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literaryrachael 's review for:
The Story of the Lost Child
by Elena Ferrante
The relationship between Lenù and her mother was incredibly well written. Its interesting how interconnected hate and love are; that Lenù's mother loved her daughter so much that it drove her to hate her daughter when she felt that Lenù was wasting her potential; that Lenù hated her mother so much because she feared becoming her, yet was driven to love when her mother was dying.
Furthermore, Lenù's relationship with her daughters also captivated to me. Dede, Elsa, and Imma all were distinct and had distinct relationships with their mother - yet all reflect the tumultuous relationship that Lenù had with her mother. As Lenù saw herself in her mother, she also saw herself in her daughters. "They all resembled me and none of them did, their lives were very far from mine and yet I felt them as inseparable parts of me."
The scene in the car during the earthquake where Lila finally made herself vulnerable to Lenù for the first time in years is really moving. It showed that no matter how far apart they grow, they'll always have a connection to one another. Lila's whole character blossomed in this novel. Her depression, grief, and mood swings felt so real and so devastating to read. Her depression manifesting in an obsession with removing herself from the world felt very authentic.
The loss of Tina was devastating in its open-endedness. In fact, the entire ending of the novel was devastating in its ambiguity. After four novels detailing the relationship between Lenù and Lila, it was difficult to be left without a concrete ending, but then it would be disingenuous for Lila to give any concreteness.
The only thing I disliked was how much the novel dragged on, otherwise it would have a higher rating. I couldn't bear how much attention was given to the political aspects, which I found incredibly boring. I understand that they were important for building the social landscape that the novel takes place in, but I felt like every political section dragged on forever.
The Neapolitan series captured something important about womanhood. It is a series that I find to be very special.
Furthermore, Lenù's relationship with her daughters also captivated to me. Dede, Elsa, and Imma all were distinct and had distinct relationships with their mother - yet all reflect the tumultuous relationship that Lenù had with her mother. As Lenù saw herself in her mother, she also saw herself in her daughters. "They all resembled me and none of them did, their lives were very far from mine and yet I felt them as inseparable parts of me."
The scene in the car during the earthquake where Lila finally made herself vulnerable to Lenù for the first time in years is really moving. It showed that no matter how far apart they grow, they'll always have a connection to one another. Lila's whole character blossomed in this novel. Her depression, grief, and mood swings felt so real and so devastating to read. Her depression manifesting in an obsession with removing herself from the world felt very authentic.
The loss of Tina was devastating in its open-endedness. In fact, the entire ending of the novel was devastating in its ambiguity. After four novels detailing the relationship between Lenù and Lila, it was difficult to be left without a concrete ending, but then it would be disingenuous for Lila to give any concreteness.
The only thing I disliked was how much the novel dragged on, otherwise it would have a higher rating. I couldn't bear how much attention was given to the political aspects, which I found incredibly boring. I understand that they were important for building the social landscape that the novel takes place in, but I felt like every political section dragged on forever.
The Neapolitan series captured something important about womanhood. It is a series that I find to be very special.