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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"The children stared at me. I felt their gazes longing to tame me, but more brilliant was the brightness of the life outside them..."
"The Lost Daughter" is not a feel-good book. There is so much heartbreak, shame, and anger packed into so few pages. Leda, the protagonist, is profoundly unlikeable. But that doesn't mean she is unrelatable. I feel a great deal of women must see themselves in Leda's struggle to grow as an individual but feeling that she can't truly be her own person due to the pressure of motherhood. When Nina opens up to Leda, it reinforces the universality of the constant battle that mothers have - either you are a good, devoted parent but you have no true sense of self, or you achieve your dreams and potential but are viewed as a neglectful and selfish person. In a way, even Ferrante herself, by using a pseudonym and writing anonymously, is furthering the notion that all women are aware of this dichotomy and feel its effects. Ferrante could be anyone. She could be you.
It may be the translation of the work, or just the way Ferrante writes, but I found the time-jumps very jarring. It seemed like within the same paragraph, Leda's story was current, and then all of a sudden she was talking about what happened twenty years ago. Additionally, as one of two sisters myself, Leda's constant comparison and judgment of her two daughters, even as she is thousands of miles away, was so profoundly irksome. It just hit too close to home; as someone who has compared myself to my sister countless times, Leda's internal monologue said all the cruel things I've said to myself.
This is a very quick read. But it left me with a sour taste in my mouth. I liked how every new piece of information built towards the ending and I appreciated the themes, but I can't say I loved the journey. Ferrante packs a powerful punch in such a short work. But if you are considering becoming a mother, I'd steer clear of this one. It left me feeling hopeless for young families everywhere.
"The Lost Daughter" is not a feel-good book. There is so much heartbreak, shame, and anger packed into so few pages. Leda, the protagonist, is profoundly unlikeable. But that doesn't mean she is unrelatable. I feel a great deal of women must see themselves in Leda's struggle to grow as an individual but feeling that she can't truly be her own person due to the pressure of motherhood. When Nina opens up to Leda, it reinforces the universality of the constant battle that mothers have - either you are a good, devoted parent but you have no true sense of self, or you achieve your dreams and potential but are viewed as a neglectful and selfish person. In a way, even Ferrante herself, by using a pseudonym and writing anonymously, is furthering the notion that all women are aware of this dichotomy and feel its effects. Ferrante could be anyone. She could be you.
It may be the translation of the work, or just the way Ferrante writes, but I found the time-jumps very jarring. It seemed like within the same paragraph, Leda's story was current, and then all of a sudden she was talking about what happened twenty years ago. Additionally, as one of two sisters myself, Leda's constant comparison and judgment of her two daughters, even as she is thousands of miles away, was so profoundly irksome. It just hit too close to home; as someone who has compared myself to my sister countless times, Leda's internal monologue said all the cruel things I've said to myself.
This is a very quick read. But it left me with a sour taste in my mouth. I liked how every new piece of information built towards the ending and I appreciated the themes, but I can't say I loved the journey. Ferrante packs a powerful punch in such a short work. But if you are considering becoming a mother, I'd steer clear of this one. It left me feeling hopeless for young families everywhere.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Abandonment
Minor: Emotional abuse
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As my first Ferrante read, I found her writing to be easy to read and engaging. I was curious about finding out what was going to happen on the beach and to the characters, and wish to read more of her works.
This being said, I believe my analysis of the story after I had finished was more interesting to me, than when I was reading it. What I mean by this is that, in an attempt to give the narrative some sort of meaning, I put the vague pieces together, rather than it "clicking" naturally for me. Maybe due to the length of the novel, the ending came too suddenly, making it feel out of place. This could also be because I don't know what to expect from Ferrante, so don't know how dark the tone of her writing can get.
[Spoilers:]
I haven't read any reviews about this, so don't know where my thoughts sit in comparison. But I concluded that the "lost daughter" is referring to the main character and her mental state. Although, there are other forms of mothers and daughter that are lost in the story, like the doll, Elena, and Nina, this is a story about Leda.
It discusses when she was younger, and how her mother would shout at her and how she felt suffocated by her hometown, so she left. Leaving for Florence to find herself, to write, read and study. However, she makes the choice of leaving her two young daughters behind in this pursuit. Though, returns after realising her love for her daughters are stronger than any findings of herself. The importance within all of this is about the repetition of the subjects of motherly love, as well as being unsatisfied. Losing your identity as a daughter or individual, as you take care of your children over yourself. There are ups and down, but it depends how you respond to these moments.
I'm not sure if it's selfishness or hurt, but Leda continues to feel unsatisfied, leading her to do certain things (like having an affair to feel younger or stealing this little girls doll). Her actions and hatred come tumbling down, due to her unresolved feelings that she has never identified, leading to a final act in consequence. Ultimately, she has never been fine and now that has caught up with her.
Again, the ending happened quite quickly, so can't put too much meaning behind it all. But this is a story about that struggle of knowing what is right or wrong to do, whether it is about a big or small action.
This being said, I believe my analysis of the story after I had finished was more interesting to me, than when I was reading it. What I mean by this is that, in an attempt to give the narrative some sort of meaning, I put the vague pieces together, rather than it "clicking" naturally for me. Maybe due to the length of the novel, the ending came too suddenly, making it feel out of place. This could also be because I don't know what to expect from Ferrante, so don't know how dark the tone of her writing can get.
[Spoilers:]
I haven't read any reviews about this, so don't know where my thoughts sit in comparison. But I concluded that the "lost daughter" is referring to the main character and her mental state. Although, there are other forms of mothers and daughter that are lost in the story, like the doll, Elena, and Nina, this is a story about Leda.
It discusses when she was younger, and how her mother would shout at her and how she felt suffocated by her hometown, so she left. Leaving for Florence to find herself, to write, read and study. However, she makes the choice of leaving her two young daughters behind in this pursuit. Though, returns after realising her love for her daughters are stronger than any findings of herself. The importance within all of this is about the repetition of the subjects of motherly love, as well as being unsatisfied. Losing your identity as a daughter or individual, as you take care of your children over yourself. There are ups and down, but it depends how you respond to these moments.
I'm not sure if it's selfishness or hurt, but Leda continues to feel unsatisfied, leading her to do certain things (like having an affair to feel younger or stealing this little girls doll). Her actions and hatred come tumbling down, due to her unresolved feelings that she has never identified, leading to a final act in consequence. Ultimately, she has never been fine and now that has caught up with her.
Again, the ending happened quite quickly, so can't put too much meaning behind it all. But this is a story about that struggle of knowing what is right or wrong to do, whether it is about a big or small action.
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes