---
product_id: 17583620
title: "The Story of the Lost Child: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 4)"
price: "€ 27.04"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.gr/products/17583620-the-story-of-the-lost-child-a-novel-neapolitan-novels
store_origin: GR
region: Greece
---

# The Story of the Lost Child: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 4)

**Price:** € 27.04
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Story of the Lost Child: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 4)
- **How much does it cost?** € 27.04 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.gr](https://www.desertcart.gr/products/17583620-the-story-of-the-lost-child-a-novel-neapolitan-novels)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

The Story of the Lost Child: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 4) [Ferrante, Elena, Goldstein, Ann] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Story of the Lost Child: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 4)

Review: A thrilling finale - In my reviews of the three previous volumes of this now completed tetralogy I vacillated between unqualified admiration and feeling melodramatically manipulated. But this fourth volume leaves no doubt in my mind that Elena Ferrante's four Neapolitan novels constitute a masterpiece. Amazingly Ferrante's stamina as a writer, far from petering out, has produced the most magnificent book yet ... and the longest! Indeed, my own stamina as a reader was tested last night /this morning, since, to my complete surprise, I read from midway at 11:00 p.m. to the end at 5:30 a.m. There was no way I was going to put the book down. For one thing there is a dramatic crescendo that demands holding fast until the subsequent diminuendo if you are to have any peace. For another there is just such beautiful writing and subtle analysis of feelings that I had definite intimations of Proust. I continue to marvel at how there can be writers like this. Obviously this final volume may derive part of its richness from acquaintance with the prequels, so you really won't want to read this until you have read the three others. Most unanswered questions from earlier are satisfyingly addressed here, and several characters are definitively enriched (in the sense of their true colors shown, since some are diminished as human beings). P.S. Oddly, Ferrante's other novels left me totally cold, even though they received critical acclaim. There's no accounting for taste, but for me the tetralogy is Ferrante coming into her (or his? -- Ferrante's identity is a bit of a mystery) own.
Review: Love these books and the characters - I got hooked on the show, and the third season left at such a cliffhanger that I couldn't wait. I devoured all four books in less than a month!! So good. I have to say the show is pretty faithful to the books, but the writing, my God!!! Every character is so rich and layered, they really jump out of the pages. The friendship between Elena and Lila is so beautiful and so real. Elena, always insecure, doubting herself, and always needing that extra nudge from Lila. And Lila, being the headstrong woman she is, never once doubting herself, always throwing her stock behind her best friend. They are like two sides of the same coin. In her casual, engaging style, Ferante takes us through the history of Italy over almost six decades, giving us a view of Italy that we seldom get. It is an incredible feat. She also gives us a look into the joys and tedium of motherhood that most don't talk about. The juxtapositon of joy and guilt when Elena gets to follow her dreams is so beautifully described. Now that I'm done, I'm going to miss these strong incredible women and strangely even Naples!

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #20,862 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #215 in Family Saga Fiction #585 in Women's Domestic Life Fiction #1,154 in Literary Fiction (Books) |
| Book 4 of 4  | Neapolitan Novels |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (27,125) |
| Dimensions  | 5.29 x 1.4 x 8.25 inches |
| Edition  | First Edition |
| ISBN-10  | 1609452860 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1609452865 |
| Item Weight  | 2.31 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 480 pages |
| Publication date  | September 1, 2015 |
| Publisher  | Europa Editions |

## Images

![The Story of the Lost Child: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 4) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/816PAuLe6yL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A thrilling finale
*by J***S on October 8, 2015*

In my reviews of the three previous volumes of this now completed tetralogy I vacillated between unqualified admiration and feeling melodramatically manipulated. But this fourth volume leaves no doubt in my mind that Elena Ferrante's four Neapolitan novels constitute a masterpiece. Amazingly Ferrante's stamina as a writer, far from petering out, has produced the most magnificent book yet ... and the longest! Indeed, my own stamina as a reader was tested last night /this morning, since, to my complete surprise, I read from midway at 11:00 p.m. to the end at 5:30 a.m. There was no way I was going to put the book down. For one thing there is a dramatic crescendo that demands holding fast until the subsequent diminuendo if you are to have any peace. For another there is just such beautiful writing and subtle analysis of feelings that I had definite intimations of Proust. I continue to marvel at how there can be writers like this. Obviously this final volume may derive part of its richness from acquaintance with the prequels, so you really won't want to read this until you have read the three others. Most unanswered questions from earlier are satisfyingly addressed here, and several characters are definitively enriched (in the sense of their true colors shown, since some are diminished as human beings). P.S. Oddly, Ferrante's other novels left me totally cold, even though they received critical acclaim. There's no accounting for taste, but for me the tetralogy is Ferrante coming into her (or his? -- Ferrante's identity is a bit of a mystery) own.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Love these books and the characters
*by S***L on December 17, 2022*

I got hooked on the show, and the third season left at such a cliffhanger that I couldn't wait. I devoured all four books in less than a month!! So good. I have to say the show is pretty faithful to the books, but the writing, my God!!! Every character is so rich and layered, they really jump out of the pages. The friendship between Elena and Lila is so beautiful and so real. Elena, always insecure, doubting herself, and always needing that extra nudge from Lila. And Lila, being the headstrong woman she is, never once doubting herself, always throwing her stock behind her best friend. They are like two sides of the same coin. In her casual, engaging style, Ferante takes us through the history of Italy over almost six decades, giving us a view of Italy that we seldom get. It is an incredible feat. She also gives us a look into the joys and tedium of motherhood that most don't talk about. The juxtapositon of joy and guilt when Elena gets to follow her dreams is so beautifully described. Now that I'm done, I'm going to miss these strong incredible women and strangely even Naples!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent end to a great series: 4.5 stars
*by E***Y on September 8, 2015*

I was eagerly awaiting this conclusion to the Neapolitan quartet, and it turned out to be all that I'd hoped. Now that it's finished, I can wholeheartedly recommend the series to anyone, especially to women but also to men. Two things you should know right away. First, please don't be put off by the covers. Yes, they look like they belong on the grocery store's discount rack with lowbrow chick lit. Fortunately, the contents are nothing like that! They are excellent literary books with a lot of depth and no sentimentality or easy answers. Now that they're gaining recognition in the U.S., hopefully there will be a reissue someday soon. Second, this series is really one novel in four volumes, so if you haven't already read the first three, don't start here. You're looking for My Brilliant Friend . The quality is consistent throughout, so you'll soon know whether this is something you'd like. But Ferrante isn't resting on her laurels here; there's a lot in this book. It's about friendship, of course: Elena returns to Naples and she and Lila resume their close relationship, even raising their children together, leading to unexpected drama and tragedy. It's also about romantic relationships, and about the changes in family relationships as we age, and about loss. It's about motherhood, and since this is Ferrante, both women are far from perfect mothers (but who is perfect at being a working single mother? Elena in particular is constantly required to choose, as she's asked to travel the country promoting her books). It's about what it means to succeed in life. It's about escaping the place and the social class to which one is born, and whether that's even possible. It's about an Italy that's constantly changing - a vibrant, violent, dangerous place, steeped in history yet teeming with new ideas. As always, the book rushes along through short chapters that delve deeply into the characters' lives and interactions. The writing is urgent and electric, not quite like anything else I've read. The characters are people, in all their complexity. The author doesn't make it easy for us by assigning them two or three traits apiece; instead she shows them to us and lets us figure them out for ourselves. You may not always like them, but you'll remember them. I'm a little disappointed this series is finished, but looking forward to more from this author (and maybe even re-reading these books someday - something I hardly ever do). If you haven't yet started this series, you are in for a treat.

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.gr/products/17583620-the-story-of-the-lost-child-a-novel-neapolitan-novels](https://www.desertcart.gr/products/17583620-the-story-of-the-lost-child-a-novel-neapolitan-novels)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Greece*
*Store origin: GR*
*Last updated: 2026-03-12*