Until I read Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels, it had been a very long time since a book kept me up to the wee hours of the night.
Beginning with L’amica geniale, Ferrante’s four-book series chronicles the fictional friendship of two Neapolitan women, Elena and Lila. Their story spans from the 1950’s to the early 2000’s. Readers journey through an era of contemporary Italian history.
Born in the same poor neighborhood of Naples, Elena and Lila grow up together. After elementary school, Lila is forced to stop school and start working. Elena, on the other hand, continues her education. She ultimately goes to college and never returns to live in Naples. Meanwhile, Lila never leaves Naples.
Despite their different paths, Elena and Lila remain closely and strangely connected throughout their lives. They care for each other deeply. At the same time, however, they are jealous of one another and destructively competitive.
Elena and Lila’s story is complex, disturbing, and completely captivating. Exactly like the city of Naples.
I am fortunate to be able to visit Naples fairly often, and it never ceases to amaze me. Naples has a rich and varied history, fabulous food, breathtaking views, and a lively and beautiful culture. At the same time, it is dirty, dilapidated, chaotic, hard to navigate, and can be eerie and unsafe.
As demonstrated through Elena’s experience, Naples suffers from a poor reputation in the rest of Italy. When I was preparing for my first trip there, many of my friends told me it was too dangerous and not worth going. Interestingly, none of them had ever visited.
It turned out that my friends were wrong about Naples. It’s true that it’s no Florence, no Capri. Naples is not a place that caters to tourists or tries to make people feel good all the time. Instead, what you’ll find in Naples is complete authenticity. And I love this.
No matter who you are, Naples will immerse you in its realities and contradictions – both the bello and the brutto. Everything there hits hard and comes fast. If you let the brutto knock you down before you can soak in the bello, you will miss out on experiencing a truly amazing place.
Ferrante’s series mirrors the magic of Naples - capable of capturing the hearts and minds of anyone and everyone who gets to know it.
Since the Neapolitan novels’ main characters are female, I assumed the books would mainly appeal to a female audience. Just like my experience with Naples itself, Ferrante’s books proved that stereotypes are often wrong.
On the subway, I started to notice men reading the Neapolitan novels. During Covid quarantine, I watched my husband dive headfirst into the series. When the TV rendition L’amica geniale came out, he urged me to watch new episodes with him at the moment of release (despite it being difficult for me, nine months pregnant, to stay up late). My dad and uncle also found the series and loved it.
Finally, the Neapolitan novels’ unique trajectory to fame yet again offers a parallel with the city they represent – a tendency to do things spectacularly and differently.
Largely before Ferrante became a household name in Italy, the translations of her books gained fame abroad. I initially heard of L’amica geniale from a friend who’d read the English translation. When I asked my friends in Italy for a copy in Italian, none of them knew of the book – not even those from Naples.
As Ferrante fever grew worldwide, the demand for input from Ferrante herself increased. But that was not possible! Ferrante is a pen name, and the author has kept their identity secret. This choice propelled the books’ translators into the spotlight – a really cool side effect – as translation is typically an underappreciated profession that goes under the radar.
As you can see, I am in love with this series and so impressed. Perfectly personifying one of Italy’s most unique cities, the Neapolitan novels demonstrate that special power Italy has: the ability to surprise, connect, and ignite passion in people all over the world.
Italian Vocabulary related to the Neapolitan Novels
All Around Italia helps you learn about Italy and also learn Italian! Here are some words related to Neapolitan Novels. Have you heard these before?
il rione – neighborhood, district, quarter
Elena e Lila crescono insieme nello stesso rione di Napoli. / Elena and Lila grow up in the same neighborhood in Naples.
ambientare – take place
I libri e la serie televisiva sono ambientati principalmente a Napoli. / The books and TV series take place primarily in Naples.
raccontare – tell, recount, narrate
La quadrilogia di Elena Ferrante racconta la storia di due amiche napoletane. / Elena Ferrante’s four-book series tells the story of two Neapolitan friends.
If you haven’t done so already, get immersed by reading the books and/or the watching the TV series.
Personally, I read the Neapolitan novels in Italian. For those advanced in Italian, I highly recommend the Italian versions. The story is full of dialogue and accessible to language-learners. Although there was at least one unfamiliar vocabulary word on every page, this didn’t inhibit my ability to understand and read on.
If you’re not comfortable yet to read in Italian, Ann Goldstein’s English translations are highly praised. I have heard Goldstein speak at various conferences, and there is nothing closer you could get to the originals in Italian.
Once you start the book, the first 50 or so pages may seem overwhelming because of the multitude of characters. Persist! As soon as you get past the beginning chapters, you will get consumed and start flying through.
As for the TV series, I also highly recommend it. The RAI/HBO partnership is producing a thoughtful, beautiful, and true-to-the-books representation of Ferrante’s work. They have sought out undiscovered actors who speak Neapolitan dialect, and the result is so convincing. Italian or English subtitles will probably be necessary due to the amount of dialect spoken.
If you’d like to share the series with your children, know that there are definitely some mature themes and disturbing moments. I think that before their teen years might be too early.
Whether you’re starting the books or TV series, just make sure you choose a period where you’ll have some time to dedicate to them … you’re going to get hooked!
Buona lettura e buona visione!
