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My Brilliant Friend
My Brilliant Friend
Elena Ferrante | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
5
3.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Well written but repetitive and boring
I heard a lot of high praise for this series but I have to admit I was quite disappointed. The lives of the two protagonists Lena and Lila just seemed so shallow and contrived based around the confines of poverty. While it started off remotely interesting, it was far too long to keep up. Their friendship is a constant battle between love and rivalry - which could have been summed up in half the time. And their constant need for male affection was rather aggravating. It has the same premise like Zadie Smith in terms of writing but that's it.
  
Angela's Ashes (Frank McCourt, #1)
Angela's Ashes (Frank McCourt, #1)
8
8.5 (13 Ratings)
Book Rating
Angela's Ashes was an extremely heavy, tragic but touching memoir peppered with humor and emotion and love. Frank McCourt is a master at telling stories, but this memoir of his Irish Catholic family, spans so many subjects, so creatively and so beautifully - from family, to love, religion, sickness, abandonment, poverty... The hardship that immigrants had to go through is heartbreaking - as is their strength, and will to survive and make better lives for themselves. So much emotion after reading this. I don't know if this story will leave me for awhile. Definitely something for the mature reader, and definitely something that stays within you.