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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
I love a good coming of age story, especially one that so authentically captures the thinking of early adolescence and teenage years. The identity crisis was very real and the struggle to attain selfhood against the backdrop of Naples’ social divisions and estranged family relations was tumultuous, emotionally charged and radical. Would recommend and definitely intend on reading more by Elena Ferrante.
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The lying life of adults is a story about how when you're young, your parents tend to be gods who can do no wrong, this was the case of Giovanna and her family, but when she realises her heavenly father has a sister from hell, the first sign of mortality makes itself known, and the whole kingdom of heaven comes crumbling down.
I said it when I first read 'days of abandonment', and I'll say it again now, Elena Ferrante has a way of writing characters that is all consuming both for the characters and the reader. I felt every feeling and thought of Giovanna like she were my own person. When she made mistakes I knew I'd probably make very similar mistakes, and when she was happy, which she so rarely is, I felt myself smiling. She is and becomes such a human character in such a contradictory way that I often myself going "yeah that makes no sense, but that's exactly what I would do and sometimes do act." This book chewed me up into a fine gooey mush and spat me out on the side of the pavement once it was done with me...
aftwr this I can confidently say that Elena Ferrante is one of my favourite authors, and I will do my best to read everything I can by her.
I said it when I first read 'days of abandonment', and I'll say it again now, Elena Ferrante has a way of writing characters that is all consuming both for the characters and the reader. I felt every feeling and thought of Giovanna like she were my own person. When she made mistakes I knew I'd probably make very similar mistakes, and when she was happy, which she so rarely is, I felt myself smiling. She is and becomes such a human character in such a contradictory way that I often myself going "yeah that makes no sense, but that's exactly what I would do and sometimes do act." This book chewed me up into a fine gooey mush and spat me out on the side of the pavement once it was done with me...
aftwr this I can confidently say that Elena Ferrante is one of my favourite authors, and I will do my best to read everything I can by her.
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
(4.5)
Me gusta la forma que tiene Elena Ferrante de atrapar a lxs lectorxs con sus narraciones. Me encantó poder acompañar a Giovanna a través de este viaje de crecer, descubrir que la familia no es perfecta, desenmascarar secretos familiares, explorar la sexualidad y comenzar a tomar decisiones propias.
Me parece que la trama se va transformando conforme crece la narradora, un poco como en La Amiga Estupenda. Sigo procesando todo lo que sucedió y lo leí en el círculo literario de Qué Vulvaridad así que quizá después de comentarlo en ese espacio pueda descubrir más cosas. En general, es una lectura muy sencilla pero trata temas muy interesantes, además de contar con varios simbolismos como lo es la famosa pulsera.
Me gusta la forma que tiene Elena Ferrante de atrapar a lxs lectorxs con sus narraciones. Me encantó poder acompañar a Giovanna a través de este viaje de crecer, descubrir que la familia no es perfecta, desenmascarar secretos familiares, explorar la sexualidad y comenzar a tomar decisiones propias.
Me parece que la trama se va transformando conforme crece la narradora, un poco como en La Amiga Estupenda. Sigo procesando todo lo que sucedió y lo leí en el círculo literario de Qué Vulvaridad así que quizá después de comentarlo en ese espacio pueda descubrir más cosas. En general, es una lectura muy sencilla pero trata temas muy interesantes, además de contar con varios simbolismos como lo es la famosa pulsera.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I don't think that I've read something as tense as this and as open about what really happens inside of the teenagers minds since "The diary of a young girl" to Ann Frank.
The book take you through everything and you'll see some parts of your crazy teenage thoughts and acts in it. The writer was so good at describing how a young lady feels and how she can get out of her way and tries to ruin her life because of what's going on in her house. And how destructive the person can be towards themselves when they don't find any outer source of love.
And the amount of confusing feelings and anger that the young lady was forced to face and deal with because of her parents's divorce. And how she saw the world and her mother after that. It was quite interesting to read and go through her mindset.
She uncovered the truth with all of it's ugly and painful faces.
The book take you through everything and you'll see some parts of your crazy teenage thoughts and acts in it. The writer was so good at describing how a young lady feels and how she can get out of her way and tries to ruin her life because of what's going on in her house. And how destructive the person can be towards themselves when they don't find any outer source of love.
And the amount of confusing feelings and anger that the young lady was forced to face and deal with because of her parents's divorce. And how she saw the world and her mother after that. It was quite interesting to read and go through her mindset.
She uncovered the truth with all of it's ugly and painful faces.
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
people often praise ferrante’s “beautiful” writing, but for me the real strength here was how painfully relatable the themes were: the shifting relationship with parents during adolescence, messy dynamics with friends and men, and that raw self-consciousness about how your face and body change through puberty. those parts felt striking and truthful in a way i don’t often see explored.
that said, the writing itself didn’t land for me. i think a lot of it comes down to the translation. it often felt clunky, cold, even contradictory in places, to the point where i’d have to reread sentences. so while i appreciate the uniqueness of the themes, the style left me detached.
emotional
reflective
slow-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