A review by pran
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante

dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was much more political than its predecessors, which I liked because it reflects a change in awareness of the protagonist as she matures. However, I give it 4 stars because I think I enjoyed it less than the previous two books in the series and I think this is because the tone is very similar for the whole book. Also, I felt the situation with Elisa was quite plot-driven and this was very noticeable as it stands out against the character-driven nature of the rest of the book.
Also, I felt I got less of a sense of place in this book, and although it was probably deliberate, as Elena feels less at home in Florence as a city as she does not leave the house as much, it still made me enjoy the book less.

As usual, I like Ferrante's style and tiny bits of humour she uses to lighten the often heavy atmosphere.
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