AUTHOR: Elena Ferrante
STARTED: September 24, 2017
FINISHED: October 7, 2017
PAGES: 331
GENRE: Fiction
FIRST SENTENCE: This morning Rino telephoned.
SUMMARY: [From BN] Beginning in the 1950s in a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples, Ferrante’s four-volume story spans almost sixty years, as its protagonists, the fiery and unforgettable Lila, and the bookish narrator, Elena, become women, wives, mothers, and leaders, all the while maintaining a complex and at times conflictual friendship. Book one in the series follows Lila and Elena from their first fateful meeting as ten-year-olds through their school years and adolescence. Through the lives of these two women, Ferrante tells the story of a neighborhood, a city, and a country as it is transformed in ways that, in turn, also transform the relationship between her protagonists. Ferrante is one of the world’s great storytellers. With My Brilliant Friend she has given her readers an abundant, generous, and masterfully plotted page-turner that is also a stylish work of literary fiction destined to delight readers for many generations to come.
THOUGHTS: I gave these books to my mom for Christmas last year. She knows me, so she gave the whole set back to me when she was done. (I will also be passing these along to my mother-in-law as I finish them.)
So, I deliberately waited to start reading this book until The Husband and I were on vacation in Italy. Since the series takes place in Naples, I wanted to be encompassed in the setting. That was a brilliant idea, if I do say so. The location and scenes in these books absolutely came alive for me (particularly when we were travelling by train and staying in Sorrento). Ferrante's writing is vivid enough to bring the setting to mind with just enough imagery to feel cinematic without crossing over in to flowery territory. The neighborhood of the story has sights and sounds and smells, and it's all so very easy to picture.
As for the characters who inhabit the setting... while it can be hard to keep them all straight, each has their own personality. These characters feel real and I had no trouble recognizing feelings and actions. There were a lot of names to keep in mind but, for the most part, a community starts to develop in your head and the story becomes easier and easier to follow as the narrative progresses. Not all the characters are likeable, but that is on purpose.
Elena and Lila are the heart of this story. I did not quite "get" their friendship, but I want to see how their lives together (and part) progress. Their relationship is the heart of this novel (and the whole series). It doesn't matter if your rooting for or against either of the characters, it's impossible not to want to see what happens in their lives.
My Brilliant Friend is a rich and vibrant story about two friends navigating life. I might not always "like" the book or where it is going, but I'm deeply invested in the narrative. Good thing there are three more books in the series.
RATING: 8/10 [Terrific]
Comments