Mateo B > Recent Status Updates

I hate that I kind of love this

I find this infuriating but it’s riveting

Been wanting to read more Latin American literature so trying out Lispector. Before I even finished the first page I my first question was where did she go to college because wow can she write. You could tell me that the first chapter was written by Freud, Deleuze, Hegel, or anyother well known philosopher and I'd believe you. Major Bolaño vibes in her complex writing.

Had been trying to find a stopping point for the past 20 pages and then Ferrante wrote that soul crushing passage before the final section. My jaw dropped and I reread the page multiple times in shock thinking there’s no way I read that correctly. Don’t know if I’ve ever been so completely and utterly stopped in my tracks by a page of writing before. No words :(

I’ve watched a lot of movies and tv shows and read a lot of books featuring characters I hated. I’m not sure I’ve ever hated a character as much as I do Nino Sarratore. Whenever I see his name on a page I groan.

Elena Ferrante has this unbelievable knack for making you care about characters you don't like. I think it's due to the way she is able to humanize even the most horrible people. This past section involving Elena's mother has been a masterclass in evoking emotion.

I’ve been wondering who/what the title was referring to this whole time. A weird thing happened and I was like hmm that’s weird. I think I now know what is meant by the story of the lost child. Ferrante wth.

Ferrante is evil for this book. I’m sad. Crazy that Ferrante manages to shock me at the every chapter the same way she been doing since book 1.

Oh brother

So much to say, lots to think about. Made me tear up again.

Astounding

So sucked into this that I didn’t even realize I’m about 200 pages in and I just started reading today. So much to say but I’ll wait till I’m done.

Needed to know what happens next so no break for me. Started reading this in public and I started crying on page 2 and throughout all of the first chapter. Elena Ferrante you are evil. So scared for this.

This book is actually unreal. Again it just keeps getting even more insane. My mouth was open in shock for these past 50 pages. Like unreal stuff. I think I know where this is headed and I am so scared to see it written down on the page. I know I'm only two books in but I've never read characters like Elena and Lila and I don't think similar character have ever been written. What a marvel.

Everytime I think this book has hit peak craziness, something even crazier happens the next chapter. I’m usually pro both Elena and Lila but I feel like the recent developments are indefensible. Poor Elena.

Oh how I love getting frustrated by these two. They just feel so real and every emotion and thought they feel is so tangible. Just like My Brilliant Friend the level of vulnerability is something I’ve never encountered before.

“Are you ashamed of me”

Lila is taking me out in this book as is Elena. Stefano has no idea what he got himself into with Lila and it’s lowkey funny but also very serious. Elena always has me cracking up. Her entire being depends on what her perception of what Lila thinks of her is and not actually what Lila thinks. I don’t know where this is going but hope everything goes well for Lila and Elena and terrible for Stefano and Antonio.

Things have calmed a tad since the explosive beginning and I’m still just as enthralled

Chapter 7 is one of the most intense passages from any book I have ever read. Ferrante really smacked me in the face with that one. Elena and Lila's relationship is just so fascinating. It's ugly and toxic at times but it's also the one thing that is keeping the two going.

"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't want you to see me."
"Others can see you and not me?"
"I don't care about others, I do care about you."

Elena and I are the same person

This is so good

Everything about this books feels so familiar. Like not in a derivative way but in a I feel like I know these people and their life stories even though I'm only half way through 1 of 4 books. Ferrante's pen is unreal, what a talent. Everything is so tangible it doesn't feel like fiction. Super duper.

ELENA FERRANTE WHO ARE YOU

This book was ranked as the best book of the 21st century by The New York Times and if these first fifty pages are any indication of My Brilliant Friend's quality, they might not have been wrong.