The Story of the Lost Child Summary
Elena Ferrante

The Story of the Lost Child Overview

Elena Ferrante's novel The Story of the Lost Child is the last of the popular Neapolitan Quartet and brings the story of best friends and rivals Elena and Lila to an unsettling close. Never one for neat endings or unrealistic characters, Ferrante pushes the boundaries of the human condition by sharply drawn characters that embody the state of Italy at the time: corrupt and evil while also innocent and loyal. Using themes of creation, ambiguity, elitism, self-concept, and impossible choices, Ferrante brings all of the strife and difficulty of a woman coming of age in a developing country to light. The characters of Lila and Elena will not fade quickly in the minds of Ferrante's many loyal readers.