The Lying Life of Adults

"Lying Adult Life" is an exciting, psychologically subtle, and precise novel about how hard it is to grow up. The main heroine—and the narrator—at the very threshold of youth has to learn a great many family secrets, coping with the burden that would be difficult for any adult. Betrayal by loved ones, hatred and vicious gossip, a precious trinket passed from hand to hand—at once something that binds and sows discord… First love, first kisses, and an intense desire to love and be loved… How hard it is to be a teenager! How hard it is to learn about the world of adults, who—turns out—are learning to speak the truth only to lie all the time...

The book’s author, Elena Ferrante, is a mysterious figure who prefers to stay in the shadows of her books. It’s even unknown whether she uses a pseudonym or writes under her own name. Her novels have been translated into 40 languages, and in 2016 she was included in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.