The story begins in 1933. Two 15-year-old boys, belonging to the Jewish bourgeoisie of Milan, are practically forced by their families to spend time together. One of them, Leonardo, lost his parents at a young age and inherited a heart condition from his mother. He lives with two unmarried aunts and an equally unmarried uncle, has an old-fashioned taste, is unathletic, but also ironic and self-assured, suspicious, and devoid of any imagination, even in the books he reads. The other boy, the first-person narrator, comes from a normal family, is enthusiastic about everything modern, is athletic, but lacks much self-confidence. One day, the narrator invents a girl and gradually creates a love story that he pretends to experience himself. Leonardo is fascinated and continually demands new episodes. Through these tales, the boys connect.