‘The Lying Life of Adults’ Ending Explained: Does Giovanna Find True Love?

Welcome to the Ending Explained for The Lying Life of Adults, a new Italian Netflix TV series based on the novel of the same name written by Elena Ferrante. The series tells the story of a young girl named Giovanna as she is trying to find her own path in life. Her newly established relationship with her long-lost aunt gives her a new perspective on life, and things will never be the same. The Lying Life of Adults goes for a classic coming-of-age story feel where the plot is secondary to the character exploration, and the things that make you feel when you see them.

The series is beautifully shot and makes you want to go to cities like Naples and Milan. It really shows the beauty of the Italian culture as well as the things that are not as pretty but are fundamental parts of living in that country. The series focuses very much on the mundane and the daily things that might be seen as non-important, but that, in reality, matter much more than anyone could imagine. Those members of the audience looking for something more plot-driven better look somewhere else. But for those open to a character study, this is a must-see show.

The following paragraphs contain spoilers for The Lying Life of Adults. Read at your own risk.

Why Is Vittoria Angry With Giovanna’s Father?

The centers on the characters of Giovanna. She is a fifteen-year-old girl living in Naples with her parents. Her father is a proud man; he is considered to be very smart by others. Her mother, on the other hand, is a timider person. Giovanna is a mix of the two, she is quite like her mother and loves to read books, but every once in a while she transforms into her father and manages to be quite argumentative and good with words. The family is friends with another couple, and the daughters of that couple; Angela and Ida, are like sisters to Giovanna.

However, that is not where the family ends. Giovanna’s aunt, Vittoria, is her father’s sister. She has a very bad reputation, and her father seems to hate her. However, this only ignites Giovanna’s curiosity to meet her. When they do, Giovanna discovers that Vittoria is a woman full of energy, but she is rude and as proud and stubborn as his brother. Vittoria takes on the responsibility of teaching Giovanna how to live, and Giovanna begins to hear contradictory tales about why the two siblings don’t talk to each other anymore.

Apparently, Vittoria was in love with a man named Enzo. Enzo was a policeman, and at some point, he wished to buy Andre’s and Vittoria’s house and give it to her. Andre didn’t like that, and, knowing that the two were having an affair, he went to Enzo’s wife, Margherita, and told her about it. Vittoria sees Andre’s actions as a betrayal. Meanwhile, Andre sees them as if he’s trying to protect her sister from a man who had bad intentions. Either way, Vittoria is still in love with Enzo and has never fallen in love with anyone else.

In an unexpected turn of events, after Enzo died, Vittoria only became closer to Margherita and Enzo’s kids, which she considered her kids as well. The kids; Corrano, Tonino, and Giuliana, seem like good people, and Giovanna starts a fast friendship with them. At first, Giovanna thinks she likes Tonino, but when she introduces him to Angela, the two begin to date. Giovanna is not angry about it; she hasn’t really found someone she likes. Ida on the other hand keeps observing every situation and uses them to write her novels.

Does Giovanna Find True Love?

Things become even more complicated when Giovanna finds out that her mother is being unfaithful to her father. When the revelation hits, the case was the opposite. It was his father, Andre, the one who was being unfaithful to Angela’s and Ida’s mother. Giovanna begins to understand that love isn’t forever and that her father made the choice to be happy with the person she wanted, while her mother just stayed quiet, and let things run their course. It is a hard reality to face, but she also understands that they love her no matter what.

Tonino and Angela’s relationship begins to fall apart when Tonino doesn’t take the initiative to have sex with Angela. Giovanna also meets Roberto, Giuliana’s boyfriend, and for the first time, she experiences sexual desire for someone. Vittoria exposes Giovanna’s desire, but Giuliana decides to maintain her friendship with Giovanna and even takes her to Milan, where she will meet Roberto. Roberto was struck by Giovanna’s knowledge and her use of words. The trip goes well for both of them, and Giovanna celebrates her 16th birthday in Milan.

Across the show, there is the presence of a bracelet that has been exchanged among the hands of multiple people. The bracelet used to be owned by Marguerita’s mother, then Vittoria’s mother, then Vittoria, who gave it to Giuliana. Giualina leaves the bracelet in Milan, and she is scared that Vittoria will get mad. Giovanna decides to go back to Milan alone to look for it, and also be alone with Roberto. However, when Roberto proposes that they should sleep together, Giovanna rejects it. It feels bad to her that he just erased Giuliana from his mind, and that he was just so willing to betray her trust.

When Giovanna goes back to Naples, she finds that Vittoria is moving, as he found a new job thanks to Andre. Vittoria gives the bracelet to Giovanna, saying that it always belonged to her. Giovanna then decides to lose her virginity, and after that, she meets with Ida, who has also decided to leave home. She wants to be a writer and nothing else. The story ends with Giovanna and Ida boarding a bus to an unknown location, choosing to live their lives in their own way.