If you’re an avid reader, the name Elena Ferrante might just mean something to you. It’s the pseudonym used by an anonymous Italian writer whose books have enchanted readers across the world (including here at Booktopia) and whose identity has been the subject of much discussion amongst readers, critics and journalists.
A little while back, we reported that a new Elena Ferrante novel was on its way, her first since the final book in her beloved Neapolitan Quartet was published in 2015. Today we have even better news for you: the book now has a title and a release date for the English translation!
Elena Ferrante’s publisher has announced that the new novel is called The Lying Life of Adults and that the English translation will be hitting shelves on the 9th of June, 2020.
While the novel is expected to be published in Italian in November, the English translation will take a little bit longer to reach the rest of the world. Ann Goldstein, the translator who worked on the Neapolitan Quartet, is reportedly on board to translate The Lying Life of Adults into English.
Ferrante’s editor at Europa has also confirmed that the new book will focus on themes that will be familiar to fans of her previous novels – ideas around love, female friendship and class are just some of the things you can expect to find in this new story.
A representative from Europa Editions said, “We at Europa look forward to the lively conversation we know will surround Ferrante’s first novel since the acclaimed Neapolitan Quartet.”
June 2020 seems like an age away, but if you’re impatient (like me) you can read an extract from the new book below!
The Lying Life of Adults is available for pre-order now!
The Lying Life of Adults
Giovanna's pretty face has changed: it's turning into the face of an ugly, spiteful adolescent. But is she seeing things as they really are? Into which mirror must she look to find herself and save herself?
She is searching for a new face in two kindred cities that fear and detest one another: the Naples of the heights, which assumes a mask of refinement, and the Naples of the depths, which professes to be a place of excess and vulgarity. She moves between these two cities, disoriented by the fact that, whether high or low, the city seems to offer no answer and no escape...
About the Contributor
Olivia Fricot
Olivia Fricot (she/her) is Booktopia's Senior Content Producer and editor of the Booktopian blog. She has too many plants and not enough bookshelves, and you can usually find her reading, baking, or talking to said plants. She is pro-Oxford comma.
Follow Olivia: Twitter
The Best Books of 2020: International Fiction 
REVIEW: The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante 
The Great Book Binge: Find your next favourite series!
Comments
No comments