Few works have garnered as much adoration as those written by Italian novelist Elena Ferrante in recent years. In particular, the author’s Neapolitan tetra, which spans four volumes and sixty years and chronicles the lives of two childhood friends, transforms the personal into the epic.
Between 2011 and 2015, the four books that made up “Ferrante fever” were first published. Millions of readers worldwide were enthralled by Elena (also known as Lenù) and her “dazzling, terrible” pal Lila. Ferrante addresses topics of friendship, desire, parenthood, misogyny, ambition, class, and more. His identity is renowned for remaining a secret.
My Brilliant Friend, the first book in the series, was hailed as an “uncompromising, unforgettable novel” by The News, which conducted a poll this summer and declared it the best book of the twenty-first century.
In contrast, the My Brilliant Friend TV adaptation has received less attention than expected. The show, which debuted in 2018 and is currently in its fourth and final season, hasn’t garnered as much attention as other HBO dramas, despite its epic scope, cinematic production standards, and beloved source material (the network co-produces the series with Italian broadcaster Rai). It hasn’t won any major accolades, and it frequently seems absent from lists of the best high-profile television shows (it wasn’t included in Culture’s own top).
