The Days of AbandonmentThe Days of Abandonment
Score Modern
What it's about
Olga's husband of fifteen years announces over lunch that he's leaving her, and walks out. Alone in their apartment in Turin with two children and a dog, Olga falls apart: she stops sleeping, rages, neglects the children, and in one terrifying day, locked in her apartment, she nearly loses her mind.
Why it's worth reading
The New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. Elena Ferrante, author of My Brilliant Friend, writes about female rage like no one else.
You'll love it if you liked
My Brilliant Friend
Play It as It Lays
The VegetarianGood to know
It's short and intense, with frank sexual language and a dog's poisoning.
By the numbers
- Readers18 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller20 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #241 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #1122 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2066 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Elena Ferrante
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Purple Hibiscus
Bel Canto
Possession
The God of Small Things
The Hours
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Quick answers
Is The Days of Abandonment worth reading?
Yes. The New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It ranks #2,066 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 63.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Days of Abandonment about?
Olga's husband of fifteen years announces over lunch that he's leaving her, and walks out. Alone in their apartment in Turin with two children and a dog, Olga falls apart: she stops sleeping, rages, neglects the children, and in one terrifying day, locked in her apartment, she nearly loses her mind.
How long does it take to read The Days of Abandonment?
About 5 hours (188 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Days of Abandonment?
If you liked it, try My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion or The Vegetarian by Han Kang.