My Brilliant Friend: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 1)
Now an HBO series: the first volume in the New York Times-bestselling "enduring masterpiece" about a lifelong friendship between two women from Naples (The Atlantic).
Beginning in the 1950s in a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples, Elena Ferrante's four-volume story spans almost sixty years, as its main characters, the fi...show more
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Community Reviews
This is the start of an amazing series about friendship and the choices we make and how we must live with them.
I didn't think that I would be interested in reading anymore of the series while I was reading this book, but it ends on a total cliff-hanger, so I feel like I have to, just to finish the story. IMHO, it's kind of cheating. The book itself is well written and somewhat interesting... we'll see if I decide to continue the story, not sure at this point.
Lovely, and private, almost like reading someone’s diary. We follow Lena and Lila as they each come of age in a very well defined space and time. Their friendship rolls through many turbulent times. Lena narrates and so we see most clearly the internal struggles she endures as she makes choices along the way. It’s an intimate revelation.
I started reading this because everyone kept on talking about the hbo show (which I still have not seen). It’s book 1 in a 4 book series, and it begins to tell the story of two childhood friends, Elena and Lila, growing up in Naples in the 50s/60s. The style of writing is flowing and visual, and captivatingly unorthodox. Actually, there isn’t really even a plot. But I couldn’t put it down. Starting book 2 asap.
Excellent character study; excellent life study. I'm interested enough to continue this story in the subsequent books. Did feel a little slow though.
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