Troubling Love by Elena Ferrante

“Childhood is a tissue of lies that endure in the past tense”

Fiction — four stars. After her mother’s suspicious death, Delia goes on a journey to uncover the mystery of her mother’s life. As she discovers more about her childhood, from her abusive father to her mother’s affair with her father’s coworker, Delia grows even closer to her deceased mother.

Ferrante’s debut novel is an amazing exploration of motherhood and the way society treats aging women. While I’ve seen some people online claim that the story feels messy and confusing, I think it only serves to put us in the head of a daughter losing her mother. Ferrante’s lyrical voice is the star of the show, managing to make even the most horrifying details of humanity lovable.