Growing up on the tough streets of naples in the 1950s, friends elena and lila learn to rely on each other ahead of anyone or anything else. She is the author of the days of abandonment europa, 2005, troubling love europa, 2007, and the lost daughter europa, 2009. Itsmore symbolically, speaking in dialect is done between family and people of the neighborhood. My brilliant friend neopolitan novels 1 elena ferrante, 2012 u. They are likewise the embodiments of a nation undergoing momentous change. My brilliant friend is the gripping first volume in elena ferrantes widely. As they grow, and as their paths repeatedly diverge and converge, elena and lila remain best friends whose respective destinies are reflected and refracted in the other. Elena ferrante is an italian novelist who was born in or near naples.
At first i thought it was dull without much action but soon found it had unexpected twists and turns. My brilliant friend neapolitan novels, book 1 elena ferrante. Martha symbolically, speaking in dialect is done between family and people of the neighborhood. A modern masterpiece from one of italys most acclaimed authors, my brilliant friend is a rich, intense, and generoushearted story about two friends, elena and lila ferrantes 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 friends. The series has been characterized as a bildungsroman, or coming. The prologue and chapter 1 begin sixty years from the beginning of the story, when elena and lila are. Hbo adapting my brilliant friend for a series, vogue, aug 18. Ferrantes 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. Our book of the month for january 2019 my brilliant friend by elena ferrante the truest evocation of a complex and lifelong friendship. My brilliant friend, the first in elena ferrantes quartet about best friends from a naples ghetto, is a novel about power. Between them, a tacit loyalty grows, and this love overshadows a latent disquietude about the neighborhood. Her neapolitan novels include my brilliant friend, the story of a new name, those who leave and those who stay, and the foruth and final book in the series, the story of the lost child. My brilliant friend elena ferrante in a 1950s neapolitan neighborhood haunted by the ghosts of a violent past, childhood best friends elena and lila navigate a terrain defined by the decisions of their parents generation. This is the second in the neapolitan novels, which we are reading in my book club.
The creative minds behind the new series discuss how elena ferrantes writing inspired. Elena ferrante writes about female friendship in ways that havent been done before. My brilliant friend by elena ferrante reading guidebook. Nov 30, 2012 in a rare interview, italian author elena ferrante talks about my brilliant friend, the first in a trilogy that takes main characters and best friends lila and elena from childhood to old age. Through the lives of elena and lila, ferrante gives her readers the story of a neighborhood, a city, and a country undergoing momentous change. Each is shaped, in her own way, by poverty, violence, and the. The audio book club makes a brilliant friend slate critics debate the first of elena ferrantes neapolitan novels. It can be assumed that elenas voice is behind the title of the novel, referring to lila as her brilliant friend.
Ferrantes 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 friend. Ferrante has created a memorable portrait of two women, but my brilliant friend is also the story of a nation. At first i thought it was slow and plodding but soon discovered it was actually quite addictive. My brilliant friend by elena ferrante reading guidebook club. I can really think of no better praise than to simply say i loved it, though that seems inadequate commendation for such a supremely talented author. The four volumes 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 were published in america by europa between 2012 and 2015. My brilliant friend by elena ferrante book club discussion. Oct 19, 2011 my brilliant friend, the first in elena ferrantes quartet about best friends from a naples ghetto, is a novel about power. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. My brilliant friend by elena ferrante librarything. At that time, for many of the citizenry, it is a life or poverty and need, yet it is also about strong family bonds and friendships. Beginning with my brilliant friend, the four neapolitan novels by elena ferrante follow elena and lila, from their roughedged upbringing in naples, italy, not long after wwii, through the many stages of their lives. My brilliant friend, a twopart, fiveandahalfhour stage adaptation of the neapolitan novels, opened at the rose theatre, kingston in march 2017.
For two years, the pseudonymous literary sensation corresponded regularly. Nov 06, 2015 it can be assumed that elenas voice is behind the title of the novel, referring to lila as her brilliant friend. Ferrantes inimitable style lends itself perfectly to a meticulous portrait of these two. My brilliant friend posted on 6th september 2015 by waterstones since the publication of her first book in 1992, nobody has known the true identity of elena ferrante. Ferrantes inimitable style lends itself perfectly to a meticulous portrait of these two women that is also the story of a nation and a. My brilliant friend is the first entry in a trilogy which is set in the slums of naples, it focuses on two strong, observant, vividly intelligent girls best friends as they grow into womanhood. A guide for book clubs the reading room book group guides ebook. The girls meet at age six in their poor naples neighborhood.
Ferrante has indicated that this book will be the first in a trilogy. Born into poor families in 1950s naples, the girls from an early age provoke in each other the habit of questioning a world that affords them little agency. My brilliant friend 2012, the story of a new name 20, those who leave and those who stay 2014, and the story of the lost child 2015. Soon to be an hbo series, book one in the new york times bestselling neapolitan quartet about two friends growing up in postwar italy is a rich, intense, and generoushearted family epic by italys most beloved and acclaimed writer, elena ferrante, one of the great novelists of our time. I would recommend this book freely to anyone who enjoys history of any kind or a. Bunty picture story library for girls 324 and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. My brilliant friend by elena ferrante read online on bookmate. My brilliant friend was a surprise to me in many, many ways.
Discussion questions for my brilliant friend by elena. My brilliant friend is a story of friendshiphumbling, raw, human friendshipamid the backdrop of a poor section of postwar naples, italy. But i didnt engage with the characters or the action in which the stakes werent high enough to care. More information about this seller contact this seller 29. My brilliant friend goodreads meet your next favorite book. Mans active nature, flagging, seeks too soon the level. Narrated in first person from elenas perspective, the novel opens with a presentday prologue, in which lila stages. My brilliant friend elena ferrante europa editions. A woman recounts the lifelong friendship and conflicts with a girl she met at primary school in naples during the early 1950s. My brilliant friend by elena ferrante translated by ann. The narrator elena tells us of her friendship with the girl she calls lila, a friendship that sprang out of a. A modern masterpiece from one of italys most acclaimed authors, my brilliant friend is a rich, intense, and generoushearted story about two friends, elena and lila. However, toward the end of the girls story, it is lila who praises elena, and encourages her to be the best of all, boys and girls pg. Ferrantes inimitable style lends itself perfectly to a meticulous portrait of these two women that is also the story of a nation.
Follow the journey of young actors margherita mazzucco and gaia girace, from first introductions to the series premiere, as they work to bring the story of two best friends to life. My brilliant friend is a rich, intense, and generoushearted story about two friends, elena and lila. I am haunted by elena and lila, and i will be checking in to. In a rare interview, italian author elena ferrante talks about my brilliant friend, the first in a trilogy that takes main characters and best friends lila and elena from childhood to old age. My brilliant friend has been lauded by critics and i understand why. Book club notes for my brilliant friend are available here or combined notes for all four neapolitan novels here. My brilliant friend official website for the hbo series. My brilliant friend is the first book in italian writer elena ferrantes worldacclaimed quartet of neapolitan novels, which documents the friendship between elena greco and lila cerullo. Elena ferrantes inimitable style lends itself perfectly to a meticulous portrait of these. Book summary a modern masterpiece from one of italys most acclaimed authors, my brilliant friend is a rich, intense, and generoushearted story about two friends, elena and lila. My brilliant friend is italian author elena ferrantes fourth novel in translation to english, and the first of a trilogy set to chart the lives of two friends, elena and lila. Dec 18, 2014 by turns, both lila and elena are seen to be the brilliant friend of the other. Italys great, mysterious storyteller by rachel donadio.
Elena, the narrator, is gifted and hardworking, and begins to pull herself out of poverty through education. A readers introduction to my brilliant friend this insightful and unsparing portrait of a complicated friendship between two girls has much to say not only about friendship but also about the forces that determine our lives. Ferrantes 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. My brilliant friend has so many characters that it comes with a cast list, but most are so indelible it proves unnecessary. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. I would recommend this book freely to anyone who enjoys history of any kind or a wellwritten novel. The complete fourvolume boxed set of the new york timesbestselling epic about hardship and female friendship in postwar naples that has sold over five million copies. Oct 31, 2014 elena ferrante is an italian novelist who was born in or near naples. A modern masterpiece from one of italys most acclaimed authors, my brilliant friend is a rich, intense and generous hearted story about two friends, elena and lila. The tale opens in 2010, when rino, lilas nowadult son, calls elena to say that lila, now aged sixtysix, has disappeared. My brilliant friend is an extraordinarily meaningful and absorbing read. My brilliant friend elena ferrante reading group notes 7. The neapolitan novels are a 4part series by the italian author elena ferrante, translated by ann goldstein and published by europa editions new york.
The first season of the hbo series my brilliant friend, directed by severio costanzo premiered in 2018. Book club notes for my brilliant friend are available here or. Bound by the confines of gender and finances, two young women take divergent paths in elena ferrantes the story of a new name, the second book in. With margherita mazzucco, gaia girace, annarita vitolo, alessio gallo. In a 1950s neapolitan neighborhood haunted by the ghosts of a violent past, childhood best friends elena and lila navigate a terrain defined by the decisions of their parents generation. Sep 25, 2012 ferrante has created a memorable portrait of two women, but my brilliant friend is also the story of a nation. This study guide consists of approximately 57 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of my brilliant friend. Elena ferrantes 2012 my brilliant friend begins with an epigraph from goethes faust, spoken by the divinity.
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