Yes, I know, I'm the last person on this planet to read Elena Ferrante. I really don't know why I waited so long. My Brilliant Friend (2011) follows Elena and Lila from their childhood through their adolescence in a town just outside Naples. The narrative is produced by Elena writing from some point in her later life and is imbued with the childish mischief of Truffaut's Les Quatre Cents Coups and the provincial ambiance of Tornatore's Cinema Paradiso. The mystery around the author's identity is just one of the many factors that makes this such a satisfying read. Many have speculated that the work is highly autobiographical and that is why "Elena Ferrante" has remained such an enigma. However, one of the main reasons why this series has been making trails throughout the literary world is because of its (and I apologise for my use of this word) unputdownableness. I got through this book in a day because, in my spare time, I just had to pick it up and learn what was happening with Elena and Lila. The constant picking up of this book became like a physical tick. I simply cannot wait to pick up the second novel and discover how the tale continues. This must be like what my mother feels when a new Danielle Steel comes out. I'll buy the badge and wear it with pride: I am a Ferrante fan.