The Great Friend: Who wrote it and what is the novel about?

One of the fiction writers you often hear about and whose book sales are always high is Elena Ferrante. Of the books he has written, The Great Friend is one of the most appreciated (it has, as of the writing of this article, 4999 reviews on Amazon).

But what is The Great Friend about? Is it a unique book? If you haven't read it yet and it catches your attention, here we talk about some important information that you should know. And if you have read it, you can share your opinion with us. Shall we start

Who wrote The Great Friend

Before talking to you directly about the book, we would like to talk to you about its author. Or at least we give her the feminine gender because of her name: Elena Ferrante.

And, in case you don't know, This name is nothing more than a pseudonym (a fictitious name chosen, we do not know if by the publisher or by the author herself). Actually, Under it is hidden another person, man or woman, who made the decision to remain anonymous. (despite what that may mean for the sale of the books and the fact of not being able to do book signings, presentations, events...).

Thus, we cannot tell you much more about this person, since we know nothing about him. Although we can talk about suspicions. Apparently, in 2016, on Anita Raja's profile, she stated that she was Elena Ferrante, and asked for discretion and privacy. Days later, Tommaso Debenedetti, known for doing fake interviews with celebrities, said that he had created Anita Raja's Twitter profile and therefore it was a lie.

After several investigations by journalists, it seems more and more confirmed that Elena Ferrante's true identity is Anita Raja. But We cannot assure you one hundred percent.

As for novels, The Great Friend is not the first from this author (or author). To date (2023), nine novels, a children's story and an essay have been published. Since 2019 in her country (Naples) she has not published any new books.

What is The Great Friend about?

In The Great Friend we find two protagonists, two girls who, from childhood to adolescence, tell us the story of their life in Naples, where they live in a poor neighborhood and must learn to fend for themselves if they do not want others dominate them.

That is why reading it is impactful, because the situations they go through could very well become real. Furthermore, by focusing on a sweet time, but also one of explorations, discoveries... it makes reading more enjoyable, sometimes even empathizing with the characters in terms of managing feelings: friendship, love, jealousy, envy...

We leave you the synopsis below:

«With The Great Friend, Elena Ferrante inaugurates a dazzling saga that has as a backdrop the city of Naples in the middle of the last century and as protagonists Lenù and Lila, two young women who are learning to govern their lives in an environment where Cunning, rather than intelligence, is the ingredient of all sauces.

The tempestuous relationship between Lila and Lenù shows us the reality of a neighborhood inhabited by humble people who abide without question by the law of the strongest. Those who fill these pages with their laughter, their gestures and their words are men and women of flesh and blood, who shake us with the strength and urgency of their emotions.

Is it a single book?

One of the questions that many readers often ask is whether the book can be read without waiting for a second part (or more). However, in this case On the back cover itself they already warn that it is the first volume of the Two Friends saga.

The entire saga is made up of four books in total, with The Great Friend being the first book that gives voice to this story.

The other three are:

• A bad name.
• The debts of the body.
• The lost girl.

Therefore, our recommendation is that, if you start reading it and you like it, while you finish that first book it would be advisable that you had already bought the following ones so that you can advance in reading without being able to stop.

Of course, it is not a quick read, although it can be read in just two days. We advise you to give it your time due to the information it gives, the descriptions and the personalities of each character, which is worth stopping and thinking about what you are reading. Especially if you are going to read all four books, since, as you will see below, it is not going to be a light read so to speak.

How many pages does The Great Friend have?

If we only focused on The Great Friend, and taking into account that it is already in paperback, the number of pages it has is 392 pages.

However, as you have seen, this book is part of a saga, being the first of all. And if you want to read the whole story, then you will have to read four books, each one with a length.

Specifically:

• The Great Friend: 392 pages.
• A bad name: 560 pages.
• The debts of the body: 480 pages.
• The Lost Girl: 544 pages.

In total, there will be 1976 pages, almost two thousand with which the author (or author) has narrated the story of her characters.

Worth?

You may like a book. Or maybe not. Actually, each person is different and we do not know for sure if a book will be liked by many or not.

In the case of The Great Friend, the truth is that there are many reviews, criticisms and comments about it, most of them in a positive way.

Even though it is a few years old, It is still one of the books that still sells, which is an indicator that it is good and attracts readers.

As you can see, this book can be a good read or even a gift for a book lover. Have you read the entire saga or just the Great Friend book? Do you dare to do it?