---
product_id: 6343292
title: "My Brilliant Friend"
price: "KSh6924"
currency: KES
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reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.co.ke/products/6343292-my-brilliant-friend
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region: Kenya
---

# My Brilliant Friend

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My Brilliant Friend [Ferrante, Elena, Goldstein, Ann] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. My Brilliant Friend

Review: Truly Enjoyable! - The novel involved the lives of Elena Greco (Lenu), and Rafaela Cerullo (Lila). The girls resided in a poverty-stricken area of Naples, Italy, post Second World War, early 1950s. The Black Market was still in existence and some families gained power and status in their neighborhood. As a patriarchal society, women were sometimes subjected to daily domestic violence. After a chain reaction of violent events that begun in the streets, wives bore the brunt of their husbands’ displaced anger in the home. Parents were often harsh and punitive toward their children in an atmosphere of a scarcity of food, loss of hope and a great level of violence in their community. Lila and Lenu’s friendship was begun around the age of six. There were no similarities in the girls’ personalities. Lenu, the narrator, knew early on Lila, clever, competitive and stubborn, would be the uncontested leader in social and girlhood activities. Lila appeared bold and adventuresome, rebellious and defiant, whereas Lenu showed timidity and caution. An outspoken Lila challenged their teacher, Maestra Oliviero, and disrupted the class; unafraid of the consequences. Lila seemed good at suppressing her emotions. But Maestra Oliviero discovered Lila was brilliant. There was nothing Lila couldn’t learn or do. She surpassed all of her classmates, and became Maestra Oliviero’s favorite. Lenu worked harder to reach Lila’s academic level. Yet Lila always exceeded, leaving Lenu feeling anxious. By their middle years, Lenu was beset by fears of her mother, whom she disliked, wanting her to quit school. Maestra Oliviero intervened more than once, informing her parents Lenu would have a brighter future if she remained in school. During adolescence, Lila, probably bored, quit school to work in her father’s shoe repair store. She and her brother, Rino, secretly attempted to build a business designing and making shoes. Lenu showed absolute alliance and loyalty to her best friend, Lila. She studied harder to prove herself on Lila’s level, welcoming the interest of their instructor, Maestra Oliviera. The girls still competed, with Lila continuing her studies on her own at home, and continuing to override Lenu’s achievements at school. Lenu spent time in Ischia during her fifteenth year, and became beset with a moral dilemma that she never shared with Lila. The depth of Lenu’s emotional feelings, especially anxiety are real. I wondered if she would outgrow her feelings of inadequacy concerning Lila. The reactions of the young men in their circle, Rino, Antonio, and Enzo, are heartfelt, raw, and palpable concerning disrespect toward female family members and friends. Anger often spewed uncontrollably. Their valor appeared intense and unwavering. Although smart and well-read, Lila, toughened and hardened by the ‘mean streets’ of Naples, grew to be a sophisticated young woman who made an amazing transition. Indecisive, Lenu wanted to advance and eventually move away. She wanted to gravitate to a better life, away from her violent surroundings, and the anger that permeated her young adult friends, who unlike her, were not educated, and spoke in dialect. She wanted to be around people with like-minded ideas. She knew her desires could only be achieved through education. She was confused about boyfriends, and like most teens, did not have a secure identity, or a positive sense of self. Ferrante’s writing style is very visual and emotional. I relived some of my own childhood angst concerning physical and emotional changes during puberty, friendships, and competitiveness. The book refers to ‘spoken in dialect,’ which is the language spoken by those who were uneducated or did not attend secondary school and learn formal Italian. The word concrete was used a number of times throughout the book, which I think refers to things we know through our senses that are touchable and tangible. I enjoyed reading My Brilliant Friend. I gave the book five stars. The novel involved the lives of Elena Greco (Lenu), and Rafaela Cerullo (Lila). The girls resided in a poverty-stricken area of Naples, Italy, post Second World War, early 1950s. The Black Market was still in existence and some families gained power and status in their neighborhood. As a patriarchal society, women were sometimes subjected to daily domestic violence. After a chain reaction of violent events that begun in the streets, wives bore the brunt of their husbands’ displaced anger in the home. Parents were often harsh and punitive toward their children in an atmosphere of a scarcity of food, loss of hope and a great level of violence in their community. Lila and Lenu’s friendship was begun around the age of six. There were no similarities in the girls’ personalities. Lenu, the narrator, knew early on Lila, clever, competitive and stubborn, would be the uncontested leader in social and girlhood activities. Lila appeared bold and adventuresome, rebellious and defiant, whereas Lenu showed timidity and caution. An outspoken Lila challenged their teacher, Maestra Oliviero, and disrupted the class; unafraid of the consequences. Lila seemed good at suppressing her emotions. But Maestra Oliviero discovered Lila was brilliant. There was nothing Lila couldn’t learn or do. She surpassed all of her classmates, and became Maestra Oliviero’s favorite. Lenu worked harder to reach Lila’s academic level. Yet Lila always exceeded, leaving Lenu feeling anxious. By their middle years, Lenu was beset by fears of her mother, whom she disliked, wanting her to quit school and get a job or stay home and help out. Maestra Oliviero intervened more than once, informing her parents Lenu would have a brighter future if she remained in school. During adolescence, Lila, probably bored, quit school to work in her father’s shoe repair store. She and her brother, Rino, secretly attempted to build a business designing and making shoes. Lenu showed absolute alliance and loyalty to her best friend, Lila. She studied harder to prove herself on Lila’s level, welcoming the interest of their instructor, Maestra Oliviera. The girls still competed, with Lila continuing her studies on her own at home, and continuing to override Lenu’s achievements at school. Lenu spent time in Ischia during her fifteenth year, and became beset with a moral dilemma that she never shared with Lila. The depth of Lenu’s emotional feelings, especially anxiety are real. I wondered if she would outgrow her feelings of inadequacy concerning Lila. The reactions of the young men in their circle, Rino, Antonio, and Enzo, are heartfelt, raw, and palpable concerning disrespect toward female family members and friends. Anger often spewed uncontrollably. Their valor appeared intense and unwavering. Although smart and well-read, Lila, toughened and hardened by the ‘mean streets’ of Naples, grew to be a sophisticated young woman who made an amazing transition. Indecisive, Lenu wanted to advance and eventually move away. She wanted to gravitate to a better life, away from her violent surroundings, and the anger that permeated her young adult friends, who unlike her, were not educated, and spoke in dialect. She wanted to be around people with like-minded ideas. She knew her desires could only be achieved through education. She was confused about boyfriends, and like most teens, did not have a secure identity, or a positive sense of self. Ferrante’s writing style is very visual and emotional. I relived some of my own childhood angst concerning physical and emotional changes during puberty, friendships, and competitiveness. The book refers to ‘spoken in dialect,’ which is the language spoken by those who were uneducated or did not attend secondary school and learn formal Italian. The word concrete was used a number of times throughout the book, which I think refers to things we know through our senses that are touchable and tangible. I enjoyed reading My Brilliant Friend. I gave the book five stars.
Review: Complex friendships born in poverty - This has been popping up on lists of must-reads and recommendations all over the place for me. I was excited to dive in, but it took me a full ninety pages before I really felt like I was invested in the book and enjoying it. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood, maybe it dragged in places, maybe I just took me a minute to get my head around the extensive list of characters in the story. Whatever the reason, it took a while for this one to click, but I am glad I stuck with it. I am into the second book now and there are a lot of threads and themes to follow in this story. The ones that stood out for me were the poverty and friendship themes. This is the story of two girls and their friendship through the years, but as any woman knows, those friendships are complicated and nuanced in a way that only female relationships can be. This book is an introduction to that friendship, with all of the petty jealousies of youth, the codependency, the comparisons, and the competitiveness. All of this is slowly and subtly wound into the story so that you care deeply about Lila and Lenu, but also so that you feel their malaise, the pull they have on each other and the effect that the community has on them. The second theme that really struck me was the one of poverty and the impact that it has on individuals and the community. The overarching poverty of this neighbourhood in the post-war years governs the behaviour of everyone. The way that is demonstrated through violence was very familiar to me. Although the circumstances are not at all the same, I grew up near a town called Mt. Druitt in Australia, that was once one of the poorest suburbs in Sydney. The pervasiveness and acceptance of violence in that community was very similar to the neighbourhood in the book. Ferrante's handling of that poverty and violence was fascinating to me and rang very true. The corollary of that is how the community changes as people become more affluent. These are just two of the themes that struck me the most. There is also an examination of the role of women, their place and power in the community and vis-a-vis men. The power of youth and sex and control of those things. Ambition. Acceptance. Growth. This book is so good because it wraps all of this and more into the story of two girls. This is just my first stab at thoughts on this book. I imagine I will have more to chew on as the story progresses. It may have taken me ninety pages, but I am definitely hooked now.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #3,295 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #87 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books) #146 in Contemporary Women Fiction #466 in Literary Fiction (Books) |
| Book 1 of 4  | Neapolitan Novels |
| Customer Reviews | 4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars (36,251) |
| Dimensions  | 5.34 x 0.97 x 8.22 inches |
| Edition  | Original |
| ISBN-10  | 1609450787 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1609450786 |
| Item Weight  | 14.4 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 336 pages |
| Publication date  | September 25, 2012 |
| Publisher  | Europa Editions |

## Images

![My Brilliant Friend - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81p2bM1JNcL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Truly Enjoyable!
*by U***A on October 27, 2016*

The novel involved the lives of Elena Greco (Lenu), and Rafaela Cerullo (Lila). The girls resided in a poverty-stricken area of Naples, Italy, post Second World War, early 1950s. The Black Market was still in existence and some families gained power and status in their neighborhood. As a patriarchal society, women were sometimes subjected to daily domestic violence. After a chain reaction of violent events that begun in the streets, wives bore the brunt of their husbands’ displaced anger in the home. Parents were often harsh and punitive toward their children in an atmosphere of a scarcity of food, loss of hope and a great level of violence in their community. Lila and Lenu’s friendship was begun around the age of six. There were no similarities in the girls’ personalities. Lenu, the narrator, knew early on Lila, clever, competitive and stubborn, would be the uncontested leader in social and girlhood activities. Lila appeared bold and adventuresome, rebellious and defiant, whereas Lenu showed timidity and caution. An outspoken Lila challenged their teacher, Maestra Oliviero, and disrupted the class; unafraid of the consequences. Lila seemed good at suppressing her emotions. But Maestra Oliviero discovered Lila was brilliant. There was nothing Lila couldn’t learn or do. She surpassed all of her classmates, and became Maestra Oliviero’s favorite. Lenu worked harder to reach Lila’s academic level. Yet Lila always exceeded, leaving Lenu feeling anxious. By their middle years, Lenu was beset by fears of her mother, whom she disliked, wanting her to quit school. Maestra Oliviero intervened more than once, informing her parents Lenu would have a brighter future if she remained in school. During adolescence, Lila, probably bored, quit school to work in her father’s shoe repair store. She and her brother, Rino, secretly attempted to build a business designing and making shoes. Lenu showed absolute alliance and loyalty to her best friend, Lila. She studied harder to prove herself on Lila’s level, welcoming the interest of their instructor, Maestra Oliviera. The girls still competed, with Lila continuing her studies on her own at home, and continuing to override Lenu’s achievements at school. Lenu spent time in Ischia during her fifteenth year, and became beset with a moral dilemma that she never shared with Lila. The depth of Lenu’s emotional feelings, especially anxiety are real. I wondered if she would outgrow her feelings of inadequacy concerning Lila. The reactions of the young men in their circle, Rino, Antonio, and Enzo, are heartfelt, raw, and palpable concerning disrespect toward female family members and friends. Anger often spewed uncontrollably. Their valor appeared intense and unwavering. Although smart and well-read, Lila, toughened and hardened by the ‘mean streets’ of Naples, grew to be a sophisticated young woman who made an amazing transition. Indecisive, Lenu wanted to advance and eventually move away. She wanted to gravitate to a better life, away from her violent surroundings, and the anger that permeated her young adult friends, who unlike her, were not educated, and spoke in dialect. She wanted to be around people with like-minded ideas. She knew her desires could only be achieved through education. She was confused about boyfriends, and like most teens, did not have a secure identity, or a positive sense of self. Ferrante’s writing style is very visual and emotional. I relived some of my own childhood angst concerning physical and emotional changes during puberty, friendships, and competitiveness. The book refers to ‘spoken in dialect,’ which is the language spoken by those who were uneducated or did not attend secondary school and learn formal Italian. The word concrete was used a number of times throughout the book, which I think refers to things we know through our senses that are touchable and tangible. I enjoyed reading My Brilliant Friend. I gave the book five stars. The novel involved the lives of Elena Greco (Lenu), and Rafaela Cerullo (Lila). The girls resided in a poverty-stricken area of Naples, Italy, post Second World War, early 1950s. The Black Market was still in existence and some families gained power and status in their neighborhood. As a patriarchal society, women were sometimes subjected to daily domestic violence. After a chain reaction of violent events that begun in the streets, wives bore the brunt of their husbands’ displaced anger in the home. Parents were often harsh and punitive toward their children in an atmosphere of a scarcity of food, loss of hope and a great level of violence in their community. Lila and Lenu’s friendship was begun around the age of six. There were no similarities in the girls’ personalities. Lenu, the narrator, knew early on Lila, clever, competitive and stubborn, would be the uncontested leader in social and girlhood activities. Lila appeared bold and adventuresome, rebellious and defiant, whereas Lenu showed timidity and caution. An outspoken Lila challenged their teacher, Maestra Oliviero, and disrupted the class; unafraid of the consequences. Lila seemed good at suppressing her emotions. But Maestra Oliviero discovered Lila was brilliant. There was nothing Lila couldn’t learn or do. She surpassed all of her classmates, and became Maestra Oliviero’s favorite. Lenu worked harder to reach Lila’s academic level. Yet Lila always exceeded, leaving Lenu feeling anxious. By their middle years, Lenu was beset by fears of her mother, whom she disliked, wanting her to quit school and get a job or stay home and help out. Maestra Oliviero intervened more than once, informing her parents Lenu would have a brighter future if she remained in school. During adolescence, Lila, probably bored, quit school to work in her father’s shoe repair store. She and her brother, Rino, secretly attempted to build a business designing and making shoes. Lenu showed absolute alliance and loyalty to her best friend, Lila. She studied harder to prove herself on Lila’s level, welcoming the interest of their instructor, Maestra Oliviera. The girls still competed, with Lila continuing her studies on her own at home, and continuing to override Lenu’s achievements at school. Lenu spent time in Ischia during her fifteenth year, and became beset with a moral dilemma that she never shared with Lila. The depth of Lenu’s emotional feelings, especially anxiety are real. I wondered if she would outgrow her feelings of inadequacy concerning Lila. The reactions of the young men in their circle, Rino, Antonio, and Enzo, are heartfelt, raw, and palpable concerning disrespect toward female family members and friends. Anger often spewed uncontrollably. Their valor appeared intense and unwavering. Although smart and well-read, Lila, toughened and hardened by the ‘mean streets’ of Naples, grew to be a sophisticated young woman who made an amazing transition. Indecisive, Lenu wanted to advance and eventually move away. She wanted to gravitate to a better life, away from her violent surroundings, and the anger that permeated her young adult friends, who unlike her, were not educated, and spoke in dialect. She wanted to be around people with like-minded ideas. She knew her desires could only be achieved through education. She was confused about boyfriends, and like most teens, did not have a secure identity, or a positive sense of self. Ferrante’s writing style is very visual and emotional. I relived some of my own childhood angst concerning physical and emotional changes during puberty, friendships, and competitiveness. The book refers to ‘spoken in dialect,’ which is the language spoken by those who were uneducated or did not attend secondary school and learn formal Italian. The word concrete was used a number of times throughout the book, which I think refers to things we know through our senses that are touchable and tangible. I enjoyed reading My Brilliant Friend. I gave the book five stars.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Complex friendships born in poverty
*by A***Y on February 6, 2016*

This has been popping up on lists of must-reads and recommendations all over the place for me. I was excited to dive in, but it took me a full ninety pages before I really felt like I was invested in the book and enjoying it. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood, maybe it dragged in places, maybe I just took me a minute to get my head around the extensive list of characters in the story. Whatever the reason, it took a while for this one to click, but I am glad I stuck with it. I am into the second book now and there are a lot of threads and themes to follow in this story. The ones that stood out for me were the poverty and friendship themes. This is the story of two girls and their friendship through the years, but as any woman knows, those friendships are complicated and nuanced in a way that only female relationships can be. This book is an introduction to that friendship, with all of the petty jealousies of youth, the codependency, the comparisons, and the competitiveness. All of this is slowly and subtly wound into the story so that you care deeply about Lila and Lenu, but also so that you feel their malaise, the pull they have on each other and the effect that the community has on them. The second theme that really struck me was the one of poverty and the impact that it has on individuals and the community. The overarching poverty of this neighbourhood in the post-war years governs the behaviour of everyone. The way that is demonstrated through violence was very familiar to me. Although the circumstances are not at all the same, I grew up near a town called Mt. Druitt in Australia, that was once one of the poorest suburbs in Sydney. The pervasiveness and acceptance of violence in that community was very similar to the neighbourhood in the book. Ferrante's handling of that poverty and violence was fascinating to me and rang very true. The corollary of that is how the community changes as people become more affluent. These are just two of the themes that struck me the most. There is also an examination of the role of women, their place and power in the community and vis-a-vis men. The power of youth and sex and control of those things. Ambition. Acceptance. Growth. This book is so good because it wraps all of this and more into the story of two girls. This is just my first stab at thoughts on this book. I imagine I will have more to chew on as the story progresses. It may have taken me ninety pages, but I am definitely hooked now.

### ⭐⭐⭐ Well done but ultimately just chick lit
*by B***P on August 31, 2025*

I really enjoyed reader his book. I was eager to see where it would go. But when it was over I found that I really didn't care about any of them.

## Frequently Bought Together

- My Brilliant Friend (Neapolitan)
- The Story of a New Name: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 2)
- Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 3)

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