Lifetime female friendship is the essence of this read. Elena and Lila rely on each other and survive a poor upbringing in Naples  Italy. The author Elena Ferrante gives you a story of a neighborhood, a city, a country and a nation, during immense change, and how it affected their lives and their deep friendship. If you have had the experience of a lifetime female friendship and you have lost contact with them, you will remember your friend with great admiration and how you relied on each other, as you navigated the good and the tough times. Sometimes these kinds of friendships only happen once. A great read.