Reviews with content warning for Ableism - My Brilliant Friend

Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

16 reviews

elsieols's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 36%

i paused this for a while to consider going back to it, but i don’t think it’s in my best interest. i was recommended this book from it feels like EVERYONE, yet no one warned me how ableist it would be towards the POV character’s mother. as someone who also walks with a pronounced limp, the vitriol that the woman’s daughter had towards her, that ferrante seems to position the reader to support and accept, was appalling and almost triggering. disabled people are people, not narrative tools to use to explain their children’s trauma. what about HER trauma?

when i brought it up to people i know that have read the book, no one said that the ableism improved as you went on, so, for my own mental wellbeing, i decided to dnf.

Content Warnings

rieviolet's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional reflective 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

It has taken me so long to finally get to My Brilliant Friend that it was starting to get a bit ridiculous, especially since I can access the book in its original language. I was a bit afraid that it would suffer from all the praise and the high expectations I had, but I shouldn't have worried, I really loved it. It is such a gripping story, I flew through it as mesmerised.

The relationship between Lila and Lenù is the very heart of the book and it's one of the aspects that I loved the most; it is captured in all its complexity, both the beautiful and inspiring bits and the ugly and harsh ones too.
I also really liked how the author depicted the neighbourhood and the big cast of characters that inhabits it, they came alive on the page in such a powerful and vivid way. I was really impressed with the characters' portrayals, the depth of their emotions and thoughts.

I was constantly suprised by the narrative, it never went the way I expected it to and I was swept along by the events and completely invested in the fate of the characters.
I raelly look forward to continuing the series and following the lives of Lila and Lenù, but I might need to brace myself as I fear we are in for an awful lot of pain and misery.

Content Warnings

reabetswe_monaledi's review against another edition

5.0

reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

"When there is no love, not only the life of the people becomes sterile but the life of cities."

i am presently unable to put into words my stance on it, or give it a rating, but i like Speranza’s review on goodreads:

“This book is a detailed map of life. It paints the roads and gorges that remain invisible to the eye. It captures the essence of existence in a way the l never could.

It is not about friendship. It is about the inexplicable bonds to places and faces. It is about how our parents live within us and how our children live outside of us. It is about the complex device that is one human being and the fleeting mass that all human beings are. It, ultimately, is about the meaning of every little thing in the grand scheme of futility.”

*updated review to add star rating

Content Warnings

vannyj's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

tarynimwalle's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

This was an excellent period piece and a very well executed character study. It explores its themes with a deft hand and ties everything up in a joyous wedding scene that contains the subtly tragic fall of both protagonists.

It’s easy to see why this novel earned the number one NYT pick for the best book of the century so far. The novel successfully explores socioeconomic inequality, gender politics, misogyny, machismo culture, the lasting stain of facism, and much more. It’s not an easy story to write, but the author weaves all these elements together so seamlessly that the reader might not easily pick up on its complexities.

Content Warnings

lyndseyalexis's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

jojointheknow's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective 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

Content Warnings

raybudbury's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I’m intrigued so I will continue onto book #2 but this book made me really be like “wow these men suck and should all do time in prison/go to therapy/die etc”

Content Warnings