Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay Summary
Elena Ferrante

Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay Overview

Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay is the third novel in Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan series. It again draws the reader into the changing world of Naples, Italy. The narrator, Elena Greco, leads the reader through her courtship, marriage, and eventual separation, while showing a few glimpses into the life of her enigmatic friend Lila Cerrullo. The plot events deftly deal with themes of feminism, socio-economic struggle, and classism; while also forcing the characters to deal with chaos, and choose between conventional and unconventional lives.