A Greek Tragedy: One Day, a Deadly Shipwreck, and the Human Cost of the Refugee Crisis

by Jeanne Carstensen

Five Days at Memorial meets Into the Raging Sea with this harrowing and moving true story of a devastating shipwreck during the biggest refugee crisis since World War II.

On October 28, 2015, a boat meant for a few dozen people capsized off the coast of the Greek Island of Lesvos, spilling hundreds of refugees into the Aegean Sea. The resulting loss of life, the largest amount in a single day during the current refugee crisis, brought this ongoing emergency into sharp, international focus.

Now, after nearly a decade of research and investigation, reporter Jeanne Carstensen effortlessly recounts the twenty-four hours during which the event unfolded, unpacking every complicated inch of this global crisis. Featuring firsthand accounts from the desperate refugees, the smugglers who risked their lives, and the heroic islanders who did their best to help, even as their government and the European Union failed to act, A Greek Tragedy is an unforgettable and necessary testament of our times.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Audiobook, History, Adult

288 pages, Hardcover

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

Jeanne Carstensen is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Policy, and Salon and broadcast nationally on The World. She covered the Syrian refugee crisis in Greece and Turkey and has been awarded grants and fellowships from The Pulitzer Center, Logan Nonfiction Program, and Mesa Refuge, where she was the Peter Barnes Long-Form Journalism fellow. She lives in San Francisco. A Greek Tragedy is her first book.

Reviews

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Large scale disasters can be extremely challenging to write. You often need to introduce numerous characters before you even discuss the disaster itself. Crucially, when the catastrophe does hit, the story needs to move with a frenetic pace to ensure the reader feels the stress, heroism, and heartbreak. Jeanne Carstensen meets all of these challenges seemingly effortlessly in A Greek Tragedy.

Carstensen recounts the October 2015 shipwreck of an overloaded refugee boat trying to reach a small Greek island from Turkey. I remember this story when it happened and the tremendous loss of life which followed. I was hoping that the book would be informative without being dragged down by needless facts that don't affect the story which is a hazard of the genre. Carstensen's introduction of the characters is truly a master class in how to introduce people and make them stand out as individuals without bogging down the overall narrative. Over a dozen people are part of the story and yet I never felt impatient to move along. The author uses these people to tell the wider story of all the refugees and the rescuers who would throw themselves into the water.

Quite simply, A Greek Tragedy is done well in every single aspect you could as for as a reader. It is insightful, informative, heartbreaking, enraging, and hopeful all in one.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Atria Books.)

[Josie Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There’s nothing a man will not do to another, nothing a man will not do for another.” -Anne Michaels

Honestly, this book has left me kind of speechless. In this gut-wrenching true account about a devastating shipwreck carrying over 300 refugees seeking asylum from the Middle East to the EU, Carstensen dives deep into the tragic stories of the immigrants, along with the aid offered to them by Greek locals, volunteer organizations, fishermen, lifeguards, nurses and doctors, etc. I’m in awe of everything these individuals did to help the refugees when their governments refused to step in, and for nothing in return. It reminds me that sometimes people can just be good. While this account shows huge displays of resilience, by refugees and aid volunteers alike, they can’t hide the suffering that has been caused by our broken asylum system and this is more relevant now than ever. Carstensen speaks at length about the humanitarian cost of the refugee crisis, using both prose and dogged reporting skills, and urges us not to look away, but to run towards the crisis and see where we can make change. Crying x100000 over this book and I’ll be thinking about it for the next 30 years.

[gianna derosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was in the fiction section of my library, it wasn’t fiction and now i’m on the brink of tears

[jo w. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminded me of the quote “one death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic” to truly highlight and hit home the peak of the migrant crisis. Warning: this is NOT a light read.

[Jessica Raya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confession: I didn't know much about the refugee crisis beyond the headlines we've all seen, and I'm not a big non-fiction reader either. So this book surprised me in so many wonderful ways. For one thing, Carstensen is a journalist who's covered the crisis for years, but you'd think she was a novelist. Her prose belongs in a page-turning thriller, and the way she's told the story—using a single deadly shipwreck to bring you inside the complexity of the crisis as a whole—is absolutely brilliant. The result is an engaging, illuminating, and absolutely heartbreaking tale. I may have devoured it quickly, but it will haunt me for a long time to come.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

About a third of the way through this powerful book, I started only reading when I was on my way home or already there, because I kept crying while listening and was showing up places with red rimmed eyes. “A Greek Tragedy” follows the story of a handful of refugees attempting to seek asylum in Europe on one specific day in October of 2015. Journalist Jeanne Carstensen makes great use of the telescope effect to shrink the mass scale of the tragedy down to individual stories: a young child searching for her parents; a man floating in the water with his son desperately searching for his wife and other child; an artist who only wants to reunite with her husband; a disabled psychologist whose injuries and size make him particularly difficult to rescue. By highlighting the forces that drive refugees from their homes and the dangerous choices they must make, Carstensen brings the inhumanely slow and racist asylum and immigration policies into sharp relief. The governmental and EU inaction is in contrast to the incredible humanitarian and civilian aid networks who help people navigate the system and fill the massive gaps in support so desperately needed, even when they can do so little to mitigate the tragic circumstances. Reading "A Greek Tragedy" now, as ICE kidnappings grow more violent here in the U.S. and anti-immigrant fervor continues to grip Europe, the specter of how quickly you too could become a refugee looms over the entire narrative. After all, as a Greek friend of the author says at one point: "you cannot stop water or people". Highly recommended.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend who is a partner of Atria Books passed along A Greek Tragedy to me, and I’m so glad she did because I’m not sure I would have picked it up or even heard about it otherwise. This nonfiction account of the October 2015 shipwreck of hundreds of refugees in the Aegean Sea read like a thriller, but all too devastatingly real. Author Jeanne Carstensen sets the stage by introducing us to the refugees and tells us the stories of why they made the choice to risk literally everything for the journey to Europe, as well as the Greek-based volunteers and NGO workers who would work to save everyone they could. She then brings us to the day, the terror and exhaustion palpable, and the immediate aftermath for those who survived.

It is a VERY difficult read, so much death and pain, but in an accessible style that doesn’t exploit the tragedy. (I recently DNF’d a nonfiction book that was very sensationalized so this writing style has been front of mind.) I also very much appreciated the inclusion of a character list at the front, because that was probably the hardest part of following along with the story. We hear about these kinds of events on the news but it is hard to understand the humanity of them, and this book helps to accomplish that.

I recommend A Greek Tragedy to nonfiction readers, those interested in learning more about the issue of refugees, or for anyone looking for an example of how real events can be written both compellingly and respectfully.

[Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeanne Carstensen's book, A Greek Tragedy, explores the international refugee crisis through a singular shipwreck that happened between Turkey and the Greek island of Lesvos on Oct. 28, 2015. Carstensen does this beautifully, in a novel-like format, by recounting in great detail four people who were on the ship - Okba, a 450 pound Syrian, Hedayat, an Afghan bank executive who boards this ship with his two sons and wife, who is 9 months pregnant; Rewana, a 13 year old girl, and Amel, who is trying to get to Germany to reunite with her husband. Carstensen describes their lives in Syria and Afghanistan, why they had to flee, their journey with smugglers to the boat, the terrible shipwreck, their time in the frigid waters, and what happened afterward. She also writes about the people of Lesvos, who saw their island turn into a place where 100,000 refugees landed in 2015. Many helped; others turned away. Carstensen spent 10 years reporting on the refugee crisis, and it shows in this incredible, heartbreaking nonfiction tale. I read this in two days. I couldn't put it down.

[Mike Heenan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book takes the reader through the modern refugee crisis taking place in Europe, specifically a horrible shipwreck that occurred in 2015 off the coast of Greece. The author does a fantastic job painting the full scene by focusing on a handful of passengers that survived the wreck and were willing to talk about their experiences. Rescuers, volunteers, doctors and all others involved were also included in the story to really give layers to the story.

I read this book very quickly - although I could have simply searched the internet to get details on the story, I much preferred reading the story through the author's point of view. There was no sugar coating of the underlying issue that still has no viable solution. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to get a better understanding of the challenges and risks that refugees face.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This excellent book shows author Carstensen's skill both as a reporter and as an engaging writer. She took on the daunting task of trying to locate, interview, and write about the survivors of the tragic 2015 shipwreck in the waters of the Aegean between Turkey and Greece, where hundreds were crammed onto a boat by smugglers. She also interviewed rescuers -- both formal and informal -- and people who lived on Lesvos, many of whom rushed to rescue people in the water (often at great risk to themselves) and others who helped with clothing, shelter, food and medical care. Some who did not.
I was amazed at her tenacity and reporting. I was moved to tears time and again by her compassionate (but not sentimentalized) portrayal of the many kinds of people involved -- refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and more; fishermen, nurses, restaurant owners, humanitarian workers. I learned more about this tragedy than from all the news articles. It reminds me of Luis Urrea's Devil's Highway. Highly recommend.

[Gail Karvonen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Greek Tragedy grips you from the beginning pages carefully recounting the stories of people who were brought together on one fateful day in October 2015 as a boat loaded with refugees sank in the Aegean Sea. The countless interviews and research that form the framework of the book are woven together bringing the reader into the hearts and minds of those involved. The back story of how this mass migration occurred and continues to occur is told with clarity and depth in a voice that asks us not to turn away. It's a remarkable book that reminds us of the human cost of our policies and borders and makes us all players in this Greek tragedy.

[Alison Owings · Rating 5 out of 5]

With intrepid reporting, the author managed to interview so many different people involved in the huge and horrible 2015 shipwreck between Greece and Turkey -- from survivors to rescuers, and more. Among the compelling aspects of this work to me was how middle income (like a banker and his family) many refugees were, and how they were escaping not poverty but corruption and threats -- yet could find no way out except by paying often hideous sums to often hideous smugglers, who seemed not to care at all about who would drown, or not. But readers, they will care.

[Thindbooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF: I really tried to read this book, and around page 50, I just lost complete interest. The summary sounded truly amazing and made me interested to learn more about this true story. However, there were too many perspectives and characters that made it hard to keep track. I’m sure this book is amazing for so many people but for me, it was just hard to concentrate and figure out what it truly happening.

*this arc was sent to me for free by the publisher to give an honest review*

[Scott James · Rating 5 out of 5]

An edge-of-your-seat true story that reads like a novel. The immigration and refuge crisis is in the headlines every day, and is the root cause of so much of the world's crisis. By seeing this through the eyes of those living this tragedy, I now have a clearer understanding. Powerful storytelling that’s both compelling and inspiring. I could not put it down.

[Donna Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent insight on migrant crisis. Well written and very moving. Shows clearly how absolutely no government is equipped to deal with a humanitarian crisis if any magnitude.

We are on our own except for each other and will have to rise to any occasion.
If there’s a crisis stay home and kiss your ass goodbye in familiar surroundings.

[Jane Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this review was written as meticulously and with as much heart as the author wrote, you wouldn’t put it down. She has done exhaustive research and spoken to hundreds of people,many of whom had experienced unspeakable tragedy.
She brings it all to life with her clarity of writing.
The book brings up feelings and impressions that I will never forget.
I wish everyone would read this book.

[Tina Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A modern-day Odyssey. Jeanne Carstensen has taken a single tragic day in the Syrian refugee crisis and given us an in-depth understanding of what it means to survive conflict. Gripping and beautifully written, this book is a testament to humanity.

[Carol S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t get the stories in this book about a 2015 refugee shipwreck out of my mind. The author brought me close to the lives of everyone from refugees on the boat to the Greek locals to the young rescuers. I was surprised that with such an intense topic I couldn’t put it down.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeanne Carstensen thoughtfully pieces together the harrowing journeys of four displaced people caught up in the global migration crisis. In this tender and unsettling book, she explores both the worst and best of humanity.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking! Such a tragedy when people have to flee their countries. This book is also a book of heroes, local heroes stepping out and helping thousands of people in small island in Greece. This book shows the best of humanity.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve been thinking to yourself, gosh I’m really ready to read something that will crush my soul and shatter my heart into smithereens, this is the book for you 😢

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read to learn about how immigration policy can take or save lives. It is my firm belief that your ideas about immigrants and what they deserve is a true picture of your soul.

[Zora O'Neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devastating and important document of an event that is unfortunately still relevant.

[Dianne Linderoth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting true life story of the tragedy faces by immigrants fleeing war & persecution with actual people’s experiences. Really captivating.

[Lynne Alison McInnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plight of the world's refugees is harrowing but you can start helping the situation by reading A Greek Tragedy; awareness is the first step. While the title warns of heartbreak, it is equally a story of resilience and empathy. I mention just two of the many vivid characters. Okba, a refugee barely pulled from the waves who loves this stanza from the Syrian poet Qabbani:
I return to Damascus
Riding on the backs of clouds
Riding the two most beautiful horses in the world
The horse of passion, The horse of poetry
Then there is Father Cristoforos, a California born priest who came to Lesvos when he was 21 bringing with him a copy of Christ Recrucified - a novel with the message "There's one priest that doesn't give a shit about anything other than what he is going to eat next and the other one who is poor and barefoot and fighting for his his village, his flock". Father Cristoforos would choose to be a 'priest of love' rather than a 'priest of power'.
This is an important and timely book, never more so - meanwhile, in the background off the shores of Lesvos the severed head of Orpheus sings on and readers, we can no longer turn away.

[Susanne Pari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten years ago, Jeanne Carstensen witnessed a horrific shipwreck in the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece. So haunted was she by the experience that she spent the next seven years tracking the lives of all those who watched and saved, who suffered and survived, who turned their backs or stood in the way. This is how people behave in an emergency. It's a story that could happen anywhere, in any sea, to people of any nationality. At its core is this truth: 'Any of us could find ourselves having to flee our homes.' No one is immune. What would we do?