{"product_id":"9780008694715","title":"The Cursed Friend: A thrilling debut novel and timeless tale of female friendship","description":"\u003cp\u003e\n          \u003cstrong\u003eAn unbreakable, life-changing friendship will lead two young girls from different worlds to rebel against the sexism, prejudice and injustice they face living in 1930s Italy in this moving novel that echoes the spirit Elena Ferrante's beloved works.\u003c\/strong\u003e\n        \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Richly imagined\u003c\/strong\u003e' \u003cem\u003eOBSERVER\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n          \u003cstrong\u003e'A widescreen, sensory, visual story'\u003c\/strong\u003e\n          \u003cem\u003eTHE TIMES\u003c\/em\u003e\n        \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is 1936 in the small Italian city of Monza. On the pebbled bank of the Lambro, two frantic girls scramble to hide a body.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA year earlier, Maddalena attracts stares everywhere she goes. ‘The Cursed One’, they whisper, as tales of the harm she’s inflicted upon those that have crossed her ignite fear and scorn amongst the townspeople.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrancesca is not scared like the others. Respectable, well-behaved and yearning for a life beyond provincial conformity, she is drawn to Maddalena’s rebellious spirit. When, one day, she finds herself telling a lie to save her, this split-second decision irrevocably binds the girls together.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom this moment on they will go to any length to protect one another, even if that leads to a terrible violence…\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTranslated from the Italian by Elena Pala\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Salvioni's prose is transfixing and visceral'\u003c\/strong\u003e FINANCIAL TIMES\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Heart-rendingly tender and fiercely defiant’ \u003c\/strong\u003eHESTER MUSSON\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Cursed Friend, a historical fiction by Sunday Times bestselling author Beatrice Salvioni, is a captivating coming of age story set in the rural landscapes of 20th century Italy. The narrative explores the complexities of friendship and the dire consequences of a single lie.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor fans of Joël Dicker (The Baltimore Boys), Maggie O'Farrell (Hamnet), Han Kang (We Do Not Part), Sally Rooney (Beautiful World, Where Are You), and Colm Tóibín (Long Island).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarperCollins 2024\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Beatrice Salvioni, Read by Carlotta Brentan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46889153462421,"sku":"9780008694715","price":34.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0484\/3175\/9509\/files\/9780008694715_0b3fe9fc-244f-4af2-b31c-3ee5989128a3.jpg?v=1776888414","url":"https:\/\/harpercollins.com.au\/products\/9780008694715","provider":"HarperCollins AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}