A review by notoriousesr
The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante

emotional reflective 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

5.0

Giovanna’s life takes a turn when she hears her father say that she’s starting to look like her estranged aunt, Vittoria (ugly and mean). Whereas Giovanna and her family live in upper Naples, ensconced in propriety, Vittoria embodies the less savory aspects of lower Naples. As Giovanna becomes an adolescent, she starts to traverse the two worlds.

My first (official) Ferrante, and she did not disappoint! I absolutely inhaled this book, and I think it’s probably one of the best representations of adolescence in literature. Giovanna is such a pitch-perfect teenager, and her journey from trusting wholeheartedly the perfection of her parents to understanding that she can’t entirely rely on the adults in her life to make correct decision is one that I think is universal, and it’s executed with such grace and clarity by Ferrante. Is 2024 when I finally read the Neopolitan novels? Because it’s looking that way. An easy 5 out of 5 bracelets of uncertain origin.