The Lying Life of Adults
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The Lying Life of Adults
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Narrated by:
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Marisa Tomei
About this listen
Soon to be a Netflix original series.
A powerful new novel set in a divided Naples by Elena Ferrante, the New York Times best-selling author of My Brilliant Friend and The Lost Daughter.
“There’s no doubt [the publication of The Lying Life of Adults] will be the literary event of the year.” (Elle)
Giovanna’s pretty face is changing, turning ugly, at least so her father thinks. Giovanna, he says, looks more like her Aunt Vittoria every day. But can it be true? Is she really changing? Is she turning into Aunt Vittoria, a woman she hardly knows but whom her mother and father clearly despise? Surely there is a mirror somewhere in which she can see herself as she truly is.
Giovanna is searching for her reflection in two kindred cities that fear and detest one another: a Naples of the heights, which assumes a mask of refinement, and a Naples of the depths, a place of excess and vulgarity. She moves between both in search of the truth, but neither city seems to offer answers or escape.
Named one of 2016’s most influential people by Time Magazine and frequently touted as a future Nobel Prize winner, Elena Ferrante has become one of the world’s most read and beloved writers. With this novel about the transition from childhood to adolescence to adulthood, Ferrante proves once again that she deserves her many accolades.
In The Lying Life of Adults, listeners will discover another gripping, highly addictive, and totally unforgettable Neapolitan story.
A Most Anticipated Book of 2020
- The New York Times Book Review
- Vogue
- Entertainment Weekly
- Elle Magazine
- BuzzFeed
- The Millions
- The Seattle Times
- USA Today
- Town & Country
- Thrillist
- Publishers Weekly
- Library Journal
- Harper’s Bazaar
- BookPage
- Literary Hub
- BBC Culture
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What listeners say about The Lying Life of Adults
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mike
- 01-06-21
A joy to listen to
A beautifully written book narrated to perfection. Definitely a book I will listen to again.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ann Ingle
- 10-09-20
wondweful
the narrator brought this book to life in an amazing making a piece of theatrical brilliance.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- R. Vowles
- 10-09-20
Ferrante's words poorly read.
The story was as I was expecting, moving, blunt and a wonderful recreation of a girl learning that the world of adults is more complex than she had imagined.
Sadly this was ruined somewhat by Marisa Tomei's narration. She reads this audiobooks like someone seeing the text for the very first time; placing her emphasis is weird points of sentences, rushing at times and generally not impressing. Her choice of voices for the characters was also quite bizarre, in her mouth they screech at odd moments, shout when there is no indication in the text that this is appropriate and are all given a weird slurring New Jersey accent. Often they sound more like Tony Soprano having a stroke, or and argument whilst VERY drunk than like young italians negotiating personal relationships.
please don't employ her for any more Ferrante.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- None
- 24-12-20
Excellent and unusual book
I really enjoyed this book the author recreates Naples so beautifully that you feel you are transported there. The characters are engaging and well defined. There is a sense of timelessness to this book and I was not sure when it was set what the time period was as it is translated it has a real sense of Italian culture even down to the language. I loved Marisa Tomei's narration it was superb.
If I have one criticism it was that the look seemed to finish very abruptly I had to double check it was really finished as it just seems to stop leaving so much unsaid.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- G. Stephens
- 14-05-24
Brilliant narration
Fascinating coming of age story that delves into the complex psyche of a young girl. Brilliantly narrated by Marisa Tomei.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- S. Gazi
- 28-02-21
Waste of time, awful ending
I had better expectations of this book. It had deep characters and explorations but the storyline was so unnecessary and dramatic, with an awful ending. It addresses the destructive forces of people's nature well. How suffering can turn someone caustic and how quickly people can turn a situation into their own tragedy like a dj spinning a disc. The ending with was foreshadowed early. Good character progression, so a well written book. Just bad plot.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- SALLY HOUGH
- 28-02-21
Problematic narration
I found Marisa Tomei's narration hard going, jarring even. I understand the character is clearly not likeable and very troubled but the aggressive narration really didn't suit the story. The narration also appeared very stilted at times with pauses in the reading that were out of place with the dialogue. I started listening and had to stop for a long time before going back to it. I wish I had just read the novel instead.
Ferrante's story is another enjoyable portrait of Neapolitain life, and having lived there myself, I can see the stories are very well drawn and emulate aspects of Neapolitain life very well indeed. Just not the right choice of narrator for me. As with Hilary Huber.... Please choose better narrators for Ferrante's novels. They deserve better.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- janey
- 18-09-20
ended abruptly
I loved the beginning of this book and exploring the family dynamics. personally, i felt it ended really abruptly. having listened to it rather than reading it, I lost track of how far I had got. and it just suddenly finished. I thought I had accidentally skipped a. chapter. anyway, i wasn't blown away but I did enjoy the book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- tamara
- 25-07-22
Smitten with the storytelling
After watching the adaptations of her works being made into series and films, and feeling the gravity of her character and location development, I have yearned for her writing in its original layout. This new novel is an enthused discovery of the complexities of love and how it grows, changes, repents and exhausts us. Having Marissa Tomei narrate this is such a treat. She does the accents and emotion so much justice. I was smitten with the storytelling.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- MissisN
- 09-09-20
at best, like neopolitan novel #2
Marisa Tomei is an academy nominated actress but yet her voice detracted from this story. it just didn't reasonate. it felt like she was projecting the characters from the neopolitan novels rather than bringing a new character to life. it ruined the story for me. she sounded like Lila at her meanest. I had considered stopping and buying the book, but that would have cost an additional e25 for the hardback. such a pity. I had soooooo looked forward to this story that I bought on preorder
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3 people found this helpful