Becky Johnson

Add friend

https://www.goodreads.com/beckyjohnson123

Becky’s Bookshelves

to-read‎ (46)
currently-reading‎ (3)

read‎ (234)
did-not-finish‎ (0)

never-finished‎ (4)
a-book-from-every-country‎ (1)

the-catch-up-book-club‎ (1)
catch-up-book-club‎ (0)

Stats | More…

Becky is Currently Reading

Becky Johnson is currently reading

Crime and Punishment

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Sep 11, 2026 10:36PM

Becky Johnson is currently reading

The Story of a New Name (Neapolitan Novels, #2)

by Elena Ferrante

bookshelves: currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in June 2025

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Becky Johnson said: " I didn’t think I would enjoy any book as much as I did the first one in the series, My Brilliant Friend. However, this took the story to a whole new level. It was emotional, gripping, and full of dramatic turns that kept me completely absorbed.

The se I didn’t think I would enjoy any book as much as I did the first one in the series, My Brilliant Friend. However, this took the story to a whole new level. It was emotional, gripping, and full of dramatic turns that kept me completely absorbed.

The second installment follows Elena through her final years of high school and into early adulthood. Her life gradually moves upward, she gains opportunities and recognition, but she still struggles with self-doubt and a sense of not truly belonging. In contrast, Lila seems to start from a place of success, but her life slowly unravels. The contrast between the two is powerful, and often painful to watch.

I definitely found myself relating more to Elena. I think many readers of the series probably connect with either Elena or Lila, not necessarily in their actions but in their personalities. Elena carries a quiet anxiety about her background, her behaviour, and how to fit into a new world. She’s often too afraid to speak up, choosing instead to observe and listen. She feels the weight of the class divide and reflects on how some people are raised with a kind of ease and social fluency that she constantly has to work for. The way the book explores these themes, class, education, politics, makes it endlessly fascinating.

One thing I kept thinking about while reading was the portrayal of Elena and Lila’s relationship. The series presents it as a friendship, but I’m not sure I would call it that. Elena seems to hold a deep and lasting resentment toward Lila. While it’s true that, later in the book, Lila begins to act in ways that are manipulative or reckless, Elena’s bitterness seems to have been there from the start. It’s a connection shaped as much by rivalry and jealousy as by affection and admiration.

Personally, I tend to view female friendships in a much more positive way. I think maybe the reason Ferrante portrays it so differently could be tied to the time period. The limited roles and opportunities available to women likely created more intense competition. These days, I think many of us experience female friendships as more supportive. We celebrate each other more. It doesn’t feel like such a zero-sum game.

There’s so much packed into this novel, and I was originally planning to read one Neapolitan book each year, but after this one, I don’t think I can wait. I’m ready to keep going. ...more "

progress:

(page 128 of 471)
— May 30, 2025 09:48AM

Jun 14, 2025 12:58AM · see review

Becky Johnson is currently reading

Mortal Monarchs: 1000 Years of Royal Deaths

by Suzie Edge

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Aug 31, 2026 01:17AM

Becky’s Quotes

“Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see
It's getting hard to be someone
But it all works out
It doesn't matter much to me.”
― John Lennon

tags: strawberry-fields-forever

43 likes

“In the age of global market capitalism, hopes and grievances were narrowly conceived, which blunted a sense of common predicament. Poor people didn't unite; they competed ferociously amongst themselves for gains as slender as they were provisional. And this undercity strife created only the faintest ripple in the fabric of the society at large. The gates of the rich, occasionally rattled, remained unbreached.”
― Katherine Boo

1 likes