My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

“My Brilliant Friend” is the first novel in the Neapolitan Novels series by Italian author Elena Ferrante. The book was originally published in Italian as “L’amica geniale” in 2011. The novel is the opening installment of a tetralogy that includes “The Story of a New Name,” “Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay,” and “The Story of the Lost Child.”

The story is a coming-of-age narrative that follows the lifelong friendship between two girls, Elena Greco and Lila Cerullo, who grow up in a poor neighborhood in Naples, Italy, during the 1950s and 1960s. The novel explores their complex relationship, the challenges they face, and the dynamics of friendship against the backdrop of societal changes in post-war Italy.

Elena Ferrante is known for her rich character development, exploration of female friendship, and her ability to capture the intricacies of human relationships. The Neapolitan Novels have received widespread acclaim for their compelling storytelling and insightful portrayal of the characters’ lives.

The story begins in the 1950s, in a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples. Growing up on these tough streets the two girls learn to rely on each other ahead of anyone or anything else. As they grow, as their paths repeatedly diverge and converge, Elena and Lila remain best friends whose respective destinies are reflected and refracted in the other. They are likewise the embodiments of a nation undergoing momentous change. Through the lives of these two women, Ferrante tells the story of a neighborhood, a city, and a country as it is transformed in ways that, in turn, also transform the relationship between her protagonists, the unforgettable Elena and Lila.