squalanegirl 's review for:

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

5.0

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

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Reading this felt like I was reading about myself but also about every generation that came before me. It’s apparent that this is based on Ferrante’s lived experience because without that I don’t think she could’ve written something with this level of realism. I related so much to Elena, especially early in the novel with her constant strive for academic success, though her motivations were always different to Lila’s. Lila was all-knowing from Elena’s perspective from a young age, like she always knew academia could save her from the fate of every other woman at the time, and when she finally gives up on that she ends up married at 16 (I don’t want to talk about the ending). Ferrante entwines a coming-of-age story set in 1950s Naples with the concept of marriage taking everything away from women like… how could this not be one of my favourite books ever. The most heartbreaking part was Lila referring to Elena as her ‘brilliant friend’ nearing the end after we’ve seen her be that to Elena for their entire lives together 😭. Their relationship again is so realistic, a connection marked by teenage girl competition and jealousy but overall lifelong love. Another tragic part of the story is the beautiful description of Elena’s summer in Ischia, spending everyday at the beach and getting tan, meeting a boy and finally feeling beautiful again, for all of that to be crushed by a man in the most horrific way. I can’t wait to read the three other books in the series but I also don’t know if I’ll survive them LMAO!