Book · 2019
The Neapolitan Novels : My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, and The Story of the Lost Child
Why people recommend it
The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante, which include My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, and The Story of the Lost Child, are a celebrated multi-volume exploration of female friendship, class, and identity set against the backdrop of changing Italian society. Several commentators discussed these books across different episodes of The Book Review. Jumana Katib mentioned on the podcast segment What We're Reading This Summer that she planned to read Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay as part of her journey through the Neapolitan quartet. Dana Tacot also discussed the series, meticulously listing all four titles—My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, and The Story of the Lost Child—during a conversation about Jeffrey Toobin. Additionally, Parul Seel cited the overarching work while running through fiction selections during a retrospective on the best books of 2015. Readers and critics alike continue to return to Ferrante's sweeping narrative arc, using these distinct novels to examine complex relationships, personal ambition, and the enduring social bonds of neighborhood life in Naples. The collective acclaim highlights how deeply these stories resonate with critics and casual readers alike, securing their place as a modern literary touchstone discussed frequently in contemporary publishing circles.
Who recommended it
- Dana Tacot Discussed
- Jumana Katib Recommended
- Pamela Paul Discussed
Dana Tacot — 4 mentions
“so those novels are my brilliant friend the story of a new name then those who leave and those who stay and the story of A Lost Child”
“so those novels are my brilliant friend the story of a new name then those who leave and those who stay and the story of A Lost Child”
“so those novels are my brilliant friend the story of a new name then those who leave and those who stay and the story of A Lost Child”
“so those novels are my brilliant friend the story of a new name then those who leave and those who stay and the story of A Lost Child”
Jumana Katib — 2 mentions
“and What's the title of that one it's called those who leave and those who stay”
“and What's the title of that one it's called those who leave and those who stay”
Pamela Paul — 1 mention
“the story of The Lost Child by Lena fonte”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“The fourth book was published in 2015. Uh, it's called The Story of the Lost Child.”