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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
Now that is what should be called literature. A story about regrets, love, sacrifice and most of all motherhood.
Plot revolves around a mother in her late 40s having her me time on vacation when she gets entangled in some drama.
Loved it.
Plot revolves around a mother in her late 40s having her me time on vacation when she gets entangled in some drama.
Loved it.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
This is such a sad book in an uncommon way, the way it looks unflinchingly at common and banal human ugliness and unkindness.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
fast-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
So I’m sure if you’re on Bookstagram, you must have seen her most recent book The Lying Life of Adults which was published last year and although the front cover is beautiful, I didn’t really have the desire to read it. YET…I saw The Lost Daughter lurking around WH Smith a few months ago and it caught my eye. I then saw that the book was on offer at Waterstones and decided OK, let’s delve into the world of Elena Ferrante and see what all the hype is about…
SYNOPSIS: Leda, a middle-aged divorcée, is alone for the first time in years after her two adult daughters leave home to live with their father in Toronto. Enjoying an unexpected sense of liberty, she heads to the Ionian coast for a vacation. But she soon finds herself intrigued by Nina, a young mother on the beach, eventually striking up a conversation with her. After Nina confides a dark secret, one seemingly trivial occurrence leads to events that could destroy Nina’s family.
REVIEW: From the very start of this book, you’re flown right onto a beach, with your book, people-watching from the comfort of your sunbed. Picture yourself there yet? Yes, OK, let’s turn up the drama. Our protagonist is not only a really nosey woman, she’s also secretly messed up but you’ll get to that bit a few chapters in.
We’ve all been there haven’t we, sat on a beach, trying to work out the dynamics of a family close by to our sunbeds who are causing a stir or being a bit too loud and distracting you from your book. So imagine, if you then become directly involved with that family who, it turns out, aren’t the nicest friends you could make.
Our protagonist gives us an absolutely brilliant depiction of a selfish mother whose children aren’t their ‘moon, stars and earth’ and in fact, are one of their biggest regrets. Which to be honest, is something I haven’t often read about and it was refreshing to see the other side of the very typical ‘motherhood’ narrative.
This has since been made into a movie with Olivia Coleman playing our main character, Leda, and throughout the whole story I could just picture Olivia Coleman playing that character so well, so I’m excited to see how the film compares.
For only 130 pages, this is absolutely brilliant and a story which I’m sure everyone can relate to. I think it’s so refreshing to see a different type of mother figure and that battle between choosing career over motherhood and vice versa. Leda is one complicated and messed up woman which is proving time and time again to be my favourite type of protagonist.
READ THIS IF:
SYNOPSIS: Leda, a middle-aged divorcée, is alone for the first time in years after her two adult daughters leave home to live with their father in Toronto. Enjoying an unexpected sense of liberty, she heads to the Ionian coast for a vacation. But she soon finds herself intrigued by Nina, a young mother on the beach, eventually striking up a conversation with her. After Nina confides a dark secret, one seemingly trivial occurrence leads to events that could destroy Nina’s family.
REVIEW: From the very start of this book, you’re flown right onto a beach, with your book, people-watching from the comfort of your sunbed. Picture yourself there yet? Yes, OK, let’s turn up the drama. Our protagonist is not only a really nosey woman, she’s also secretly messed up but you’ll get to that bit a few chapters in.
We’ve all been there haven’t we, sat on a beach, trying to work out the dynamics of a family close by to our sunbeds who are causing a stir or being a bit too loud and distracting you from your book. So imagine, if you then become directly involved with that family who, it turns out, aren’t the nicest friends you could make.
Our protagonist gives us an absolutely brilliant depiction of a selfish mother whose children aren’t their ‘moon, stars and earth’ and in fact, are one of their biggest regrets. Which to be honest, is something I haven’t often read about and it was refreshing to see the other side of the very typical ‘motherhood’ narrative.
This has since been made into a movie with Olivia Coleman playing our main character, Leda, and throughout the whole story I could just picture Olivia Coleman playing that character so well, so I’m excited to see how the film compares.
For only 130 pages, this is absolutely brilliant and a story which I’m sure everyone can relate to. I think it’s so refreshing to see a different type of mother figure and that battle between choosing career over motherhood and vice versa. Leda is one complicated and messed up woman which is proving time and time again to be my favourite type of protagonist.
READ THIS IF:
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
3 1/2 stars rounded up. An exploration of maternal ambivalence in Ferrante’s inimitable style.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes