Fiica ascunsă

Leda teaches English literature. She and her husband divorced long ago. Her grown daughters move to Canada to join their father. Alone for the first time, she expects to feel lonely and empty. Instead, she feels free in ways she had not imagined. She takes a short break in a village in southern Italy. There, she meets a noisy family who upset her. This forces her to look at herself and face her past.

Elena Ferrante’s novel looks at life as a mother and woman. It also asks what comes after raising children. This is literary fiction for readers drawn to inner struggles and family ties. It deals with private thoughts and feelings, hope and regret.

Cerasela Barbone translated the Italian original, La figlia oscura, into Romanian. This edition forms part of the Anansi collection. Its cover ties in with the film of the book. Maggie Gyllenhaal directed the film in 2021. Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, and Dakota Johnson are among its stars. The film earned three Oscar nominations. It also won several other awards.