Martina Rosen

Excellent idea, mediocre execution. I’m surprised this won a Pulitzer. The voices don’t sound of their era, they sound of this era. The big shocking reveals aren’t arresting, they’re a respite after pages of “ok, then what happens.” The last sentence of My Brilliant Friend made me gasp out loud and immediately run out to buy the next three Neapolitan Novels. There is no such moment here. It all feels conventional. The first story is good. Maybe he should expand Bonds into a full novel. The writing is gorgeous even if it is very reminiscent to The Beautiful and Damned.