The Neapolitan Novels Boxed Set

I have always loved visiting the city of Naples – for the great food, the rich history, and the warm locals who remind me of my southern Italian relatives. Ferrante’s novels go deep into the complexities of a female friendship that spans many decades, while also bringing to life a wide range of characters who I grew to love and truly care about, while devouring this extraordinary series.

Simply the finest literary achievement of the 21st century by my reckoning. I won’t pick just one of the books, and you can’t make me. The story of Lila and Lenu is a story of poverty, competition between two women, but it’s also the story of the last century. Ferrante is one of the finest observers of human behaviour that I’ve ever read, and I rudely neglected my loved ones when I was in the grip of these novels.

My hands are shaking as I write this. Honestly, I’m not certain I’m up to the task of writing about how brilliant this book is – and how much they mean to me. I’ve never felt more immersed inside a fictional character’s mind in my entire life. This is the epic story of a decades-long female friendship, depicted in compelling, granular detail. By the end of the fourth and final book, the pages were stained with tears.