Book Review: The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante

Rating: 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Story of a New Name certainly did not disappoint my excitement and love for My Brilliant Friend - in fact I think it made me fall in love with this series more than I ever thought I could! Unlike the first, which at times became quite difficult to read, The Story of a New Name has such a flow to it. The second half in particular seemed to slip away from me and could not put it down! The beauty of Ferrante's writing comes from the indescribable sensation that you get from reading such a raw and powerful story. You can never seem to tell what it is that makes it so gripping, but this is a friendship that you just have to read through to the end. With the second book being so different from the first, I cannot wait to see what book number three has in store!

About The Book:

The Story of a New Name is the second book found in the Neapolitan Quartet series and we meet Lila and Elena exactly where we left them in the first book, at Lila's wedding. In this phase of the series, the girls struggle to navigate the next stages of their lives: Lila must work out her place as a married woman, engrossing herself in the family business, whilst Elena continues her studies and begins to explore the world beyond her tight-knit neighbourhood.

Many might anticipate that by taking those next steps into their early twenties, Lila and Elena would feel a stronger sense of freedom and perhaps even empowerment. However, both of them appear imprisoned and trapped within the expectations of marriage and success. What Ferrante captures throughout her narrative so perfectly is their complex and evolving bond for each other. A bond that ultimately becomes a source of strength that helps to tackle the issues that life continues to throw at these two women.

This is a book that explores love, lust, bad decisions, betrayal and loyalty. It continues the enthralling saga of a friendship that can only be described as complicated. But, as readers, we seem to fall in love with complicated and can find notions of ourselves every time we turn the page.