A modern masterpiece by the most popular Italian author of our time. My Brilliant Friend, the first book of the Neapolitan Quartet, tells the story of Elena and Lila, a tale that begins in the 1950s against the backdrop of a poor neighborhood in Naples. The author delves into the complex nature of the friendship between the two girls as they transition from adolescents to women, step by step following each one’s individual evolution, the way one influences the other, and the emotions over the decades that help them build a substantial, unshakeable relationship.

With unparalleled style and an impeccable, meticulous eye, Ferrante unfolds the story of a friendship, revealing the story of a neighborhood, a city, and ultimately a nation experiencing monumental changes over the decades through a captivating narrative.

"And ultimately, Ferrante's real subject is the margin each of us has, both vast and minuscule, to shape our own existence. And this margin is examined from every angle: political, personal, existential... At its core, this Neapolitan Quartet could be called the quartet of freedom." Le Monde des Livres

"To permeate fiction with the indissoluble force of life, to make it not just words on paper but inner strength, that is the greatest achievement of art..." Financial Times

"The unknown author of a famous masterpiece... Elena Ferrante is recognized worldwide as a great writer of our era. Yet none of us knows her identity, and she is determined not to reveal it." The Sunday Times

"The best thing I've read this year." Richard Flanagan

"Ferrante speaks about women and friendship with incredible power." Gwyneth Paltrow

"Reading Ferrante reminded me of that almost childish thrill to turn the next page, that feeling of your eyes disconnecting from your head, that thought that you never expected books could do this to you!" Elizabeth Strout (Pulitzer Prize winner)

"Ferrante's writing knows no bounds; it can lead any thought to radical outcomes and equally revert back to its most extreme beginning..." The New Yorker

"A masterpiece, beyond limits and genres." Il Salvagente

"Ferrante's women are truly works of art!" El Pais

"Imagine Jane Austen angry, and you'll have an idea of how explosively great this Neapolitan Quartet is!" The Australian