In the Margins. On the Pleasures of Reading and Writing

MALCOLM FORBES, THE STAR TRIBUNE

"The lucid, well-formed essays that make up In the Margins are written in an equally captivating voice ... Although a slim collection, there is more than enough meat here to nourish both the common reader and the Ferrante aficionado ... Every essay here is a blend of deep thought, rigorous analysis and graceful prose. We occasionally get the odd glimpse of the author...but mainly the focus is on the nuts and bolts of writing and Ferrante's practice of her craft. The essays are at their most rewarding when Ferrante discusses the origins of her books, in particular the celebrated Neapolitan Novels, and the multifaceted heroines that power them ... These essays might not bring us any closer to finding out who Ferrante really is. Instead, though, they provide valuable insight into how she developed as a writer and how she works her magic."