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My Brilliant Friend

By Elena Ferrante
Series: Neapolitan Quartet
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Check link for latest rating. ( 446,417 ratings, 43,767 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 by Elena Ferrante is the first novel in the Neapolitan Quartet, exploring the intricate friendship between two girls, Elena and Lila, in a post-war, poverty-stricken neighbourhood of Naples. As they grow, their bond is both supportive and competitive, reflecting the challenges of changing societal expectations, family ties, and personal ambitions. This evocative narrative captures the complexity of friendship and the relentless quest for personal identity through the lens of their intertwined lives.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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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?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate rich character development and complex female friendships. Set in a vibrant yet tumultuous neighbourhood in Naples, it delves into themes of ambition, loyalty, and the socio-economic struggles of post-war Italy. It's perfect for readers who love immersive storytelling and the exploration of deep emotional bonds.

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My Brilliant Friend

The international bestseller, now in B-format paperback with a brand new cover.

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

The story of Elena and Lila begins in the 1950s in a poor but vibrant neighbourhood 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 their friendship, beautifully and meticulously rendered, becomes a not-always-perfect shelter from hardship.

A memorable portrait of two women, My Brilliant Friend is also the story of a nation. Through the lives of Elena and Lila, Ferrante gives her readers the story of a city and a country undergoing momentous change.

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?

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante is celebrated as a leading example of autofiction, praised for its gritty and intense portrayal of friendship. Critics highlight its uniqueness, with comparisons to Balzac and feminist theory, and commend its hypnotic and compelling narrative. The novel is recognised for its exploration of adolescence, female awakening, and emotional depth, securing its status as a modern classic in contemporary literature.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781787702226

Publisher: Europa Editions (UK) Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 March 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Europa Editions (UK) Ltd

Contributors:

  • Translated by Ann Goldstein
  • Translated by Ann Goldstein

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 331

Collections

2025 Best Sellers Elena Ferrante Featured Fiction General Fiction In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction New Release Fiction New Zealand's Best Selling Books 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 volumes of 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), published by Europa Editions between 2012 and 2015. She is also the author of a children's picture book illustrated by Mara Cerri, The Beach at Night, and a work of non-fiction, Frantumaglia: A Writer's Journey. Incidental Inventions, her collected Guardian columns, were published in 2019.

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