Welcome to Litsy!

Sadly, I think the friend(?) who I was supposedly buddy reading Elena Ferrante with is ghosting me. She went ahead and finished all the books in the series though before I finished the second one. I have texted and called her to apologize. I‘m so shocked. I hope she‘s Ok though. (Sigh)

I bailed on this book 9 years ago! (It just wasn‘t the right time and I didn‘t have the patience) but I heard a podcast about it last week and thought it was time to give it another go. Boy am I glad I did! I absolutely loved it. One of the best books I‘ve read in a long time. Now to get the next three books…

Ha! Interesting title for this post. My friend Buddy Reading these books with me and I think she is the character “Elena” in these novels. I cannot conceive that this can be a fictionalized relationship. #Bibliophile #AuthorWPseudonym

Embarrassingly, I looked up what made this book critically acclaimed wondering, what was I missing? That tension of young friendship that seesaws between desperate longing and cutting jealousy? That, I recognised but no longer felt. Perhaps the “grown up” version I‘m shying away from is when you act but do so with an awareness of how you will be perceived by that one person you can‘t help but want to impress. Or worse, you act in spite of them.

#5JoysFriday

1. Sunrise - I stopped in my commute this morning to take some photos
2. Sunset from my balcony
3. My landlord brought me homemade wine & limoncello - delizioso!
4. This kitten ❤️
5. I live 400 meters from a pizzeria & 200 meters from a gelato shop 😋

Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView

The story is that I am trying to catch up with my friend (Buddy Read). She could not stop reading and finished all 4 novels in the Quartet. The relationship between the protagonists (two) is … I don‘t even know what to say. Elena Ferrante is anonymous. I betcha she is writing a story about her own friendship. I don‘t even think one of the greatest authors can make this stuff up. It‘s the epitome of a love/hate relationship. (This is Book Two)

How about “Buddy Read” rivalry? A friend and I had this plan to read “The Alexander Quartet” by Elena Ferrante and I got sidetracked with #READLESMIS I was upfront with her about it. Not a cheater. 🤣 We had already read and discussed Book One: My Brilliant Friend. I checked back with her yesterday and she has finished all 4 books. She said she could not wait for me. 😳 (I typically read one book at a time but I guess I need to change up)

This was another #buddyread with my bestie. The first in a trilogy about two friends. This first book was about their childhood and growing up together. Overall, it was a soft pick for me. The characters were fleshed out well and unique, but there truly wasn‘t as much in the way of friendship for the girls as I expected

Published in English under the title Neapolitan Chronicles&translated by Goldstein&McPhee, Ortese is one of the best post Ww2 Italian&perhaps most overlooked authors.The book consists of 5 chapters (3 fiction,2 journalistic accounts) that present a Naples shattered by war&corruption. Ortese‘s style is a blend of realist narrative&”almost surreal tone”.Ortese talks about her book having the effect of disorientation.

Well, I seldom if ever read two books at once. But, I was doing a buddy read of “My Brilliant Friend” (Book 1) and before we even discussed the book, she could not wait and started reading this one. We will see how this goes with “Les Miserables”. (Back into my reading for sure in 2025).