My Brilliant Friend cover art

My Brilliant Friend

The Neapolitan Novels, Book 1

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My Brilliant Friend

By: Elena Ferrante
Narrated by: Hillary Huber
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About this listen

Now an HBO series: the first volume in the New York Times bestselling “enduring masterpiece” (The Atlantic) about a lifelong friendship between two women from Naples

Beginning in the 1950s in a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples, Elena Ferrante’s four-volume story spans almost sixty years, as its main characters, 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 conflicted friendship.

This first novel in the series follows Lila and Elena from their 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 two women.

©2012 GO Team! Enterprises (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Friendship Heartfelt Italy

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Critic reviews

"Hillary Huber's subtly shaded performance couldn't be better as she reveals the complexities that separate and connect the two women.... Huber's delivery of this well-plotted, absorbing story of friendship will leave listeners wanting more." (AudioFile)
All stars
Most relevant

If you could sum up My Brilliant Friend in three words, what would they be?

Follow the crowd.

Would you be willing to try another one of Hillary Huber’s performances?

No.

Any additional comments?

This was our book club's choice and I decided to listen rather than read. I only persevered because of that, I really didn't like the narrator. The Americanisms were bad enough but her lack of passion and emotion and even basic inflection really annoyed me. However, I persevered because I needed to finish the book for our discussion and I'm glad I did. I found the story was much easier to understand read aloud where the names became distinguishable, unlike when I tried to read the book itself. The social commentary on life in poor Naples was amazing. If you can get past the narrator, I'd recommend the story.

Good story, awful narrator.

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a truly enthralling and mesmerising book, which draws you into the world the author grew up in.

wonderful

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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.

Well written but repetitive and boring

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Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes but as a book to read, not an audiobook. I found it difficult to keep track of the characters.

How could the performance have been better?

Different reader.

Any additional comments?

I liked it enough to buy the sequel.

Irritating voice

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I found this book quite slow going and mildly irritating. Have given up listening to it.

Slow going

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