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The Lost Daughter

A poignant exploration of motherhood and self-identity

Elena Ferrante author Ann Goldstein translator

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Europa Editions (UK) Ltd

Published:25th Nov '21

Should be back in stock very soon

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The Lost Daughter cover

The narrative follows Leda, whose vacation leads to unexpected confrontations with her past in The Lost Daughter, exploring themes of motherhood and self-discovery.

In The Lost Daughter, Leda is an English teacher and a devoted mother of two. When her daughters leave to stay with their father in Canada, she anticipates a wave of loneliness. Surprisingly, she feels a sense of liberation, as if the burdens of motherhood have momentarily lifted. Seeking solace, Leda travels to a quaint coastal town in southern Italy, hoping to embrace this newfound freedom.

However, her peaceful retreat takes a dark turn when she encounters a family whose loud and intrusive presence disrupts her tranquility. As small incidents unfold, Leda is drawn back into her past, reflecting on the complex choices she made as a mother. These memories bring forth a whirlwind of emotions, revealing the profound impact of her decisions on her life and her family. The narrative shifts from a serene exploration of self-discovery to a fierce confrontation with unresolved issues that have long haunted her.

The Lost Daughter serves as a poignant exploration of womanhood and motherhood, delving into the conflicting emotions that bind us to our children. Through Leda's journey, readers are invited to reflect on the challenges and intricacies of maternal relationships, ultimately questioning the nature of love, sacrifice, and personal identity.

"Ferrante's novels are tactile and sensual, visceral and dizzying." * The Guardian *
"It’s Leda’s voice that’s hypnotic, and it’s the writing that makes it that way. Ferrante can do a woman’s interior dialogue like no one else, with a ferocity that is shockingly honest, unnervingly blunt" * Booklist *
"Ferrante's gift for psychological horror renders it immediate and visceral" * The New Yorker *
"Ferrante is a hypnotist." * The Spectator *
"[Ferrante] describes the female experience so intimately and so vividly that the reader feels like she could (and should) know the writer personally." * New York Magazine *
“A raw, gritty and gripping meditation of the difficulties of motherhood.” * The Observer *
“An absorbingly shaped psychological drama, built around a single traumatising event from which the action metastasises.” * The Guardian *
“Subtly daring.” * The Financial Times *
“Entirely gripping….. a literary film with a literary script.” * The Spectator *
“Sadness is lanced through the heart of Gyllenhaal’s film, which she both adapted and directed, but it’s rich and luxurious in its texture.” * The Independent *
“Adapted from Elena Ferrante’s novel of the same name, The Lost Daughter is a heady exercise in restraint." * NME *

ISBN: 9781787704183

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

144 pages

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