Literary · Historical
My Brilliant Friend
Bestseller: about 10 million copies (estimate)Growing up in a poor neighbourhood of 1950s Naples, two girls, the cautious narrator Elena and the fierce, brilliant Lila, form a close, rivalrous friendship that pulls them apart and together as they grow.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 2011
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 392
- Format
- Book 1 of 4 in L'amica geniale
Read this if you want a deeply observed, intimate story of female friendship and ambition.
Skip this if you want a quick plot, or a story that resolves in one volume; this starts a series.
The feel
Content warnings
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Quick answers about My Brilliant Friend
- What is My Brilliant Friend about?
- Growing up in a poor neighbourhood of 1950s Naples, two girls, the cautious narrator Elena and the fierce, brilliant Lila, form a close, rivalrous friendship that pulls them apart and together as they grow.
- Who should read My Brilliant Friend?
- Read it if you want a deeply observed, intimate story of female friendship and ambition. Skip it if you want a quick plot, or a story that resolves in one volume; this starts a series.
- How long and how fast is My Brilliant Friend?
- It is a slow-paced, medium read of about 392 pages, first published in 2011.
- Does My Brilliant Friend have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Violence, Domestic violence.
- Can I borrow My Brilliant Friend for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends My Brilliant Friend; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after My Brilliant Friend?
- Readers who liked it often move on to Little Women, Pachinko, Normal People.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
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| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
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| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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