Naples in the 1950s. Two friends, Elena and Lila, live in a poor, working-class neighborhood. They grow up and change, they help each other and they quarrel, their paths cross and they diverge. Ferrante takes us on a stunning journey into the inner lives of these two protagonists. Her insight is penetrating, her narrative compelling, her descriptions fresh and relevant to our everyday lives; lives we need to hear told by a woman in such a beautiful way. The New York Times Book Review: Perhaps she is the best writer modern fiction has ever known. Her writing is crystal clear, her stories both instinctive and profound. The Economist: Above all, she is a master of plot and intrigue. The Independent: No one has written about Italy, its sensations, its neighborhoods, its tastes, and its intense emotions like Ferrante. Il Manifesto is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. . . I read all the books completely immersed; I fell under its spell. I wanted nothing more than to follow Lila and Elena's lives to the very end. Jhumpa Lahiri (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
