The Neapolitan Novel Series by Elena Ferrante

The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante is a four-book series that traces the intense, lifelong friendship between two women, Elena (Lenu) and Lila (Raffaella Cerullo), from childhood to old age in a poor neighborhood of Naples, Italy. The series explores themes of friendship, identity, class, education, love, and the changing face of Italian society.

• My Brilliant Friend (2011) –
  Two girls, Elena and Lila, grow up together in a rough Neapolitan neighborhood in the 1950s. Their friendship is both supportive and competitive as they pursue education, love, and self-discovery.
• The Story of a New Name (2012) –
  Lila marries young and faces an unhappy marriage, while Elena continues her studies. Their paths diverge as they struggle with ambition, passion, and the limits imposed by class and gender.
• Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (2013) –
  As adults in the 1970s, Elena becomes a writer and gains independence, while Lila battles harsh working conditions and social instability. Their friendship remains turbulent but deeply binding.
• The Story of the Lost Child (2014) –
  The women reunite as mature adults, confronting motherhood, loss, and the meaning of their intertwined lives. The story closes with reflection on memory, identity, and disappearance.