Κλειστές πόρτες

by Costas Montis, Κώστας Μόντης

Στο χρονικό Κλειστές Πόρτες ο Κώστας Μόντης παρουσιάζει μια συγκλονιστική εικόνα του απελευθερωτικού αγώνα της ΕΟΚΑ του 1955 – 59. Μέσα από βασανιστήρια, κρατητήρια, εκτελέσεις και απαγχονισμούς, ξεπροβάλλει ένας απέραντα ηρωικός λαός, που καταφέρνει να αποσείσει τον αγγλικό ζυγό.

153 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

Costas Montis (Κώστας Μόντης) was born on February 18, 1914 in Famagusta, and died on March 1, 2004 in his home in Nicosia, surrounded by his family. He has received numerous honors and awards throughout his life, and his books have been translated into several languages. Costas Montis has received honorary doctorates from both the University of Cyprus and the University of Athens. He has been nominated for the Nobel Prize, and in 2000 he was declared Corresponding Member of the Academy of Athens, the highest honor conferred upon intellectual creators living outside Greece.

Reviews

[Harm · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book about Cyprus during the years 1955 to 1959. In these years Greek Cypriots fought against the English because they tried to pursue a union with Greece. This book is written as a response to Bitter Lemons of Cyprus by Lawrence Durrell. Bitter Lemons was perceived as written totally from an English viewpoint, so it is not surprising that Closed Doors is written from a Greek Cypriotic viewpoint, without room for nuance.
This book does a great job of describing the impact this conflict had on normal citizens and the way the conflict was perceived by the people on Cyprus. Little details, for example about people being trapped in the city because of the curfews or the propaganda of the English, are a joy to read. What annoyed me a bit was that the writer is very present in the story. On almost any page he adds remarks within parentheses, commenting on the story and giving the impression that he is looking back on this period years later. Maybe he choose this literary technique because he is more a poet than a prose writer. I think this book would have been better if he had restrained himself a bit with these comments. In the end the writer gets in the way of the story and that is not a good thing in my opinion!
The Dutch translation has an excellent epilogue describing a lot about the conflict on Cyprus and the different writers that wrote about this period.

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Αλήθεια, πώς δε στήθηκε ακόμα στην πλατεία Μεταξά τ'άγαλμα - όχι από μάρμαρο - της μαθητριούλας με το γυριστό καστορένιο καπελάκι;), ήταν μικροί μαθητές με το στραβό σκουφί (Αλήθεια πώς δε στήθηκε ακόμα στην Τάπια τ'άγαλμα του μικρού μαθητή με το στραβό σκουφί;). Ναι, ναι, όχι στα πόδια (τι σχέση έχουν τα πόδια;), στην καρδιά, γιατί η καρδιά είχε αρματωθή, αυτή η μικρή πελώρια καρδιά, των μικρών πελώριων παιδιών, αυτή ξεμυτισε, αυτή αχρήστεψε τη λογική, αυτή υπέδειξε).

[Alfonso D'agostino · Rating 2 out of 5]

versione illustrata su http://capitolo23.com/2017/01/26/rece...

(Sì, sì, lo so che non si può iniziare una frase con una parentesi. Qui siamo addirittura in presenza di un paragrafo che si apre con una parentesi. Di più: per un motivo che vi sarà chiaro subito dopo il punto a capo, l’intera recensione di Porte chiuse – romanzo del cipriota Kostas Mondis – si svilupperà fra due parentesi tonde. E adesso vi faccio vedere perché:

Notato niente? Sì, sono certo di sì. Le parentesi.

Ieri eravamo a cena e la riccioluta che sta correggendo i compiti in classe qui alla mia destra ha usato una di quelle espressioni che rendono perfettamente il motivo per cui l’ho sposata: “Quell’uomo non mi piace tanto perché è uno che vive con troppi punti esclamativi non necessari”. E poi ha aggiunto (semi-cit.): “La punteggiatura è importante”.

E io sono taaaaaanto d’accordo, anche – forse soprattutto – dopo aver completato la lettura di Porta chiuse. Una lettura che mi è parsa immensamente faticosa non tanto per la trama, che in fondo mi ha persino un po’ intrigato: nella voce giovanile dell’io narrante e nel racconto della lotta contro l’occupazione inglese dell’isola ho intravisto tutta la distanza fra sogno e realtà, fra una generosa spinta idealistica e l’irrealizzabilità di un progetto. Il punto è che gli occhi non sapevano esattamente che cosa fare: si aprono queste parentesi che immagino appaiano geniali a qualcuno ma che, per la mia esperienza di lettore, si sono rivelate un ostacolo quasi insormontabile.)

[Giorgos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Συγκλονιστική εικόνα του απελευθερωτικού αγώνα της ΕΟΚΑ του 1955-1959, που με συναισθηματικά φορτισμένο ύφος τονίζει τη δραματική πλευρά του κυπριακού αγώνα.