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What To Read Next: More Refugee related books
By K · 39 posts · 4882 views
By K · 39 posts · 4882 views
last updated Apr 14, 2025 06:38AM
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By Katelyn , Our Shared Shelf Moderator · 38 posts · 11608 views
By Katelyn , Our Shared Shelf Moderator · 38 posts · 11608 views
last updated Jul 12, 2024 04:17PM
What Members Thought
Set in a rough, working class neighborhood in Naples, My Brilliant friend focuses on the childhood friendship between Elena and Lila. The story is told from the perspective of Elena who initially meets Lila when the 2 girls are in first grade. Elena is drawn to Lila by her brash, bold and often "bad" behavior. The story is very much character-driven and follows the 2 girls up through their late teens. The girl's relationship is made up of various dimensions such as loyalty and jealousy.
I listen ...more
I listen ...more
"My Brilliant Friend" follows two girls living in a poor neighborhood in 1950's Naples, from kids to teenagers. The story is told from the point of view of Elena Greco, a shy bookish girl, and describes her coming of age together with her friend, the wild Lila. It is not sweet, warm and fuzzy; the characters live in poverty, surrounded by domestic violence, and need to grow up really fast. It is a raw, honest book. My childhood was certainly more coddled than what Lena and Lila has to go through
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People raved about this book to me, and it was good. It had moments of subtly profound insight into female friendships, I think, but I'm not quite sure, because I'm not sure if I've ever really had a female friendship like this. Is it normal to feel really jealous of a close female friend? I don't know. Maybe others can supply some evidence one way or the other. I expected to identify with it more than I did, and that's one reason it only gets 4 stars. I also couldn't make Lila into a real perso
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3.5. I absolutely want to know what happens next. But I was not as amazed by this book as I had hoped to be.
Apr 07, 2016
Anie
marked it as to-read
Apr 13, 2016
erin
marked it as to-read
Mar 08, 2017
Deanna
marked it as to-read
Apr 22, 2017
Lauren
marked it as to-read
3-4 stars
