The Days of Abandonment

The Days of Abandonment
by Elena Ferrante

The Days of Abandonment
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Book Summary Information

Author: Elena Ferrante
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); Italian (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-09-01
ISBN: 1933372001
Number of pages: 188
Publisher: Europa Editions

Book Reviews of The Days of Abandonment

Book Review: A harrowing tale of dementia
Summary: 5 Stars

"The Days of Abandonment" begins with Mario walking out on Olga, his wife of fifteen years, and their two children. It's an act which devastates Olga, who narrates this account of her 'days of abandonment.' At first the absurdity of the situation is something to preoccupy her, the question of 'Why?' It's not the first time that Mario has been tempted to leave Olga but this time there is another woman, and it's not quite as out of nowhere as she had first thought.
"The Days of Abandonment" is a detailed, personal account of Olga's now shattered life. Her mind wanders, she snaps at her children and at the people she encounters and her life becomes a mess.
The author uses a number of devices, such as the difficulty of establishing communication but the story is presented convincingly: it reads as thoroughly authentic. "The Days of Abandonment" is harrowing because Olga is not a very good mother, she does not act very nicely to almost anyone she deals with. In particular, the ups and downs Olga experiences show that the author has a sound knowledge of the human psyche.

Summary of The Days of Abandonment

"She is among the greatest Italian authors of recent years."-Corriere della Sera

"Ferrante dissects the personal microcosm so well, and with awesome lucidity and precision shows us the meanderings of a woman's mind, the suffering that accompanies being abandoned, and the awful rumbling of time passing."-El Mundo

"Elena Ferrante has given us a startlingly beautiful novel of exceptional and bold strength."-Il Manifesto

"Severe and rigorously unsentimental, packed full of passages written with dizzying intensity at a rare and acute pitch. Ferrante is at her best when her writing holds tight to those nagging, niggling obsessions that make up our mental landscapes."-La Stampa

A national bestseller for almost an entire year, The Days of Abandonment shocked and captivated its Italian public when first published. It is the gripping story of a woman's descent into devastating emptiness after being abandoned by her husband with two young children to care for. When she finds herself literally trapped within the four walls of their high-rise apartment, she is forced to confront her ghosts, the potential loss of her own identity, and the possibility that life may never return to normal.

Elena Ferrante was born in Naples. Though she is one of Italy's most important and acclaimed contemporary authors, her identity is a mystery. Theories and speculation as to who Elena Ferrante really is continue to circulate; however, the author has successfully shunned public attention and has been able to keep her whereabouts and her true identity concealed. The Days of Abandonment, her second novel, is currently being made into a film by director Roberto Faenza, due for release in North America in 2006.

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