Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay: Neapolitan Novels, Book Three | Elena Ferrante
The incredible story continues in book three of the critically acclaimed Neapolitan Novels!Since the publication of My Brilliant Friend, the first of the Neapolitan novels, Elena Ferrantes fame as one of our most compelling, insightful, and stylish contemporary authors has grown enormously. She has gained admirers among authorsJhumpa Lahiri, Elizabeth Strout, Claire Messud, to name a fewand criticsJames Wood, John Freeman, Eugenia Williamson, for example. But her most resounding success has undoubtedly been with readers, who have discovered in Ferrante a writer who speaks with great power and beauty of the mysteries of belonging, human relationships, love, family, and friendship.In this third Neapolitan novel, Elena and Lila, the two girls whom readers first met in My Brilliant Friend, have become women. Lila married at sixteen and has a young son; she has left her husband and the comforts her marriage brought and now works as a common laborer. Elena has left the neighborhood, earned her college degree, and published a successful novel, all of which has opened the doors to a world of learned interlocutors and richly furnished salons. Both women have attempted are pushing against the walls of a prison that would have seen them living a life of misery, ignorance and submission. They are afloat on the great sea of opportunities that opened up during the nineteen-seventies. Yet they are still very much bound to each other by a strong, unbreakable bond.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
anushareflects
post image
Pickpick

This is the third of the Neapolitan series where we follow Elena and Lila in their late 20s and early 30s. It is a book filled with chaos and disorder, narrating the violent politics of the 1970s and the characters‘ own inner violence. We read about loveless marriages and unusual relationships. We delve deeper and deeper into the lives of the two women and those whose lives are touched by theirs. The Neapolitan novels are a compelling journey

review
WellReadCatLady
post image
Pickpick

Another great book in the Neapolitan series.

Graywacke Such a great book 2y
18 likes1 comment
review
thewallflower0707
post image
Pickpick

Third book of the #NeapolitanianQuartet is done ✔️! It‘s neither very dramatic nor full of action, but you really get to follow these two women through every stage of their life, both with good & bad decisions, and I really love it.

#ElenaFerrante

26 likes1 stack add
review
Taylor
post image
Pickpick

Dang, that was good on the reread!

I forgot most of it, other than certain images, and I‘m so glad I didn‘t watch the show before rereading (it‘s a phenomenal adaptation though! Beautifully done, feeling both modern and old, steeped in cultural richness, soaking us in an Italian purview that is only possible if authentically made in that country).

But enough about the show. Anyone who hasn‘t read Ferrante: you have to give this a try.

quote
Taylor

We had become for each other abstract entities, so that now I could invent her for myself both as an expert in computers and as a determined and implacable urban guerrilla, while she, in all likelihood, could see me both as the stereotype of the successful intellectual and as a cultured and well-off woman….

quote
Taylor

In the still dark sky there was a weak bluish light that licked the low buildings, the muddy weeds and refuse.

review
Eva_B
post image
Pickpick

Another great read! I‘ve only got the last one in the quartet to go.

IuliaC Great quartet! 👍😊 2y
14 likes1 comment
review
rmaclean4
post image
Pickpick

A book of flawed and difficut characters. Beautiful writting. It is an interesting time for me to have read this book as a 40 year friendship is going through a really rough patch. One more book in the series! 4 🌟
First square on the board complete!
#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2y
20 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
keepingupwiththepenguins
post image
Pickpick

Ultimately, it was a pleasure, once again, to immerse myself in Lila and Elena‘s “furious friendship“. The story naturally progresses beyond the bounds of their Naples neighbourhood and the youthful concerns of the previous Neapolitan novels, a very logical continuation akin to a well-written biography. Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/those-who-leave-and-those-who-stay-elena-fe...

45 likes1 stack add
review
NAM99
post image
Pickpick

What intrigues me most about this series is thinking about past friendships and what kind of influence they‘ve had.

5 likes1 stack add
blurb
catsuit_mango
post image

All this and listening to the new Taylor swift album. I just miss a fireplace to have the perfect cosy afternoon

6 likes1 stack add
blurb
catsuit_mango
post image

Starting book 3 of the Serie. Reading in Italian is taking me longer but it's good for me to practice ;)

8 likes1 stack add
blurb
GidgetsTreasures75
post image

11-22-20: My 96th finished book of 2020! The friendship of Lila and Elena continues in book 3 of the series amid marriages, love, death, children, politics and jealousies. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #thosewholeaveandthosewhostay #elenaferrante 👍🏼📖#️⃣9️⃣6️⃣

blurb
LapReader
post image

Yesterday‘s Thrifts. Some mugs to add to my ever expanding collection, #LitsyLove #JustBecause stamped, recycled paper stationery, a weekly journal for 2021 & 3 books. I‘ve all the Neapolitan novels now but have only read the 1st 1. What a cliffhanger! I didn‘t love the TV series but will try again 1 day. I‘m trying to get back into embroidery & the bottom book still had its stencils for the bargain price of $2! Plus a vintage dress? Nightie?

quote
Hugs4pandas
post image

“Each of us narrates our life as it suits us.”

quote
Hugs4pandas

You want to improve your conditions and the conditions of these people? You‘re convinced that you, and they, starting from here, from what you are now, will join the victorious march of the proletariat of the whole world? No way. March to become what? Now and forever workers?

review
Jbakesmcgee3
post image
Pickpick

Love this saga so much! Was not as good as the first two, but I can tell is gearing up for the final installment!

review
SLSbooks
Pickpick

Book #3 shows so much growth in Lenu, yet such trepidation of success. Meanwhile Lila‘s life is a giant chess piece being moved by exactly whom? “As usual it seemed to her that she could enter and leave my life without any worries, as if we were still a single thing and there was no need to ask how are you, how are things, am I disturbing you.”

quote
michsilog
post image

How accurate can this be?

blurb
michsilog
post image

Filed under quarantine reads ✨😌

BarbaraBB Great pic! 4y
3 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
janeycanuck
post image
Pickpick

I started this back in August and hit a wall about 125 pages in. I re-started it, slowed down around the 125-page mark again but powered through and then devoured it. Ferrante has woven such a beautiful story and Goldstein has done a tremendous job with the translation. Looking forward to the last book in the series.

Third book finished for #24b42020

review
emmaturi
post image
Pickpick

This is number 3 in the series. I read the first two back to back, but now had a big gap before reading this one. I enjoyed hearing how things are going to Elena and Lina. Also all the other characters. You learn a lot about the politics in Italy at that time, which I knew next to nothing! #bookcover #elenaferrante

Annashep Just finished this and loved it 😊😊📚📚 4y
28 likes1 comment
blurb
emmaturi
post image

#gratefulreads - day 9 is book and snack, I have started this today. Glad to get back to this world of Ferrante
@OriginalCyn620 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

OriginalCyn620 👍🏻😊❤️ 4y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Ok stupid question, but what is the purple stuck in the bowl?! 💜 4y
emmaturi It is blue potato crisps! @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 4y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @emmaturi ohhhhh ok duh!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣 4y
26 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
Annashep
post image

A cup of tea and this wonderful book .. while on my break at work ... this is the third book in the series .. I‘m being a bit slow at reading at the moment but I just love the story of Elena and Lila and their neighbourhood and family and conflicts and growth .... it‘s wonderfully written ! 📚

blurb
cajunsyd
post image

I can‘t wait to see how Elena and Lila navigate through adulthood. What a great series.

Annashep It‘s an amazing series just finished this one and loved it 4y
cajunsyd @Annashep so glad you loved it! Not the ending that I expected at all! 4y
Annashep can‘t wait to read the last one ... but will be really sad to finish the series too 😊 4y
cajunsyd @Annashep enjoy!! 4y
29 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
Annashep
post image

Just finished reading The Story of a new name ... and managed to find the third and final volume of the Neopolitan series in a second hand book shop in Morecombe ... so excited to read the last two books I‘m loving the series so far ... there is such depth In Her writing and such emotional detail and description ...

blurb
janeycanuck
post image

Another month, another TBR I‘ll never get through. My #AugustTBR is a lot of carry over from July, the rest of my #14books14weeks books. I‘m not holding out a lot of faith in making much progress this month - we‘re in the middle of a bunch of renos that at this point, seem like they‘ll never end.

review
jdiehr
post image
Pickpick

As Lila and Lenu get older, marry and have children, their story keeps getting better and better. Ferrante is so good at describing the relationship between girlfriends and spouses.

One more book in this Neapolitan series. Good stuff!

Trashcanman I hope you are well. 5y
25 likes1 comment
blurb
janeycanuck
post image

It‘s my #24in48 #stacksandsnacks!

I‘m hoping to polish off my three library books and then at least one or two other books over the course of my 24 hours.

I‘m undecided about picking Sophie‘s World and Less at some point this weekend. I‘m about 1/3 through Sophie‘s World and enjoying it but it‘s a slower read. Less is my Book Club book and I‘m not looking forward to it...

review
Jen2
Pickpick

Very good!

Ruthiella Loved this entire quartet!😍😍😍 5y
Crazeedi Great great books 5y
53 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
Jen2
post image

It‘s too hot to do anything but read!

TEArificbooks All in perspective, it was 110 today here so I would love 89. I would actually go outside take the kids to splash pad. 5y
Blh87 I go into hiding at 80 degrees unless I‘m on the lake😅 5y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick That description! 🤣hat's about what the weather was here in NJ today & luckily we had a breeze so it wasn't too bad. Still not pleasant for running errands, but tolerable. 5y
Crazeedi "Hotter than a witches t__ in an iron bra"" ?? 5y
Curiouser_and_curiouser Lol! That's why I prefer Winter, where I live (Melbourne, Aust) it's smack bang in the middle of Winter today. Stay indoors in the air-con unless you're Satan's Mistress! 5y
93 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
Joanne1
post image
Pickpick

The third instalment of the Neapolitan saga sees Elena and Lila as wives and mothers, with careers that rise and fall as relationships do the same. I have completely bought into this series and with this one finishing at a critical point I can‘t wait to listen to the final book.

Velvetfur Oohh I've got that one, but haven't read it because I have the trilogy and haven't read any of them yet! I like your review, I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊 5y
Joanne1 @Velvetfur definitely one to read in order so start with My Brilliant Friend. PS there‘s 4 in the series, not 3. 5y
Velvetfur @Joanne1 Oops, missed one, thank you! I only discovered them and the TV series at the start of this year, and have only watched the TV series so far. Have you watched it too? 5y
See All 7 Comments
Joanne1 @Velvetfur no I haven‘t, the TV series is a bit tricky to get here but I think I‘ve found a way. 5y
Bindrosbookshelf I still have the first book on my shelf and have never read it! 5y
Velvetfur @Joanne1 If you've found a way to watch it, I highly recommend it, I thought it was brilliant without even having read the book 😊 5y
JillR I‘m half way through the final book right now! 5y
55 likes7 comments
blurb
Joanne1
post image

I really do enjoy these delves into Italian life. The historic context is so interesting and the two MCs are wonderfully complex.

47 likes1 stack add
blurb
Minervasbutler
post image

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Nice job! 📖💖 5y
72 likes1 comment
review
Minervasbutler
post image
Pickpick

Book 3 in the Neapolitan Quartet. Elena is slowly forging a literary career for herself while Lila, her disastrous marriage behind her, seems, notwithstanding her ferocious intelligence, to be destined to a life of poverty and humiliation. The menacing Solaro brothers play a more prominent role as Communists fight Fascists and Elena tries to find some fleeting satisfaction in marriage and motherhood. Stunning.

Cathythoughts Stunning is the word ! 👍🏻 5y
Minervasbutler @Cathythoughts Isn't it? Just keeps getting better and better. 5y
rachaich Adored this trilogy. I've just started watching the adaptation :) 5y
96 likes3 comments
quote
Minervasbutler
post image

Cathythoughts I loved this series 👍🏻♥️ 5y
76 likes1 comment
blurb
AyaOfSiwa
post image

I got a new book.

#croatianedition

4 likes1 stack add
blurb
Mtroiano
post image

Savoring the last few pages of this book with a glass of wine. I think this is my favorite in the series so far. #booksandwine

Minervasbutler Mine too! 5y
32 likes1 comment
blurb
Mtroiano
post image

Happy Saturday, everyone! #bookandbreakfast

Karisa Hurray for the weekend! 😀 5y
32 likes1 comment
blurb
Mtroiano
post image

Nap time, quiet time, reading time. This is Bella. She‘s 13 so most of her day is nap time. 🐶💤

#dogsoflitsy

blurb
Mtroiano
post image

Getting back to this series. #currentlyreading

review
Booksbymybed
post image
Mehso-so

This one is my least favorite out of three I‘ve read so far. Hopefully the last one will be better.