The Lying Life of Adults

De: Elena Ferrante, Ann Goldstein - translator

Narrado por: Marisa Tomei

Soon to be a Netflix original series.

A powerful new novel set in a divided Naples by Elena Ferrante, the New York Times best-selling author of My Brilliant Friend and The Lost Daughter.

“There’s no doubt [the publication of The Lying Life of Adults] will be the literary event of the year.” (Elle)

Giovanna’s pretty face is changing, turning ugly, at least so her father thinks. Giovanna, he says, looks more like her Aunt Vittoria every day. But can it be true? Is she really changing? Is she turning into Aunt Vittoria, a woman she hardly knows but whom her mother and father clearly despise? Surely there is a mirror somewhere in which she can see herself as she truly is.

Giovanna is searching for her reflection in two kindred cities that fear and detest one another: a Naples of the heights, which assumes a mask of refinement, and a Naples of the depths, a place of excess and vulgarity. She moves between both in search of the truth, but neither city seems to offer answers or escape.

Named one of 2016’s most influential people by Time Magazine and frequently touted as a future Nobel Prize winner, Elena Ferrante has become one of the world’s most read and beloved writers. With this novel about the transition from childhood to adolescence to adulthood, Ferrante proves once again that she deserves her many accolades.

In The Lying Life of Adults, listeners will discover another gripping, highly addictive, and totally unforgettable Neapolitan story.

A Most Anticipated Book of 2020

• The New York Times Book Review
• Vogue
• Entertainment Weekly
• Elle Magazine
• BuzzFeed
• The Millions
• The Seattle Times
• USA Today
• Town & Country
• Thrillist
• Publishers Weekly
• Library Journal
• Harper’s Bazaar
• BookPage
• Literary Hub
• BBC Culture

©2020 Elena Ferrante (P)2020 Random House Audio

Disappointing

I loved the Neapolitan series and decided to purchase this latest book. I found the book disappointing because it was full of anger, with characters whom I could not relate. I also miss the original narrator from the series. Perhaps if read instead of listening, I may have liked it better.

Marisa Tomei is amazing

Excellent narration and an emotional, psychological story that will delight fans of Ferrante’s other works

I can’t get past the storyteller

Marisa Tomei is so painful to listen to I couldn’t even finish the book. The parts of the book that I did get through were good which makes this even more frustrating that I just couldn’t get pat her off putting tone and accents.

Pure pleasure

I love reading Ferrante's books but Marisa Tomei is a better reader than I am. Her best role ever!

An honest look at growing up

Adult content but accurate representation of growing up with lies.
Teen exploration and self discovery journey that is honest.

Excellent, but feel like I was left hanging

It took about halfway through to fully get into this story, then just when I was at the point of addiction to the next moves of the main character, it was over. Was this purposefully planned to set up another series? Melissa Tomei gives a highly-nuanced bravura performance, playing every character with amazing change of inflection and character, and loaded with intimacy. Great and brave, no-holds barred writing, especially as it pertains to the post pubescent teenage girl psyche, and life through women's eyes. Wonderfully drawn characters.

Hmm.

Beautiful writing as always by Ferrante but the story was lacking. I wouldn’t have been able to skip this book out of curiosity but it just felt abruptly ended and not fully developed.

can't listen to this narrator

I've really enjoyed listening to all of the author's My Brilliant Friend series, but the narrator of this book was so irritating to listen to that it grossly interfered with my appreciation of the story, which in itself was not one of the author's best. I don't recommend it.

It's good, but I loved earlier books better

Ferrante has a meticulous ability to decode the mind of a teenaged girl in Naples. The themes are similar to the famed Neopolitan quartet: rich versus poor, educated versus uneducated, class consciousness, striving, family problems, deceit, and lies. However, for this reader, it didn't have the compelling propulsive quality of her earlier books.

I found Tomei's narration grating. To my ears, she put her staginess ahead of the story, and I felt distracted by her over and over again.

Ferrante does it again!

Would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the Neapolitan Novels. Ferrante always manages to make even the most mundane moments intriguing. The narration was also very engaging and enjoyable, despite what other reviews say. Really looking forward to the Netflix adaptation of this book!