The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante

 Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020--San Antonio

The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante is the second book I have read in a month by this pseudonymous author.  This is her latest novel (released in English in August of 2020) and has gotten great reviews all over the world.  I found it to be a fast, easy read.   The main character is a young female high school student whose life changes dramatically as she learns that life is not always as simple as it seems and has to deal with adjusting to having relationships with her relatives, her friends, and new acquaintances that are not as straight forward or as easy as relationships when she was young and innocent.  Set in Naples, there is the contrast between two parts of her own family whose neighborhoods are very economically different and whose lives have been lived at a distance also because of conflicts, disappointments, and grudges.  But it also deals with her having to determine what is important to her in life and whether she will make decisions that lead her into a life of the kinds of conflicts that have been occurring for decades within the family.  It's a good book, although I did find myself wanting yell at the young lady that she needed to grow up and not be so self-centered.  I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars.