My Brilliant Friend - in translation

I chose to read My Brilliant Friend written by Elena Ferrante and translated by Ann Goldstein when I wasn't quite ready for the heft and heaviness of Les Miserables, the Books and Beer (two month) title for January's discussion. I saw that a friend had read it and enjoyed it, it was available from the library when I wanted it so off I went.

I found the book extremely difficult to get into. There were lots of characters and each went by several different names. The language was really rough which made me wonder about the translator's ability. It probably took me until about halfway thru the book before I got into a groove. I knew the characters well enough and I realized that the language was rough and sparse for a reason.

My Brilliant Friend tells the story of two girls growing up in a poor suburb of Naples in the 1950s. The narrator is simply smart but her friend, Lina, is brilliant in every way possible. The relationship is a complex one. One in which they pull together ... until some competition ... in the head of one or both of them (most often in the head of Greco, the narrator) pulls them sort of apart.

Lina is the daughter of the shoemaker. Greco is the daughter of a porter at the government building. After elementary school, Greco has the luxury of continuing her education while Lina goes to work in the family business. As Greco continues her education, their paths grow further and further apart. But still they are connected.

I have no doubt that the picture the author paints of the area and time in which they grew up (and which the author most likely grew up) is pretty accurate. Lots of feuds, lots of violence, lots of grudges. The guys with the cars held the status. The kids with the education were considered outsiders. The language was rich enough, however, that I was able to visualize a lot of what I was reading about. Perhaps because I've spent a little bit of time in that part of Italy? I'm not sure.

The book ends very suddenly, with a very interesting cliffhanger. I will definitely add this series to the list of books to go to when I'm not on a self-imposed book club sort of deadline. The book begins in the present and ends in the late 50s or early 60s. So of course I'm very curious about how the "girls" get from there... to here. And I'm curious about the cliffhanger.

I would only really recommend this to a reader who is willing to give time to a book and not drop it when it first doesn't grab you. The chapters are short which made getting to the point where I really wanted to read more a whole lot easier.