Book Review: Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante

Rating: 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

We are back again with another Ferrante novel - the third in the Neapolitan series - and I am more hooked than ever before! As I continue to make my way through this series, it is the sheer honesty of Ferrante's characters that never fails to capture me. These two women have not been set out to impress or to idealise, they are human and they are real - relatable to any reader! This is an incredible story of true female friendship, riddled with every human emotion possible. Yet again, Ferrante's writing is beautiful and the translation even more so! The Ferrante series is the first translated fiction I have read and it is both so effortless and magical to read. I cannot wait to get my hands on the final volume to see what else is in store for these two amazing female characters.

About The Book:

The story moves into the late 1960's and 70's, continuing the story of the feisty and rebellious Lila and her lifelong friend Elena. After separating from her husband, Lila is now living with her young son in a new neighbourhood in Naples and working at a local factory. Elena has left Naples altogether, has earned a degree, published a novel, all of which opening up new and exciting doors to the world of the learned and the intellectual.

At the heart of this third volume is the intricate nature of Italy's social and political history and in particular the feminist perspective of such politics as Elena continues to search for ways to be involved and for subjects to write about. Through each of her experiences, we get a snippet into the riots and protests that occurred during the 60's and 70's. Violence appears to be everywhere for Ferrante's heroines, whether at home or out on the streets, the risk of trouble seems to follow them.

In the attempt to not give too much away, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay depicts how both Elena and Lila each find their own escape routes against the restrictions of patriarchy and politics. For Lila, that comes from employment and empowerment and for Elena, well that comes from listening to your heart...