Priča o onima koji bježe i onima koji ostaju

After the turmoil of adolescence, Lenù, now a literature student in Pisa, escapes the ghetto into the world of intellectuals and feminism in the 1960s. Her relationship with professor Pietro Airota blossoms into marriage and children, but also into a sense of alienation – she becomes a “madam”, writes a novel inspired by Lila, but loses touch with her roots. Lila, on the other hand, remains in Naples: she marries Stefano Carracci, a wealthy member of the local mafia, becomes a mother and a collaborator in the shoe industry. But her life is trapped in violence, lies and the struggle to survive in a poor, criminal environment – ​​she is a “genius” at improvisation, but the price is high.

Ferrante deeply explores the themes of separation and connection: Lenù rises, but suffers from guilt and envy of Lila’s raw strength; Lila descends into hell, but keeps the fire of rebellion burning. Friendship is tested through letters, encounters and secrets: "You are my happiness, and I am your misfortune," Lenù whispers. The novel depicts the Italian crisis – political unrest, gender inequality, class conflict – through women's eyes: from student demonstrations to factory strikes, where women build their identities in the shadows of a male world.