Summary

In Chapter 1, Elena looks ahead from 1995, when she leaves Naples for Turin. (Tina disappeared in 1984.) Naples has not, as promised, ever revived, and an offer to run a publishing house in Turin lures Elena away. She reveals that eventually her daughters will move to Boston, where Pietro is teaching at Harvard, and there is little reason to stay in the neighborhood any longer. She goes on to reveal that in the year 2000 Imma goes to college in Paris and she is eventually pushed out of her publishing job. Alone and lonely, Elena visits Naples often, and in 2007 writes a short novel about Tina. It is well received, and after its publication she never hears from Lila again.

Chapter 2 describes Lila’s rare form of grief. Without a definitive end, it is difficult to grieve for Tina. For a time she sits at...