"The novel and its three sequels, collectively known as the Neapolitan Quartet, follow two women, Lila and Elena, through a tempestuous, competitive, and emotionally intense friendship that doubles as a history of postwar feminism and postwar Italy. Although the books, like Ferrante's earlier work, were critically acclaimed in the original Italian, editors elsewhere were skeptical that their readers would be interested. In fact, Ferrante's Italian publisher had opened an American imprint in order to give stateside readers "the possibility of encountering firsthand a major talent like Elena Ferrante.""
"In one tribute, Meghan O'Rourke quoted an email that the novelist Claire Messud had written to her: "When you write to me and say you love her work," Messud said of Ferrante, "I have a moment where I think, 'But ... Elena is my friend! My private relationship with her, so intense and so true, is one that nobody else can fully know!'" Without context, you'd be forgiven for assuming that the Elena in question was not another author's creation, but Messud's own."
My Brilliant Friend and its three sequels, the Neapolitan Quartet, trace the lives of Lila and Elena through a tempestuous, competitive, and emotionally intense friendship that reflects postwar feminism and social change in Italy. The novels were critically acclaimed in Italian but faced skepticism from editors outside Italy about American readership interest. An Italian publisher opened a U.S. imprint to introduce the books to stateside readers, and Ann Goldstein's English translation helped catapult the series into widespread popularity. Contemporary American writers and readers formed intense personal connections to the characters, and the series influenced recent literary conversation and tastes.
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