These novels have been staring me in the face for years, at my local bookstore, but I would pay them no heed. From the design of the covers, they looked, to me, like Italian chick lit, and I had no interest in reading that!!!!! Then, when the fourth, and final, volume of The Neapolitan Novels made The Times Ten Best List this year, it gave me pause. And when a very literary coworker, whose taste and intelligence I highly respect, recommended the above book, I could not ignore this author any longer.
Having read "The Days Of Abandonment," I cannot wait to read more Ferrante.
When Mario walks out on Olga, his wife of eighteen years, for some young chippy, she begins a downward spiral that, at times, is as disturbing as viewing Roman Polanski's "Repulsion." And Ferrante has a brilliant translator, Ann Goldstein, which makes things all the better.
To be sure, Olga does a turnaround, and regains her psychological footing. But reading her journey is depressing at times, inspiring at others, because Ferrante's writing style is not chick lit, but emotional exploration of her characters, which makes for a read so satisfying I could hardly stop reading. I finished this one quicker than I actually wanted to.
I am now sold on Elena Ferrante, and after reading one of her books, you will too, girls!!!!!!!!!!! She plummets the depths of our experiences!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who would have thought? There are surprises out there, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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