Leda恨透了家鄉的吵嚷與粗鄙，在十八歲那年逃離那不勒斯，前往前往她心中文化及高雅品味的象徵—佛羅倫斯念書。
如今的她已屆中年，是佛羅倫斯的大學教師，同為學者的丈夫Gianni多年前便移居多倫多，兩名成年女兒Bianca和Marta不久前也跟隨了父親的腳步。
為家庭、工作兩頭燒，奉獻與奔波多年，如今子女羽翼豐滿，離巢而去，但作為「被留下的人」，Leda並不失落，反而感到解脫，彷彿心頭重擔終於卸下。湧上心頭的輕盈感，讓Leda暗暗羞愧。
帶著微妙的罪惡感與暢快，Leda隻身前往南方海濱小鎮度假。
在海灘上，Leda留意到奇妙的三人組，年輕媽媽Nina，女兒Elena，以及Elena的洋娃娃，這家人粗魯、吵鬧，彷彿Leda曾亟欲擺脫家鄉和過去，再次撲面而來，重擊她的內心深處，懊悔與不甘、離去與留下，以及她自認為已經收拾妥當的、努力遺忘的，那些身為女人、再為人妻、再為人母的所有抉擇時刻，在這般重擊下，傾巢而出。
她對女兒們的愛不容置疑，但沉甸甸的母職枷鎖眼看即將帶著她下沉、下沉，直至溺亡的事實也同樣真實。作者斐蘭德將主角出身及故事背景設定在熟悉的那不勒斯及義大利南方，以一段旁人的小插曲，逼著Leda直面過往，直面她那始終懷抱虧欠的缺席，以及逃離了，卻從未真正享有過的，毫無愧疚的自由。
。作者斐蘭德再次將主角出身及故事背景設定在熟悉的那不勒斯及義大利南方，以一段旁人的小插曲，逼著Leda直面過往，直面她那始終懷抱虧欠的缺席，以及逃離了，卻從未真正享有過的，毫無愧疚的自由。
A NEW EDITION TO TIE IN WITH THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FILM DIRECTED BY MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL,
STARRING OLIVIA COLMAN, DAKOTA JOHNSON AND PAUL MESCAL
From the international bestselling author of MY BRILLIANT FRIEND
Leda is devoted to her work as an English teacher and to her two children. When her daughters leave home to be with their father in Canada, Leda anticipates a period of loneliness and longing. Instead, slightly embarrassed by the sensation, she feels liberated, as if her life has become lighter, easier.
She decides to take a holiday by the sea, in a small coastal town in southern Italy. But after a few days of calm and quiet, things begin to take a menacing turn. Leda encounters a family whose brash presence proves unsettling, at times even threatening. When a small, apparently meaningless, event occurs, Leda is overwhelmed by memories of the difficult and unconventional choices she made as a mother and their consequences for herself and her family. The seemingly serene tale of a woman’s pleasant rediscovery of herself soon becomes the story of a ferocious confrontation with an unsettled past.
The Lost Daughter is a compelling and perceptive meditation on womanhood and motherhood, exploring the conflicting emotions that tie us to our children.
