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My Brilliant Friend

The International No. 1 Bestseller
By Elena Ferrante
Series: Neapolitan Quartet
0.0 (0 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
My Brilliant Friend is a modern masterpiece by acclaimed Italian author Elena Ferrante. It tells the intense, generous-hearted story of two childhood friends, Elena and Lila, set against the backdrop of a transforming neighbourhood, city and country. Ferrante's meticulous style offers a profound exploration of friendship and the forces shaping their lives.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$5100

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers of literary and general fiction who appreciate character-driven stories and rich explorations of friendship and social change. Fans of deep emotional narratives and contemporary Italian literature will find this a compelling read.

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From one of Italy’s most acclaimed authors, comes this ravishing and generous-hearted novel about a friendship that lasts a lifetime.

From one of Italy’s most acclaimed authors, comes this ravishing and generous-hearted novel about a friendship that lasts a lifetime.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A modern masterpiece from one of Italy's most acclaimed authors, My Brilliant Friend is a rich, intense and generous hearted story about two friends, Elena and Lila. Ferrante's inimitable style lends itself perfectly to a meticulous portrait of these two women that is also the story of a nation and a touching meditation on the nature of friendship.

Through the lives of these two women, Ferrante tells the story of a neighbourhood, a city and a country as it is transformed in ways that, in turn, also transform the relationship between her two protagonists.

Series: Neapolitan Quartet

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics praise Ferrante's novels for their intensely personal and nuanced portrayal of friendship. James Wood of The New Yorker describes the work as 'intensely, violently personal,' while Megan O'Grady in Vogue calls it 'one of the more nuanced portraits of feminine friendship in recent memory.' Elizabeth Strout, author of Olive Kitteridge, enthusiastically recommends it for its honesty and emotional impact. The novel has been acknowledged by The Economist as a standout contemporary work, with The New York Times Book Review praising its literary depth.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781609450786

Publisher: Europa Editions

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 11 October 2012

Country: United States

Imprint: Europa Editions

Contributors:

  • Translated by Ann Goldstein
  • Translated by Ann Goldstein

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 210.0mm

Height: 135.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 336

Collections

Elena Ferrante Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Series: Neapolitan Quartet

About the Author

Elena Ferrante is the author of The Days of Abandonment (Europa, 2005), Troubling Love (Europa, 2006), The Lost Daughter (Europa, 2008), and the four novels known as the Neapolitan Quartet (My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, and The Story of the Lost Child) which were published by Europa Editions between 2012 and 2015. My Brilliant Friend, the HBO series directed by Saverio Costanzo, premiered in 2018. Ferrante is also the author of Frantumaglia: A Writer’s Journey (Europa, 2016), a children’s picture book illustrated by Mara Cerri, The Beach at Night (Europa, 2016), and a collection of personal essays illustrated by Andrea Ucini entitled Incidental Inventions (Europa, 2019). The Lost Daughter was made into a feature film directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring Olivia Colman. Her most recent novel is The Lying Life of Adults (Europa, 2020). In the Margins, a collection of original essays on reading and writing, was published by Europa in 2022.  Ann Goldstein is one of the most accomplished translators from the Italian working today. Best known for her translations of Elena Ferrante’s oeuvre, she has also brought to Anglo-Saxon readers novels by Primo Levi, Pierpaolo Pasolini, Alessandro Baricco and other classic and contemporary Italian writers.

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