Translated by Ann Goldstein

This is the first book in the Neapolitan Novels series. Our two main characters are Elena and Lila. I really liked this book. I think that it shows a relationship they may have not always been the healthiest for the characters but it is a true depiction of how girls can find friends that push them to keep pushing harder.
What I like about this book for one is the setting. I thought the descriptions of Naples were absolutely gorgeous. I also really liked the way that this book dealt with some serious topics like the way families lived after WWII. I also really liked the narrator Elena. I found her descriptions of people and the way of life during that time very interesting and I enjoyed seeing how her worldview seemed to change as well. I also really enjoyed Lila and Elena as characters I though both girls were very well fleshed out and seemed to be real to me as I read.
I went into this book thinking that it was going to be about an amazing female friendship but in my opinion it was not a healthy female relationship. Some of the things that I didn’t like about this book was the pacing I thought there were something’s that were really repetitivea which pulled me out of the story a bit but when I was intrigued I was really enjoying the story.
This is a translated work and because I am trying to broaden my reading and trying to read more translated fiction I thought this book was very well translated. I do see myself continuing on with this series but I will probably read one a month until I am caught up with the works that have been published.