The Story of the Lost Child cover art

The Story of the Lost Child

The Neapolitan Novels, Book 4

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The Story of the Lost Child

By: Elena Ferrante
Narrated by: Hillary Huber
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About this listen

The Story of the Lost Child concludes the dazzling saga of two women—the brilliant, bookish Elena and the fiery, uncontainable Lila—who first met amid the shambles of postwar Italy.

In this book, life’s great discoveries have been made; its vagaries and losses have been suffered. Through it all, Elena and Lila’s friendship remains the gravitational center of their lives. Both women once fought to escape the neighborhood in which they grew up. Elena married, moved to Florence, started a family, and published several well-received books. But now, she has returned to Naples to be with the man she has always loved.

Lila, on the other hand, never succeeded in freeing herself from Naples. She has become a successful entrepreneur, but her success draws her into closer proximity with the nepotism, chauvinism, and criminal violence that infect her neighborhood. Yet, somehow, this proximity to a world she has always rejected only brings her role as unacknowledged leader of that world into relief.

©2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc. (P)2015 Blackstone Audiobooks Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction Italy Heartfelt Inspiring

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All stars
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Loved this expansive story of life. Really beautiful and loved the narration. It’s slow, and definitely not a thriller, but so interesting to go so much in depth with a story expanding a lifetime.

Loved all 4 books

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Engrossing and thoughtful. A narrative of twists and turns always gripping. I found this the best of the four. Unusually for novels it deals with the difficulties of motherhood, of work, and friendships- through life to old age.

A grown-up story about women’s lives

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I have liked the saga and I really entered the character of Elena and find that my life has had similar struggles, although my Italy is slightly later than this.
I got a bit tired of this Lila dependency, as if she was the most important person in the world. I knew all along that she had the dolls! She was unfortunate in her life, but so evil too. I would have gotten rid of her far earlier!

Re the audiobook, I really resent the way the narrator tries and yet does not achieve to say some of the basic names, especially Elena. It is my name, I am used to hear it butchered by English speakers. However, if I don't expect Starbucks person to spell/say it properly, I do expect that whoever takes over the narration is at least sligthly educated and can learn how to say it. Elena is a difficult name even for Italian very young children, I know that well, but I espect more from an educated adult.
In this chapter she gets wrong several placenames too, or Prima Linea, or the name Nicola (the male version, not the English female one, please!!!) "rechiette" instead of "orecchiette" I wanted to cry!
The book is great, the translator poor, the narrator poor too. Sad

good saga

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gripping story, emotional. would have been much more enjoyable but for the American narration, and American vocabulary

shame about American narration

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I feel absolutely bereft that I will never read these books again for the first time.

Indescribably beautiful

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The fascinating continuation of this powerful, intriguing story of two women.
the most shocking events bring the book to life, though I found some sections overly and repetitively self reflective.

excellent reading of the shocking conclusion .

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At times it was a little too introspective & for me the plot frequently entered the doldrums . However the pace would hook me up suddenly & I would re-engage wholeheartedly.
Overall a great listen. I read the first 3 books & felt I would only have reached the end via the audible version . Great ending...

Unforgettable

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I loved this series so much. Book one was my least favourite, but the rest were a delight. I'm off now to read everything else she has written.

I am so sad it's over.

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Loved the story but really disliked the narrator. At times it sounded like an automated voice. Awful.

Good story

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I loved the story and dynamics and the main two woman. I have started watching the series and then ended up listening to this audiobook, it’s just as good. Sometimes it felt like it dragged on a bit but it might be worth it because I’ll miss the story.

Good character dynamics

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