The Lost Daughter

Although Elena Ferrante is one of the biggest names in world literature, very little is known about the enigmatic author. Writing under a pseudonym, her true identity is a mystery. She communicates through letters and has never appeared publicly for interviews or awards. In written interviews, Ferrante claims to be from Naples, and many critics have further speculated on her identity. She is the author of eight novels, three books of essays, and one children’s book. All of her work has been translated into English by translator Ann Goldstein. Ferrante is best known for the Neapolitan Quartet, a sweeping series of four novels that follows the friendship of two girls from childhood to old age. The series includes My Brilliant Friend (2012), The Story of a New Name (2013), Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (2014), and The Story of the Lost Child (2015). There are many similarities between the Neapolitan novels and The Lost Daughter, including themes of maternal ambivalence, female identity and friendship, and class and education. Leda is very similar to the Neapolitan Quartet’s Elena. Both are women who escape the poverty of Naples through education, becoming academics and mothers. There are also instances of repeated names, and