Get ready for an emotional deep dive with My Brilliant Friend! Author Elena Ferrante delivers an intimate, layered story about friendship, identity, loyalty, and betrayal. Through the lives of Elena and Lila, Ferrante explores the complexities of growing up, finding your place, and the intense bond that both lifts and limits us. This book club guide will explore the rich emotions and themes that make this novel an unforgettable portrait of girlhood and change.

Discussion Reading Guide

1. Which moments in Lila and Elena’s friendship felt most familiar—or most surprising—to you?
2. How does the neighborhood environment influence the girls’ development and their opportunities?
3. Do you think Elena is a reliable narrator? How might Lila’s version of the story differ?
4. How do jealousy and admiration coexist in Lila and Elena’s relationship?
5. What role does education play in shaping Elena’s identity—and separating her from Lila?
6. In what ways does Ferrante challenge or reinforce traditional gender roles through Lila and Elena?
7. How do family expectations affect the choices each girl makes?
8. What did you think of the emotional power struggles between Lila and Elena?
9. Was there a particular turning point in their friendship that stood out to you?
10. Do you see either of them as the “brilliant friend”? Or is the title more nuanced?
11. How does Ferrante portray violence—physical, emotional, and societal—in the community?
12. How do wealth, ambition, and social mobility affect the relationship between the two girls?
13. What do you make of the ending of the novel? Did it leave you wanting to read more?
14. How did your feelings about either Lila or Elena change throughout the novel?
15. If you’ve watched the HBO series, how did it compare to the book? Did the characters or setting match how you imagined them? What did the adaptation get right—or miss?