My Brilliant Friend: Adolescence: Chapter 27 Summary & Analysis

Lenù advances in school and gets a scholarship. Gino fails out of school, while Alfonso is told he’ll need to take his qualifying exams again in the fall. Lenù goes to Maestra Olivero to tell her the good news and to thank the woman for her initial interest in helping Lenù continue in school. During the visit, Maestra Oliviero suggests that Lenù, who looks pale and unwell, spend the summer with a cousin of Oliviero’s on Ischia, a nearby island. Lenù is excited by the idea but knows that her mother will never let it happen.

Lenù decides not to tell Lila about the offer to vacation on Ischia—Lila is having a hard time. Marcello has stopped following her around, but after the incident in Naples, he came by the house to check on Rino, a visit which “perturbed” Fernando because of the honor it demanded in return. After the visit, Fernando complimented Rino on his wide decision to make friends with Marcello at last. Over the last few weeks, Marcello has continued trying to make peace with the Cerullos by patronizing the shoe shop, inviting Rino for a drive, and other shows of goodwill. Lila is perturbed by how easily Rino has been “seduc[ed]” by the dangerous Marcello.

One evening, Rino brings Marcello to dinner. Fernando is honored, and so is Nunzia. Lenù comes over to help Lila prepare for the dinner and warns her that Marcello is coming to ask for her hand in marriage. Lila threatens to put insecticide in the food—she says she will never accept a proposal from Marcello.

At dinner, the Cerullos are overly pleasant to Marcello, unsure of how to behave in the presence of their powerful guest. Marcello and Fernando talk about business, and Marcello tacitly suggests Fernando consider expanding his shop. He begins praising the idea of making new shoes. Rino becomes visibly uncomfortable. Marcello says he knows that Rino and Lila have made a pair of shoes in his exact size. He asks to see them. Rino sends Lila to get them. Lila reluctantly does so, but after she disappears to the other room to fetch them, she doesn’t return. Nunzia goes to look for her and comes back to report that Lila is gone. Marcello leaves and Fernando and Rino grow furious, threatening to kill Lila when they find her. 

Lenù leaves to go home. Out on the landing, she hears Lila call to her—Lila is huddled at the top of the stairwell near the terrace entrance. She clutches the shoes to her chest and declares that she doesn’t want Marcello to touch them or even look at them. Lenù encourages Lila to go home and even accompanies her to the door, hoping her presence will make Lila’s parents go easier on her—but Fernando scolds and beats Lila just the same. Lila cries and declares that Fernando and Rino have become “mad beast[s].” Lenù slips out of the apartment and goes home.