m going to read Ferrante’s other works!
It’s still not too late to participate in women in translation month! Whether you just read one book (like me) or 5, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you expand your worldview. Who knows—your new favorite book might be on the other side of the world!
Quotes that stick out to me:
* “Two years before leaving home my father said to my mother that I was very ugly.”
* “I feel ugly, like I’m a bad person, and yet I’d like to be loved.”
* “I realized she wanted many things at the same time, and that kept her in a permanent state of dissatisfaction.”
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
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Classism
Loveable characters:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A study of adolescence in a city - and family - divided.