Her four-book series of Neapolitan Novels are her most widely known works. She is left to cope, though not very well, her children suffer neglect, as does the dog, and she attempts to figure out what she did wrong. Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2017. I've read the whole "Brilliant Friend" series, sometimes listening (I do audio) to certain passages over and over again. Almodovar's "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" + Margaret Atwood's terrific uberfeminist two first published novels + Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story avatar heroine from The Yellow Wallpaper = THIS, a novel with absolutely perfect symbolism that describes the descent of this woman goin' bonkers, with the overflow of emotions which invades her after being left for the "other woman." One clearly sees the roots of her skill in describing a character's inner world and torments, in vivid - and often searing - language, which was so evident in the quartet. It's a heartbreaking story, probably not to be recommended if you are after something lighthearted or frothy, but highly recommended if you want stunning writing and a fascinating and real character study of a broken woman who puts herself back together again. It is very good but hard to read. With two young children to care for, Olga finds it … Reviewer Lynda Woodroffe. Ambitious men prefer architecture over sensitivity, evidence shows. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Verified Purchase. I am the dark serpent. Ferrante writes experimentally, exploring issues women deal with - the loss of love and desirability, the need to dissolve or disappear if they are not young and beautiful, the roles of wife and mother, issues of her own career struggles while also trying to be wife, mother. The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante Wow, The Days of Abandonment was well written with important things to say, but still pretty tough for me to read. I hesitate between giving this book 3 or 4 stars. Be warned, however, that - at least beginning from roughly the halfway point - this is not a … Incendiary & insightful, Elena Ferrante is one authentic discovery! Europa editions, 2005. To celebrate the book's... A national bestseller for almost an entire year. After reading a few reviews I thought I knew what I was getting into. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. On one hand, it is a visceral, brutal read - the story of Olga's near disintegration in the aftermath of her being abandoned by her husband Marco. To get more detailed, Mario leaves her … I am the wasp that stings. You are screaming at her to get it together, but you are also fascinated. Mother and housewife Olga, 38, is left by her husband Mario, 40, for a girl they … It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Check out our review of Ferrante’s latest book, or get to know her English translator. She is left to cope, though not very well, her children suffer neglect, as does the dog, and she attempts to figure out what she did wrong. You feel her painful wrath and her emotional distress so alive you can feel. How does marriage impact the self identity of women? I stayed up all night gobbling up The Days of Abandonment. I didn't care for the way she neglected her children, and especially the poor dog . The author shows how the wife looks at things in her life from a different perspective than I. It follows the life of Olga, a woman on the verge of a breakdown after being dumped by her husband of many years for a younger model. I first heard about Elena Ferrante about a year ago when everyone seemed to read her Neapolitan saga. I … Olga at first cannot cope, she abandons everything she holds dear and finds herself in the slough of depression, but soon she must get up and carry on and attempt to restore an iota of normality into her life and the lives of her children. Elena Ferrante is a pseudonymous Italian novelist. Ambitious men prefer architecture over sensitivity, evidence shows. The Days of Abandonment Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community … In particular, the ups and downs Olga … This is for my final final of junior year, let’s hope it goes well. 5.0 out of 5 stars Freefall into hell. This leaves Olga disoriented with rage and you feel her grasp slowly dissolving to catastrophic proportions it’s so cleverly written (also disturbingly funny at times) you feel the torment dripping off the pages. It's true that the violent rage that overtakes the protagonist is sometimes hard to take. “The circle of an empty day is brutal and at night it tightens around your neck like a noose.”, “Existence is this, I thought, a start of joy, a stab of pain, an intense pleasure, veins that pulse under the skin, there is no other truth to tell.”, http://www.europaeditions.com/book.php?Id=2. Olga is abandoned by her unfaithful husband, leaving her for a much younger woman. Her definitions and descriptions are just different enough to be jarring. Ferrantes novel is taut and precise,not necessarily plot driven.This is an exploration of the mental turmoil and anguish of a woman whose husband suddenly removes himself from the family home in Turin.Themes of abandonment,control,isolation,and recovery and much more.Very satisfying and succeeds wonderfully.Four Stars, I've kept seeing Elena Ferrante popping up on Goodreads and Amazon so I was expecting something rather wonderful when I dipped into this standalone novel. There's some cleverness in how Olga turns into what she once thought she never would become, but that does in no way redeem the book. I'm not sure how much of my repulsion stems from the book itself, and how much can be blamed on the gratingly bitchy narrator. It comes across as a day of mental illness, one that had its beginnings in previous days and will have repercussions in days to come, days in which she tamps down the feelings that arise. Olg. When I finished Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House two days ago, all I wanted to do as read another book exactly like that one. I am the invulnerable animal who passes through fire and is not burned." The Days of Abandonment Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community … And read more from our book critics. In the midst of all this calamity. Not only is it the most recent Emily Books selection, but I've heard nothing but good things about Elena Ferrante in general. Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2015. In less than 200 pages Ferrante turns the convention upside down, the large-scale over the domestic. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, Most of us Have Been There....Ferrante Captures Her "Days of Abandonment", Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2017. In fact, I was so upset about what happened to the dog, it made me dislike the main character greatly. Next on my list was The Days of Abandonment. An anatomy of a breakdown after her husband abandons her for a younger woman. Every once in a while a book comes around that is very difficult to review. I am in love with Elena Ferrante's writing. To see what your friends thought of this book. Welcome back. These are some I have read in the last couple of years, This is as close to perfection a novel told in the first person can achieve. Ordinarily the lack of curiosity about those outside one's class explains why: the preference for one's circle of intimates where uncertainties and dangers are kept away. Yet to call it mental illness (and no one does) is probably inaccurate. Most people have been on the receiving end of a horrible breakup where they find themselves utterly destroyed and devastated, and Ferrante's descriptions are spot on. You just keep going until there are no pages left to read. Not only is it the most recent Emily Books selection, but I've heard nothing but good things about Elena Ferrante in general. I am giving back in kind. poisoned , due to the nature of the husband that left - he was not a friendly character - and treated the other residents in the community with rudene, No, this has nothing to do with the Neapolitan Quartet, as it is a separate story. I wanted to dive straight into the Neapolitan series but decided for a taste tester first with this novel and I’m so glad I did. I'm happy to say this one did not disappoint. If The Days of Abandonment were a theatrical play instead of a novel, it would … We’d love your help. Well worth reading, and an enticement to continue discovering Ms. Ferrante's work. I had been warned by some … Though at times extreme, the essence of Olga’s experience is genuine, and speaks to the complex and absorbing nature of that emotional state. This was emotional and searing and I finished it in one afternoon and it left me some combination of sad and angry and melancholy for the rest of the day, and it's going to be a pretty long time before I can talk about it, I think. A national bestseller for almost an entire year, The Days of Abandonment shocked and captivated its Italian public when first published. You, you don't know. Ferrante's descriptions of the character's mental chaos and recovery are dramatic and ring true. It's the same: brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Getting left suddenly by your husband is a big shock,, but her reaction seemed out of proportion. The reason for this is that, though I am enthralled by Ms. … One afternoon, right after lunch, my husband announced that he wanted to leave me". There's a problem loading this menu right now. Olga's life is shattered when her husband abandons her. The novel tells the story of an Italian … Elena Ferrante is a very skilled writer, and 'The Days of Abandonment' doubtlessly a very strong piece of writing. Not nearly as good as Elena Ferrante's Naples Quartet. (p. 76). Update: It did. In less than 200. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. A smattering of thoughts about one of my most stressful reads of the year. What happens when a person’s domestic life with spouse and children, their entire personal existence, cracks like a bottle of wine and spills all over the floor? This novel is a powerful account of the emotional stresses of abandonment. The title of Elena Ferrante's first novel has been translated as Troubling Love, but as the Italian original (L'amore molesto) and the film-title ('Nasty Love') suggest, what's … After reading the four 'Neapolitan Novels' and 'Troubling Love', I finally got around to reading Ms. Ferrante's first published novel - 'Days of Abandonment'. While her husband is off living the life, shagging his new mistress and all but disappears from the scene she ends up questioning everything about her marriage, her sanity and her place as a mother. Verified Purchase. See 2 questions about The Days of Abandonment…, BOOK: The Days of Abandonment - Elena Ferrante. I've kept seeing Elena Ferrante popping up on Goodreads and Amazon so I was expecting something rather wonderful when I dipped into this standalone novel. Browse The Guardian Bookshop for a big selection of Modern & contemporary fiction books and the latest book revie Buy The Days Of Abandonment … And so she begins to destroy herself, pull herself and her children down. Trump Books Keep Coming, and … They were married for 15 years, have 2 children, and Mario just walks out. Nothing like reading another 700 page book from Mitchell or Murakami. Set in Turin, it chronicles a woman's descent into madness when her husband leaves her and their children for a younger woman. IN Elena Ferrante's tale of one deserted wife's descent into disarray, the narrator's husband of 15 years suddenly announces that he is leaving because he's "confused... having terrible … If The Days of Abandonment were a theatrical play instead of a novel, it would have to be performed in one act. 5.0 out of 5 stars Most of us Have Been There....Ferrante Captures Her "Days of Abandonment". 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