One Cretan Evening and Other Stories

by Victoria Hislop

Five short stories by the million-copy bestselling author of The Island and The Return, collected for the first time in one edition. Set in Greece and in England, One Cretan Evening, The Pine Tree, By the Fire, The Warmest Christmas Ever and Aflame in Athens are five unmissable stories told in Victoria's unique voice. This ebook includes the opening of The Thread, Victoria's new novel: a powerful tale of love and loyalty set in the vibrant city of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Greece, Historical Fiction, Ebooks

62 pages, ebook

First published September 15, 2011

About the author

Victoria Hislop read English at Oxford, and worked in publishing, PR and as a journalist before becoming a novelist. She is married with two children.

Her first novel, The Island, held the number one slot in the Sunday Times paperback charts for eight consecutive weeks and has sold over two million copies worldwide. Victoria was the Newcomer of the Year at the Galaxy British Book Awards 2007 and won the Richard & Judy Summer Read competition.

Her second novel, The Return, was also a Sunday Times number one bestseller, and her books have been translated into more than twenty languages. A short story collection, One Cretan Evening, was published in September and both a third novel, The Thread is published in English in October and in Greek in November 2011.

Reviews

[Carlene Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet, love anything by Victoria Hislop

[Alicia Moore · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 out of 5 because there is only 1 story in this novel, "The Warmest Christmas Ever" that was different to the stories in "The Last Dance". I don't understand why Hislop has two collection of short stories and there is only 1 story that is different...why? It's a waste of money, and I feel cheated to be honest. I certainly wouldn't have paid what I did if I knew there was only one story out of five that I'd not read. Absolutely pointless. The story that was new was okay, but the focus on dead animal corpses was rather repulsive. Nothing special. A real letdown. Plus, there's such a huge section of this book devoted to a preview of "The Thread " (a book I've already read), which I think is a bit of a cheek. Disappointing.

[Rajul · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always a joy to read anything written by Victoria Hislop.

One Cretan Evening and other stories is a collection of 5 short stories (only 5 because half of the book contains the opening chapters of The Thread, another novel by @vichislop)

The stories have a Christmas theme running (well almost)

One Cretan Evening - The villagers learn about their dead neighbour too late

The Pine Tree - A young woman looking for acceptance

By The Fire - A young couple dealing with a loss of their baby

The Warmest Christmas Ever - When plans go awry

Aflame in Athens - Student protests

Poignant at times, enjoyable nonetheless!

[Alistair Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like to read books set in Greece when I’m in Greece, and Victoria Hislop can usually provide. I found this one for 99p on Kindle, and thought I couldn’t go far wrong.

It is a set of short stories. Some of them are well self-contained, but with some I got the feeling that she started out on a novel, but then ran out of steam.

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few great short stories

I really enjoyed these wonderful short stories, they took me away to a place far away. Unfortunately, they finished too soon there are only five, but they are still fabulous.

[Ajla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful short stories! Beautiful and heartwarming.

[allison graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant

Short stories that make you want more. Another brilliant book by Victoria Hislop. Can't wait to read the next book.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria Hislop has a great way of telling powerful heartwarming stories and this collection was no exception.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not like this series of stories at all. I found them too boring even though Hislop is an author whose books always intrigue and satisfy me.

[Ranjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are very well written and delightful short stories...especially the Greek and Cyprus set ones.

[Miss Mary C Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but sweet

Each short story was better than the one before. All conveyed the atmosphere brilliantly and kept me reading just one more.

[Nicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm more of a novel fan. These short stories were too few to really enjoy. OK if she want something short to read.

[Klara Sjo]

Five very short vignettes (rather than short stories). Rather lacklustre.

[Lotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Veldig kort novellesamling, noen fra Hellas, andre ikke. Trodde den skulle være enda mer "gresk" i feelingen.

[mrs t a barratt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Several short stories. Prefer one story with more substance

[Fran Walker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Painfully awful, no substance to the stories and full of cliches. A shame as I like a lot of her novels.

[Agurkis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't usually like short stories, but these were simply way too boring with one dimensional characters (with few exceptions). I love Victoria Hislop's novels because of her characters and her style of writing which puts you right in the story, but these short stories seemed rather lazy with obvious endings. I have read The Thread, so I obviously skipped half the book which only consisted of a preview of said novel

[Rachel Quinlan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five wonderful short stories, each one leaving you challenged and wanting to know more with a sense that several could have been developed further. Disappointed that 40% of the book was a preview to The Thread, as I've already read that.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just an excuse to charge for an extended taster of "The Thread" really - short stories very so-so, mainly on Christmas themes...

[Jeanna Suckling · Rating 4 out of 5]

read it within a couple of hours, loved it

[Sia · Rating 1 out of 5]

.......a whole lot of nothing! Oh, and advertisement!

[Ipek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Victoria Hislop's novels and especially her recent one, The Thread. however I did not enjoy these short stories as much - maybe different editor?

[Vilde · Rating 2 out of 5]

One Cretan Evening and Other Stories is a downfall for Hislop. I felt that these short stories were simply written and put together so they could publish an excerpt from The Thread.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ok read. Think Victoria Hislop has wrote better work than these short stories.

[Kirstie Mumford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was left wanting more of the stories. This frustrates me.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few alright short stories but around half of it is a preview chapter of another book so don't pay more than a few pennies for this.

[Andrew Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

Enjoyable. Have read all of Victoria Hislop's books. Like her style of writing.good insight into Greek way of life. Recommended.

[anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

A great holiday Read, especially if you're travelling in Greece. Very short outtakes from other books to give you a taste.

[Christopher J Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great short stories. My only problem is I don't want them to end