My Brilliant Friend

My Brilliant Friend is the first volume of a four-part series of novels known collectively as the Neapolitan Novels, written by Italian author Elena Ferrante and translated to English by Ann Goldstein. Plot The novel begins in 2010 when the narrator, Elena Greco (Lenù), receives a phone call from the son of an old friend, saying that his mother has disappeared, leaving no traces of herself in the house. Elena recognizes this behavior as something her friend Raffaella Cerullo (who she calls Lila, and everyone else calls Lina) has always talked about doing, and believes her disappearance to be a conscious decision. In the spirit of their loving but ambivalent ways towards each other, Elena breaks the promise she had made not to write about her friend, and begins to put on paper everything she can remember about Lila, beginning in 1950s' Naples. Elena and Lila grow up in a poor neighborhood full of violence and strife. Very few children receive an education beyond elementary school. Elena is diligent and captures the attention of maestra Oliviero, one of her primary school teachers, who encourages her to escape the life of the impoverished plebeian class. To everyone's surprise, the very rebellious Lila turns out to be a prodigy who has taught herself to read and write. She quickly earns the highest grades in the class, seemingly without effort. Elena is both fascinated and intimidated by Lila, especially after Lila writes a story which Elena feels shows real genius. She begins to push herself to keep up with Lila. Once, when Lila throws Elena's doll into the basement chute of the local loan shark, Elena does the same to Lila's doll, as proof that she can be as bold as her friend. When Lila fearlessly goes to the loan shark to ask for the return of the dolls, Elena goes with her, though they are ultimately unable to retrieve them. The paths of the two girls diverge when Lila's parents refuse to pay for further education after elementary school. After being pressured by the concerned teacher, Elena's father agrees to pay for Elena to continue studying. Lila insists in going to middle school also, which so enrages her father that he throws her through a glass window one floor above the courtyard, breaking her arm. Lila encourages Elena to skip school and go to the sea, changing her mind and rushing home soon afterwards. Elena understands that this was an ambivalent attempt to get Elena's parents to withdraw their support for her education.