My Brilliant Friend

[Lilyargin]

Anyone else found My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante really dull?
I think it’s been overhyped and badly translated, but also, it’s just so ... boring.

I rarely say this but - you need to try the TV adaptation. Four series. For some reason the story really benefits from visual representation.

I didn't read the first two volumes ((because I mistrusted the hype) until I'd seen them on screen - and then devoured the final two before watching them. I liked the translation - apart from the use of the word "neighbourhood" - which is discussed on another recent thread about translation.

Between the books and TV I've found the stories one of the most powerful and immersive experiences of the year, so far. (In the face of strong competition!)

I keep thinking I really ought to give the first book another go, but I couldn't get beyond the first 50 pages.

I really enjoyed the TV series, so far, it has great cinematography, good acting and the sets are fantastic. I found the first book in the series was so dull and long drawn out with endless descriptions of everything in minute detail and it put me off reading the other three books in the quartet. I do wonder if it's just a bad translation rather than poorly written source material. Although I have enjoyed the TV version so far, Elena came across as such a drip, Nino is a horrible guy - can't understand why everyone fancies him - and Lila, while interesting, is an irritating drama queen though I imagine she was very frustrated by her unpleasant family and lack of education.

Yeah I felt that, really put me off the other books. I read it for my book group and a couple of us were meh but others absolutely loved it and read all the others, made me feel like id missed something

Thanks everyone, really interesting comments. Perhaps I’ll give the tv series a go - not inspired by the book, but by these comments.

I was really disappointed by it. Found it very dull indeed.

The title makes me cringe and puts me off.

The title is freighted with irony and significance. Each of the two girls could describe the other as her one, outstandingly brilliant, female friend.

And each of them (avoiding spoilers) has to live their respective lives in the full knowledge of her own, and her friend's potential. Brilliance is always there - to be shared, withheld, celebrated, envied, borne as a burden, striven for in unfamiliar areas, cast aside, reclaimed ...

It's completely fabulous!

The series is fabulous. I then read the book and found it really dull in places.

The first book is the weakest. I read it for book group and thought 'Meh', but for some reason I then started reading book two and I was utterly hooked and read the whole series. I absolutely loved them, but if I'd stopped after book one I'd think the whole thing was over-hyped.

For me the experience of reading the novels is greatly augmented and enhanced by visual representation of the characters and locations in the TV adaptation. I could never have constructed the searing beauty of Lila or Nino, or the ferocity of instances of domestic violence, in my own head. Once I'd witnessed these things on screen the books went with a swing.

This may certainly point to some inherent weakness in the books as literature - perhaps they were always destined to work best on film.

Yes. I could have written your post @Lilyargin I've tried twice with MBF but couldn't get past half way. Dull, poorly translated, vastly overhyped imo. Not tried watching the series - I now have no interest at all in the story. In paper it should have been exactly my kind of book and it was very disappointing.

Me!

I did get to the end but it was a real ordeal. I didn't take to any of the characters and didn't enjoy the book at all.

I just cannot understand what all the fuss is about. I tried to listen to the radio adaptation as well, but it was no better.

Oh God I loved them. I read something else in between books 3&4 which was truly awful, and it was so comforting to get back to Elena's life and the beautifully written detail. And am now halfway through series 2 on catch up. The TV adaptation is fantastic, perfectly cast, beautifully shot.

I looked for a thread on this book as I'm reading it just now and finding it a bit of a plod. There's so much detail that it has become an effort to keep reading. Nothing about it has particularly gripped me.

The poverty and violence of their lives are well portrayed but it could be anywhere, not particularly Naples, or Italy, which surprises me.

At the moment I don't feel interested enough to read the second book, but maybe I should give it a try.

Glad I'm not the only one to be semi-immune to Elena Ferrante! I've read three of the My Brilliant Friend series and only really enjoyed the second one.

The main theme just seems to go round and round on repeat. Some of the translation is clunky, which probably doesn't help, but somehow I never found myself invested in either Lenu or Lila and certainly not in their toxic friendship.

Wow I didn't realise the books were so polarising! I absolutely loved them. Read them all back-to-back, couldn't put them down.

I only really got into it at the end of the first book. Then I was hooked for the next 2. Listened to the audio & the narrator was good but very slow so it needed sped up more than usual for me.

Agree the TV adaptation is brilliant. Only this and normal people are the adaptations I've thought great!

Not just you, OP. I ploughed my way through the first one and decided not to bother with the rest. I feel as if there must be something wrong with me because so many people rave about them.

I find that months later I'm still thinking about, and actually still a little immersed in, the story - but probably more in relation to the outstanding TV series than the books. It's still possibly - not possibly, definitely - the most affecting thing I've seen on screen this year (though I'd give prizes to I May Destroy You for taking TV story and dialogue to completely new levels of craft, skill, ambition, achievement ...)

Should I watch Normal People? The trailers haven't tempted me; I already don't care about the main characters.

Clicked on this thread because it found it SO DULL I couldn't finish it. So much boring, tedious detail and so little actually happening. Glad to see I'm not alone.

Similarly, I am finding it a bit dull. My sister bought it for me and went on and on at me to read it - she thought it was wonderful, cried all day etc.
I’ve only got until their teenage years and it’s ok but I’m not getting the same thrill as sister seems to have.

I also found it deathly dull and gave up a third of the way through, as I just couldn’t relate to any of the characters.
However on the basis of these posts I may try the tv series and then the books again.

I found it as interesting as watching paint dry.

My problem with it was the number of characters and families. There is even a glossary of families and characters! There’s just too many and I think it prevents you from really loving any of them. I’d rather more effort put into the development of less characters so I can really get to know them and empathise with them.