The first of four novels in the now world-famous “Neapolitan cycle” by Elena Ferrante tells the story of two friends, Lenu and Lila, who live in the 1950s in one of Naples’s poor neighborhoods. Their childhood and youth unfold on harsh streets, where the girls learn that in every circumstance they can rely only on each other. Years pass. The paths of Lenu and Lila keep separating and reuniting, but they remain best friends—so much so that one girl’s life reflects and refracts in the fate of the other.
Through the story of Lila and Lenu, Ferrante describes the dramatic changes in the life of the neighborhood, the city, and the country—from fascism and Mafia dominance to the flourishing of the communist movement—and how these changes affect the relationship between the heroines—unforgettable Lenu and Lila.
One of the loudest and most discussed book releases in recent years is Italian author Elena Ferrante’s novel “My Brilliant Friend.”
The novel is a bestseller in the United States and Europe. At the end of 2016, Ferrante even made it onto Time’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.