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My Brilliant Friend: The Neapolitan Novels, Book 1
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Series: The Neapolitan Novels, Book 1
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
Non-member price: $49.17
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Publisher's Summary
The story of Elena and Lila begins in a poor but vibrant neighbourhood on the outskirts of Naples. The two girls learn to rely on each other ahead of anyone or anything else, sometimes to their own detriment, as each discovers more about who she is and suffers or delights in the throes of their intense friendship.
There is a piercing honesty about Ferrante’s prose that makes My Brilliant Friend a compulsively readable portrait of two young women, and also the story of a neighbourhood, a city and a country.
Critic Reviews
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What listeners say about My Brilliant Friend: The Neapolitan Novels, Book 1
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Ms
- 08-03-2017
Narrator couldn't get main character's name right
Firstly, the reason I wrote this review is because I hated the narration. Truly awful. She could not even consistently say the main character's name right. On many occasions she pronounced Lila (in Italian this is pronounced Leela) as Lyla and sometimes it sounded like Lina. Was very distracting. Was also very wooden reading.
I didn't particularly like the book either but that is my problem as I know a lot of excellent people who loved it.
5 people found this helpful
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- Jane
- 21-12-2015
More than just about friendship...
Would you consider the audio edition of My Brilliant Friend: The Neapolitan Novels, Book 1 to be better than the print version?
I haven't read the print version so can't comment.
What did you like best about this story?
I enjoyed the engaging narrative in the story. Ferrante writes in a way that is easy to listen to .... conversational and engaging. The story line is more than the friendship between the two girls. It views mafia activities in Naples from a child's perspective, and shows how difficult it was to transcend the social environment in which the girls are born. Although a work of fiction, it felt like I was listening to an autobiography.
Have you listened to any of Hillary Huber’s other performances? How does this one compare?
I haven't listened to any of Hillary Huber's other performances, but I thought she was excellent in this book.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
The book (and the whole series) was so engaging that I sought every opportunity to listen to it. I was totally captivated, and often found myself reflecting on social issues.
Any additional comments?
This was my book of 2015!!!
4 people found this helpful
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- Caroline
- 13-05-2016
An interesting Tale
If you could sum up My Brilliant Friend: The Neapolitan Novels, Book 1 in three words, what would they be?
The opening line of this book keeps you going to read all three. This book is a little slow but keep with it as books 2&# are worth it
1 person found this helpful
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- Mary
- 22-01-2016
Laborious read.
Struggled to finish. Too many names of insignificant characters mentioned. The narrator often sounded bored.
3 people found this helpful
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- Aimee
- 29-10-2015
Recommended
Fantastic book, read for book club. About to download book 2 can't wait to see the progression!!
Only negative was the amount of characters you have to keep up with, who they are related to where they fit etc. Audiobooks definitely arepte challenging in this way. Otherwise fantastic!
4 people found this helpful
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- neil cannon
- 15-12-2020
Pretty boring
This book was well reviewed, so I was excited. But I found it quite boring. It meanders along and there isn’t any emotional hook to characters or story. I also found the narrator boring. Would not recommend, didn’t finish it.
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- Anonymous User
- 15-09-2020
My Brilliant Friend is more than brilliant
This is the best book I’ve ever read (or rather heard). Beautifully written, a truly poetic story.
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- Anonymous User
- 20-07-2020
review
narrator good, novel average, story got very mundane, more suitable for an episode of days of our lives.
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- SW TUBBS
- 13-04-2019
Adolescence
A good description of adolescent girls in 1950's Naples - but should appeal more to romantics.
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- Jessica Anne Barry
- 12-10-2018
Narration is awful!
This story seemed interesting but I had to swap it straight away because of the voice! I do not want to listen to an American accent when I want to listen to a European novel! Anything other than USA American would suffice. Horrible!
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