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The Island #1
Остров
«Ее длинные темные волосы развевались на ветру, а походка была уставшей. Лодка качалась в прохладных волнах, осталось лишь опуститься в нее. И всё — в прежнюю жизнь больше не будет возврата.»
Героиня романа Алекс Филдинг хочет побольше узнать о прошлом своей матери, но та тщательно скрывает его: известно лишь, что она выросла в маленьком городке на острове Крит и в юности перебралась в Лондон.
Во время путешествия по Криту Алекс приезжает в селение Плака, где до сих пор живет подруга родственницы ее матери. Деревушка ничем не примечательна. Одно из многочисленных поселений, затерявшихся на греческих землях. Горы, синь моря, а сквозь эту синь виден небольшой остроk
Героиня романа Алекс Филдинг хочет побольше узнать о прошлом своей матери, но та тщательно скрывает его: известно лишь, что она выросла в маленьком городке на острове Крит и в юности перебралась в Лондон.
Во время путешествия по Криту Алекс приезжает в селение Плака, где до сих пор живет подруга родственницы ее матери. Деревушка ничем не примечательна. Одно из многочисленных поселений, затерявшихся на греческих землях. Горы, синь моря, а сквозь эту синь виден небольшой остроk
496 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2005
3507 people are currently reading
28240 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Hislop
65 books2,114 followersVictoria 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,236 reviews
November 8, 2007
The story line of this book is pretty good... but it is the most poorly written book I've read in awhile. She explains things - emotions, plot lines - to a level where she's beating you over the head with it and every sentence has about three adjectives too many. You'll want to finish it to find out what happens, but her writing style will drive you nuts while you do.
August 5, 2018
As a novel, The Island has come in for a fair amount of criticism, that I for one strongly disagree with. I loved it! The author captured the warmth, charm and passion of the Cretans and of the Island of Crete, and poignantly described the heartbreaking situation of a time and place that still haunts to this day.
You simply must read this heartrending, brilliantly descriptive and meticulously researched piece of work, whether you are able to visit the island or not. If you do read the book, then you will surely be drawn to this intriguing and mystical place.
You simply must read this heartrending, brilliantly descriptive and meticulously researched piece of work, whether you are able to visit the island or not. If you do read the book, then you will surely be drawn to this intriguing and mystical place.
July 5, 2007
I had great hopes that this would be a good book.
But life can be disappointing at times. This was one of the worst written books I have read in a long time. Chunks of unnecessarty exposition, character motivations eplained to the nth degree, dialogue avoided like...well, like it was leprosy.
If you like your characters spoon fed to you, and every meaningful scene ducked (I mean, why didn't we get to see the last evening she and her husband had together? What exactly did they say?), well, this is the book for you.
The thought that people believe this is good writing makes me shudder. There was the same sort of hype about Captain Corelli, but at least De Bernieres knows how to write.
But life can be disappointing at times. This was one of the worst written books I have read in a long time. Chunks of unnecessarty exposition, character motivations eplained to the nth degree, dialogue avoided like...well, like it was leprosy.
If you like your characters spoon fed to you, and every meaningful scene ducked (I mean, why didn't we get to see the last evening she and her husband had together? What exactly did they say?), well, this is the book for you.
The thought that people believe this is good writing makes me shudder. There was the same sort of hype about Captain Corelli, but at least De Bernieres knows how to write.
March 27, 2010
"You must pay the rent!" the evil villain roared, twirling his diabolical mustache. He was her landlord, and he was an impatient man.
"But I can't pay the rent!" swooned the beautiful, hapless heroine. She was his tenant. Her breathtaking beauty was matched only by her saintliness. She was always being taken advantage of by the wicked people around her, yet she was committed to remaining good.
"You must pay the rent!"
"But I can't pay the rent!"
"I'll pay the rent!" shouted the mysterious stranger. He was known for rescuing damsels in distress. Everyone in the little town respected him, because he was special. He immediately felt passionate toward the heroine, although they'd never met.
"My hero," swooned the heroine.
If this is your idea of a well-written story then you may very well like this book, which read more or less this way for 474 pages. "The Island" opens with Alexis, taking a trip to Crete with her boyfriend of five years. Ed, the boyfriend, comes across as a total jerk; for some reason, though, Alexis has remained in the relationship and is undecided about whether to end it. Before her vacation, Alexis is instructed by her mother, Sofia, to deliver a letter to Sofia's old friend Fotini whom Alexis conveniently bumps into. The letter instructs Fotini to reveal the details of Sofia's past to Alexis, something Sofia has found impossible to do.
Fotini's narrative then begins with Eleni, Alexis's great-grandmother, exiled to the island of Spinalonga when she is found to be leprous.
After some time spent at the leper colony Eleni dies, and we read about Eleni's two daughters -- Anna, headstrong, impulsive, selfish, and beautiful, and Maria, dutiful and saintly. Anna rejects her family, marries a rich man whom she doesn't love, has an affair with his first cousin (who conveniently resembles him), and gives birth to a daughter, Sofia. Maria, the good daughter, devotedly cares for their aging father until she, too, is found leprous and is exiled to Spinalonga. Maria is cured, though, and returns to her hometown. Alas, Anna's husband discovers Anna's affair and kills her, and Maria, who has now found true love, feels she must sacrifice herself to care for their father. But it all works out in the end -- Maria's beloved moves to her hometown to marry her, and they adopt Sofia. At eighteen, Sofia has a freak attack when she learns the story of her origins and leaves Crete for England, marrying and giving birth to Alexis.
I think what really killed this book for me, more than the clicheed plot twists and cardboard characters, was the writing style. Hislop continually felt a need to point out the obvious, used far too much exposition and far too little dialogue, and seemed to embrace a "tell don't show" writing policy. The unusual idea of writing about a leper colony was the book's one redeeming feature in my opinion, but if that appeals to you, read Moloka'i instead -- it wasn't amazing, but it was way better than 474 pages of "You must pay the rent!"
"But I can't pay the rent!" swooned the beautiful, hapless heroine. She was his tenant. Her breathtaking beauty was matched only by her saintliness. She was always being taken advantage of by the wicked people around her, yet she was committed to remaining good.
"You must pay the rent!"
"But I can't pay the rent!"
"I'll pay the rent!" shouted the mysterious stranger. He was known for rescuing damsels in distress. Everyone in the little town respected him, because he was special. He immediately felt passionate toward the heroine, although they'd never met.
"My hero," swooned the heroine.
If this is your idea of a well-written story then you may very well like this book, which read more or less this way for 474 pages. "The Island" opens with Alexis, taking a trip to Crete with her boyfriend of five years. Ed, the boyfriend, comes across as a total jerk; for some reason, though, Alexis has remained in the relationship and is undecided about whether to end it. Before her vacation, Alexis is instructed by her mother, Sofia, to deliver a letter to Sofia's old friend Fotini whom Alexis conveniently bumps into. The letter instructs Fotini to reveal the details of Sofia's past to Alexis, something Sofia has found impossible to do.
Fotini's narrative then begins with Eleni, Alexis's great-grandmother, exiled to the island of Spinalonga when she is found to be leprous.
After some time spent at the leper colony Eleni dies, and we read about Eleni's two daughters -- Anna, headstrong, impulsive, selfish, and beautiful, and Maria, dutiful and saintly. Anna rejects her family, marries a rich man whom she doesn't love, has an affair with his first cousin (who conveniently resembles him), and gives birth to a daughter, Sofia. Maria, the good daughter, devotedly cares for their aging father until she, too, is found leprous and is exiled to Spinalonga. Maria is cured, though, and returns to her hometown. Alas, Anna's husband discovers Anna's affair and kills her, and Maria, who has now found true love, feels she must sacrifice herself to care for their father. But it all works out in the end -- Maria's beloved moves to her hometown to marry her, and they adopt Sofia. At eighteen, Sofia has a freak attack when she learns the story of her origins and leaves Crete for England, marrying and giving birth to Alexis.
I think what really killed this book for me, more than the clicheed plot twists and cardboard characters, was the writing style. Hislop continually felt a need to point out the obvious, used far too much exposition and far too little dialogue, and seemed to embrace a "tell don't show" writing policy. The unusual idea of writing about a leper colony was the book's one redeeming feature in my opinion, but if that appeals to you, read Moloka'i instead -- it wasn't amazing, but it was way better than 474 pages of "You must pay the rent!"
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2013
Još jedna od meni dražih uredničkih kupovina... Nesvakidašnja knjiga, tema o kojoj ranije ništa nismo znali, a sada zahvaljujući ovoj knjizi i seriji koja je prikazivana prošle godine i mi nešto više znamo o tom periodu iz grčke istorije...
Nažalost, u Srbiji knjiga nije odmah "zaživela" zbog neadekvatnih korica (koje nisu bile moj izbor, promenjene su za drugo izdanje), dok je u Hrvatskoj odmah postala hit... Ono što je meni kao uredniku uvek najdraže jeste to da je priča o njoj kružila od usta do usta i da je zaživela na usmenu preporuku...
Bila je ljuta borba da ne kažem "tuča" između tri izdavača oko ove knjige... :)
Po objavljivanju knjige Viktorija i ja smo se upoznale i sprijateljile... Ona je jedna divna i topla osoba i već godinama radim na tome da je dovedem u Srbiju da je i naši čitaoci upoznaju... I verujem da ću u tome uspeti (i sama Viktorija je svesna koliko sam energična i uporna)... Moram još nešto da kažem za Viktoriju... Tokom godina upoznala sam mnoge pisce (i velike i male), i često posle tog uživo upoznavanja više ne razmenite s autorom nijednu reč... A Viktorija je i tu posebna... Kad smo se vratile sa Frankfurtskog sajma knjiga i Ivana Kuzmanović (koja je zajedno sa mnom upoznala Viktoriju) i ja dobile smo od Viktorije imejl u kome izražava zadovoljstvo što nas je upoznala...
Evo vam i vest iz prve ruke... Upravo mi je stigao tekst njene nove knjige "Nit", na poslednje uredničko čitanje... I bože zdravlja ide sledeće nedelje u štampu...
Viktorijin novi izdavač u Srbiji je Čarobna knjiga... pratite njihov sajt da vidite kada će knjiga tačno izaći iz štampe...
A ja se narednih dana "skidam" s pisanja prikaza da bismo ispoštovali rokove :)
Nažalost, u Srbiji knjiga nije odmah "zaživela" zbog neadekvatnih korica (koje nisu bile moj izbor, promenjene su za drugo izdanje), dok je u Hrvatskoj odmah postala hit... Ono što je meni kao uredniku uvek najdraže jeste to da je priča o njoj kružila od usta do usta i da je zaživela na usmenu preporuku...
Bila je ljuta borba da ne kažem "tuča" između tri izdavača oko ove knjige... :)
Po objavljivanju knjige Viktorija i ja smo se upoznale i sprijateljile... Ona je jedna divna i topla osoba i već godinama radim na tome da je dovedem u Srbiju da je i naši čitaoci upoznaju... I verujem da ću u tome uspeti (i sama Viktorija je svesna koliko sam energična i uporna)... Moram još nešto da kažem za Viktoriju... Tokom godina upoznala sam mnoge pisce (i velike i male), i često posle tog uživo upoznavanja više ne razmenite s autorom nijednu reč... A Viktorija je i tu posebna... Kad smo se vratile sa Frankfurtskog sajma knjiga i Ivana Kuzmanović (koja je zajedno sa mnom upoznala Viktoriju) i ja dobile smo od Viktorije imejl u kome izražava zadovoljstvo što nas je upoznala...
Evo vam i vest iz prve ruke... Upravo mi je stigao tekst njene nove knjige "Nit", na poslednje uredničko čitanje... I bože zdravlja ide sledeće nedelje u štampu...
Viktorijin novi izdavač u Srbiji je Čarobna knjiga... pratite njihov sajt da vidite kada će knjiga tačno izaći iz štampe...
A ja se narednih dana "skidam" s pisanja prikaza da bismo ispoštovali rokove :)
June 10, 2019
Το «Νησί» ήταν ένα βιβλίο που κοσμούσε τη βιβλιοθήκη της μητέρας μου. Επί χρόνια, όποτε περνούσα από μπροστά του, ένα συναίσθημα αδιαφορίας με συνέπαιρνε. Είχα ακούσει πως η αντίστοιχη τηλεοπτική σειρά του Mega ήταν μία ποιοτική παραγωγή, αλλά το βιβλίο ποτέ δε μου «γέμιζε» το μάτι. Ένα Σάββατο που είχα επισκεφθεί τη μητέρα μου, είπα να το δανειστώ, πιο πολύ για την ανάγνωση των ιστορικών γεγονότων της περιόδου. Αυτό που τελικά διάβασα απείχε παρασάγγας από αυτά που πίστευα. Ένα βιβλίο που κράτησε στο παρασκήνιο τη νόσο και παρουσίασε μία υπέροχη ιστορία μίας οικογένειας που χτυπήθηκε από πολλά βάσανα, αλλά πάντα άντεχε, πενθούσε σιωπηλά και ήλπιζε για το καλύτερο. Χαρακτήρες καλογραμμένοι, δυνατά συναισθήματα, ακριβείς ιστορικές αναφορές για το νησί της Σπιναλόγκας, και άριστη παρουσίαση των παραδόσεων και των εθίμων της Κρήτης.
Καμιά φορά πρέπει να αφήνουμε στην άκρη τον εγωισμό μας και να δίνουμε ευκαιρίες σε βιβλία που θεωρούμε ακατάλληλα για τα γούστα μας. Το «Νησί» ήταν άλλη μία επιβεβαίωση του λάθους μου...!
Καμιά φορά πρέπει να αφήνουμε στην άκρη τον εγωισμό μας και να δίνουμε ευκαιρίες σε βιβλία που θεωρούμε ακατάλληλα για τα γούστα μας. Το «Νησί» ήταν άλλη μία επιβεβαίωση του λάθους μου...!
October 14, 2012
I have mixed feelings about this book.
The primary subject matter of the book was well researched and very interesting and original - that of the fate of Leprosy sufferers in pre-war and wartime Greece. I found this aspect of the book very interesting, the experimental treatments, the descriptions of how they organised their lives on the island and set up a democracy, the emotions surrounding being forcibly taken away from your families and made to live in isolation. I didn't know a lot about leprosy before reading this book, to me it is a biblical illness which is slightly distasteful and I didn't realise that patients sometimes lived in these isolated communities for years before the disfigurement and death happened. I also liked reading about the undercurrents of class prejudice in the face of this. I quite liked the character of Maria, even though she was quite a passive character and I usually prefer more sparky female protagonists, she was characterised quite well.
What I did not enjoy was the fact that I felt the author was trying to be a woman of all trades and ended up being a master of none. This book could have been a lot more but it walked the uneasy ground between epic saga and light beach read. The subject matter was too heavy for a beach read but the authors style and language was too clunky to make a decent novel. Some of the characters had absolutely no development during the course of the novel - Anna could have been a really fascinating individual with a little bit more care but instead she was stuck in some kind of morality narrative. I wanted to know more about what made her tick. A lot of the time the author didn't seem to know who was the main character of her novel either. And as what seems to be normal for books that try to link past and present, the present was drastically underdeveloped. Alexis and her dilemma over whether to dump her boyfriend or not was a bit of a non-starter and an absolutely useless plot device. Even her mother, Sofia seemed like a bit of an afterthought. Her story, which was who Sofia wanted to hear about after all, was rushed and not half as detailed. It was just stuck on to tie all the loose ends together. I think if you cut the beginning and end of the book, it would actually have made a more satisfying novel.
The primary subject matter of the book was well researched and very interesting and original - that of the fate of Leprosy sufferers in pre-war and wartime Greece. I found this aspect of the book very interesting, the experimental treatments, the descriptions of how they organised their lives on the island and set up a democracy, the emotions surrounding being forcibly taken away from your families and made to live in isolation. I didn't know a lot about leprosy before reading this book, to me it is a biblical illness which is slightly distasteful and I didn't realise that patients sometimes lived in these isolated communities for years before the disfigurement and death happened. I also liked reading about the undercurrents of class prejudice in the face of this. I quite liked the character of Maria, even though she was quite a passive character and I usually prefer more sparky female protagonists, she was characterised quite well.
What I did not enjoy was the fact that I felt the author was trying to be a woman of all trades and ended up being a master of none. This book could have been a lot more but it walked the uneasy ground between epic saga and light beach read. The subject matter was too heavy for a beach read but the authors style and language was too clunky to make a decent novel. Some of the characters had absolutely no development during the course of the novel - Anna could have been a really fascinating individual with a little bit more care but instead she was stuck in some kind of morality narrative. I wanted to know more about what made her tick. A lot of the time the author didn't seem to know who was the main character of her novel either. And as what seems to be normal for books that try to link past and present, the present was drastically underdeveloped. Alexis and her dilemma over whether to dump her boyfriend or not was a bit of a non-starter and an absolutely useless plot device. Even her mother, Sofia seemed like a bit of an afterthought. Her story, which was who Sofia wanted to hear about after all, was rushed and not half as detailed. It was just stuck on to tie all the loose ends together. I think if you cut the beginning and end of the book, it would actually have made a more satisfying novel.
June 28, 2021
Surprise of the year!!
January 11, 2015
The background to this story is so well researched that you feel as if it is a truthful account of events surrounding the lives of those suffering from leprosy in Crete during the Second World War, and their families and friends. There is love and tragedy, betrayal and loyalty, deceit and courage.
Thankfully, both medicinal science and the attitude of society to serious illness have made massive advances since those days.
Once you have started reading this book, you will become captivated, and will have your nose in it at every opportunity, until you reach the last page. I would therefore advise you to put it at the top of you holiday reading list.
Thankfully, both medicinal science and the attitude of society to serious illness have made massive advances since those days.
Once you have started reading this book, you will become captivated, and will have your nose in it at every opportunity, until you reach the last page. I would therefore advise you to put it at the top of you holiday reading list.
September 5, 2012
I have never written a review or reccomendation before & i wont tell the story line because there are many revews here that have already done that, not to mention the blurb. Instead i will tell you why it s one of my all time favourites (another being Birds Without Wings by Louis de Berniere) & why I recommend it to anyone who will listen, even my husband who also loved it! So anyone who might give it a miss thinking its a chick-lit don't! it does have romance but it's much more than that. I chose the Island because I enjoy historical-fiction, i like to be transported to other places & times and the ruggedness of the Greek Islands appeal to me. The story is so well written that you can see the people and places vividly, submerging you into their world. I really felt for Maria and her father & spent much of te book with a sinking feeling in my stomach, thinking how can this poor girl have any more heartache ....... so keep some tissues near bye if you are the weepy sort. This book has left a lasting impression on me (& my husband) & on top of that I learned something about leprosy, previously (& rather ignorantly) assuming it to be a disease which was long gone!
February 8, 2008
This book was awesome. I read it on my honeymoon, while I was laying on the beach, and I couldn't put it down. I read the whole thing in two days. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in European history. I learned a ton about leprosy and the stigma associated with the disease. I think we all know a bit about leprosy, but it was really enlightening about the overall topic, especially since it is still an epidemic in many third world countries. The female characters were also very interesting to me, because they were particularly strong and complex. This is a great book -- I enjoyed it completely.
November 8, 2016
Με το παρόν βιβλίο η Βικτόρια Χίσλοπ μας αγάπησε ως χώρα (έμαθε ελληνικά, ήρθε στη χώρα, πληρώνει ΕΝΦΙΑ για το σπίτι της στην Κρήτη, έκανε δουλειά με το MEGA και εξακολουθεί να μας αγαπάει - βέβαια μια Βρετανή θεωρεί λογικό να πληρώσει φόρο ιδιοκτησίας και στο MEGA την προσκυνούσαν για την τιμή που τους έκανε να τους δώσει το βιβλίο της - γενικά νομίζω ότι αντιμετωπίζεται με μεγάλο σεβασμό από όλο τον κόσμο και γι' αυτό εξακολουθεί να μας αγαπάει, άσε που κι εμείς μη γνωρίσουμε φιλέλληνα, τεμενάδες του κάνουμε - κλείνω κάπου εδώ την παρένθεση για να πω και δυο λόγια για το βιβλίο!)
Το βιβλίο το είχα διαβάσει παράλληλα με το σίριαλ. Αυτό που μου έκανε ευχάριστη εντύπωση είναι η έρευνα της συγγραφέα για τα ιστορικά γεγονότα, όπου έγραψε την αλήθεια - όπως την αντιλήφθηκε η ίδια, ίσως οι γνώστες της ιστορίας να έχετε αντιρρήσεις - χωρίς "ποιητική αδεία" και χωρίς να αυτοσχεδιάσει, προσαρμοζόμενη μόνο σε αυτά που βοηθούσαν την εξέλιξη της ιστορίας.
Μια ιστορία ανθρώπινη, για μια οικογένεια που τα μέλη της αγαπιόταν μεταξύ τους, αλλά χωρίστηκαν βίαια, δυο φορές μάλιστα. Η αρρώστια δεν είναι ο πρωταγωνιστής της υπόθεσης, όλα περιστρέφονται γύρω από την οικογένεια και τα μέλη της, τα οποία αντιμετωπίζουν την αρρώστια όπως θα μπορούσαν να αντιμετωπίζουν κάποιο άλλο συμβάν. Ιστορίες έρωτα, προδοσίας, αποχωρισμού, επανασύνδεσης, γεννήσεων, θανάτου, με φόντο την Ελούντα των μέσων του 20ού αιώνα. Πολύ καλή αφήγηση, μαγεύει τον αναγνώστη να παρακολουθήσει την ιστορία των γυναικών της οικογένειας, όπως την ακούει η Αλέξις από τη φίλη της γιαγιάς της!
Προσωπικά (ως Θεσσαλονικιά) προτιμώ το Νήμα από το Νησί....
Το βιβλίο το είχα διαβάσει παράλληλα με το σίριαλ. Αυτό που μου έκανε ευχάριστη εντύπωση είναι η έρευνα της συγγραφέα για τα ιστορικά γεγονότα, όπου έγραψε την αλήθεια - όπως την αντιλήφθηκε η ίδια, ίσως οι γνώστες της ιστορίας να έχετε αντιρρήσεις - χωρίς "ποιητική αδεία" και χωρίς να αυτοσχεδιάσει, προσαρμοζόμενη μόνο σε αυτά που βοηθούσαν την εξέλιξη της ιστορίας.
Μια ιστορία ανθρώπινη, για μια οικογένεια που τα μέλη της αγαπιόταν μεταξύ τους, αλλά χωρίστηκαν βίαια, δυο φορές μάλιστα. Η αρρώστια δεν είναι ο πρωταγωνιστής της υπόθεσης, όλα περιστρέφονται γύρω από την οικογένεια και τα μέλη της, τα οποία αντιμετωπίζουν την αρρώστια όπως θα μπορούσαν να αντιμετωπίζουν κάποιο άλλο συμβάν. Ιστορίες έρωτα, προδοσίας, αποχωρισμού, επανασύνδεσης, γεννήσεων, θανάτου, με φόντο την Ελούντα των μέσων του 20ού αιώνα. Πολύ καλή αφήγηση, μαγεύει τον αναγνώστη να παρακολουθήσει την ιστορία των γυναικών της οικογένειας, όπως την ακούει η Αλέξις από τη φίλη της γιαγιάς της!
Προσωπικά (ως Θεσσαλονικιά) προτιμώ το Νήμα από το Νησί....
February 6, 2023
This is a historical novel set in Crete and in particular the island of Spinalonga, a leper colony which opened at the beginning of the Century.
I had not known such an island existed and I didn’t know much about leprosy at all so I found this fiction weaved with facts novel really interesting.
I’m definitely inspired now to visit Crete and Spinalonga in the future.
Four stars.
I had not known such an island existed and I didn’t know much about leprosy at all so I found this fiction weaved with facts novel really interesting.
I’m definitely inspired now to visit Crete and Spinalonga in the future.
Four stars.
December 22, 2018
Θυμάμαι μας είχαν πάει σε ένα συνέδριο, το είχα ανάμεσα στα χαρτιά, το διάβαζα κρυφά και ήθελα να κλάψω κοτζάμ γάιδαρος.
August 9, 2020
4/5
Karantino įkarštyje išėjus „Šiltinei“ – puikiam romanui su toli gražu ne esmine, bet netipine, stereotipus laužančia meilės istorija, ir nuostabiu, toli gražu ne vien patraukliu, įvairialypiu, įsimintinu moters portretu, vis prisimindavau „Salą“ – senokai skaitytą, tačiau itin gilų įspaudą atmintyje palikusį romaną apie raupsuotųjų koloniją Spinalongą – salą Graikijoje, į kurią buvo ištremiami gyventi visi, kėlę pavojų visuomenei, kurioje gyveno. Negalėdama nematyti tokių artimų paralelių tiek su Šiltine, tiek su dabartine situacija Pasaulyje, „Salą“ panorau perskaityti dar kartą. Net ir jaučiau menką baimę, kad knyga nebedarys tokio įspūdžio kaip tuomet, kai ji pateko man, dar tik pradedančiai rimtesnės literatūros skaitytojai į rankas.
Nors anotacijoje sakoma, kad istorija apie šiuolaikinę merginą, ieškančią savo šaknų, šis aspektas gana klaidinantis. Tiesą sakant, Aleksis istorijos Saloje reikėjo (ir buvo) mažiausiai – mėtymasis tarp dabarties ir praeities buvo nereikalingas, kiek pritemptas ir visai neišpildytas. Jo nebuvimas knygai būtų tik padėjęs – palikęs autorei daugiau vietos plėtoti kitus veikėjus, kitas istorijas. Tiesa, pagrindinės – į salą išvežtos motinos ir jos dukrų pasakojimai – ne tik nepaprastai jautrūs, nekasdieniški ir įsimintini, bet ir neperpildyti klišių, nors ir piešiami ne itin igudusios rašytojos ranka. Meilės linijos netampa viso ko esme (nes dievaži, kaip lengva būtų nueiti šiuo keliu, argi ne?), vykstantis Antrasis Pasaulinis karas – aptariamas, tačiau nesureikšminamas, nenukreipiantis dėmesio nuo salos, kurioje gyvenimas teka visai kita vaga nei bet kur kitur – ne tik visoje Graikijoje, bet ir visame Pasaulyje. Nuo nulio kuriama bendruomenė, nuolatos besikeičianti, demokratija, taisyklių kūrimas, nesutarimai, vieta tiek skausmui, tiek nedrąsiai užgimstančioms svajonėms. Sala, į kurią plaukiama numirti, neapsiriboja tik paskutinių dienų laukimu, o būtent tą Hislop ir atskleidžia geriausiai – kaip plaukia gyvenimas tų, kurie visuomenės akyse yra neverti net menkiausios pagarbos, ką jau bekalbėti apie žmogiškumą, teises ir laisves.
„Sala“ – puikus pasirinkimas tiems, kurie ir dabartinio kasdienio siaubo akivaizdoje nori ne tik saugotis, bet ir suvokti, vadovautis ne akla panika, tačiau neužsimerkti prieš faktus. Nei literatūrine, nei veikėjų plėtojimo, nei istorijos pasakojimo prasmėmis tai nėra iš kojų verčiantis kūrinys, bet visgi, papasakotas su tokia pagarba istorijai, jog nesižavėti neįmanoma. Užsimerkiant prieš autorės slystelėjimus – nereikalingus, ne visuomet įtikinančius, linkstančius banalumo pusėn. Nors lygindama Salą su Šiltine galiu drąsiai ir nesikuklindama žarstyti vien komplimentus pastarosios pusėn, visgi Sala – vertas dėmesio reikalas. Ypač tiems, kurie mėgsta paveikias, gyvenimiškas istorijas, tačiau nebegalėtų iškentėti dar vieno pavapėjimo apie kažkieno mamos sesers tetos pusseserę, suromantizuotą Aušvicą ar bet kokią kitą siaubo vietą ir kokį netikėtai atrastą laišką.
Karantino įkarštyje išėjus „Šiltinei“ – puikiam romanui su toli gražu ne esmine, bet netipine, stereotipus laužančia meilės istorija, ir nuostabiu, toli gražu ne vien patraukliu, įvairialypiu, įsimintinu moters portretu, vis prisimindavau „Salą“ – senokai skaitytą, tačiau itin gilų įspaudą atmintyje palikusį romaną apie raupsuotųjų koloniją Spinalongą – salą Graikijoje, į kurią buvo ištremiami gyventi visi, kėlę pavojų visuomenei, kurioje gyveno. Negalėdama nematyti tokių artimų paralelių tiek su Šiltine, tiek su dabartine situacija Pasaulyje, „Salą“ panorau perskaityti dar kartą. Net ir jaučiau menką baimę, kad knyga nebedarys tokio įspūdžio kaip tuomet, kai ji pateko man, dar tik pradedančiai rimtesnės literatūros skaitytojai į rankas.
Nors anotacijoje sakoma, kad istorija apie šiuolaikinę merginą, ieškančią savo šaknų, šis aspektas gana klaidinantis. Tiesą sakant, Aleksis istorijos Saloje reikėjo (ir buvo) mažiausiai – mėtymasis tarp dabarties ir praeities buvo nereikalingas, kiek pritemptas ir visai neišpildytas. Jo nebuvimas knygai būtų tik padėjęs – palikęs autorei daugiau vietos plėtoti kitus veikėjus, kitas istorijas. Tiesa, pagrindinės – į salą išvežtos motinos ir jos dukrų pasakojimai – ne tik nepaprastai jautrūs, nekasdieniški ir įsimintini, bet ir neperpildyti klišių, nors ir piešiami ne itin igudusios rašytojos ranka. Meilės linijos netampa viso ko esme (nes dievaži, kaip lengva būtų nueiti šiuo keliu, argi ne?), vykstantis Antrasis Pasaulinis karas – aptariamas, tačiau nesureikšminamas, nenukreipiantis dėmesio nuo salos, kurioje gyvenimas teka visai kita vaga nei bet kur kitur – ne tik visoje Graikijoje, bet ir visame Pasaulyje. Nuo nulio kuriama bendruomenė, nuolatos besikeičianti, demokratija, taisyklių kūrimas, nesutarimai, vieta tiek skausmui, tiek nedrąsiai užgimstančioms svajonėms. Sala, į kurią plaukiama numirti, neapsiriboja tik paskutinių dienų laukimu, o būtent tą Hislop ir atskleidžia geriausiai – kaip plaukia gyvenimas tų, kurie visuomenės akyse yra neverti net menkiausios pagarbos, ką jau bekalbėti apie žmogiškumą, teises ir laisves.
„Sala“ – puikus pasirinkimas tiems, kurie ir dabartinio kasdienio siaubo akivaizdoje nori ne tik saugotis, bet ir suvokti, vadovautis ne akla panika, tačiau neužsimerkti prieš faktus. Nei literatūrine, nei veikėjų plėtojimo, nei istorijos pasakojimo prasmėmis tai nėra iš kojų verčiantis kūrinys, bet visgi, papasakotas su tokia pagarba istorijai, jog nesižavėti neįmanoma. Užsimerkiant prieš autorės slystelėjimus – nereikalingus, ne visuomet įtikinančius, linkstančius banalumo pusėn. Nors lygindama Salą su Šiltine galiu drąsiai ir nesikuklindama žarstyti vien komplimentus pastarosios pusėn, visgi Sala – vertas dėmesio reikalas. Ypač tiems, kurie mėgsta paveikias, gyvenimiškas istorijas, tačiau nebegalėtų iškentėti dar vieno pavapėjimo apie kažkieno mamos sesers tetos pusseserę, suromantizuotą Aušvicą ar bet kokią kitą siaubo vietą ir kokį netikėtai atrastą laišką.
September 18, 2009
I enjoyed this novel so much that halfway thru it I ordered Victoria Hislop's next book. The writing style is fantastic. The descriptions are eloquent without being pompous or overdone. The characters are like everyday people, if a bit exagerated. It starts with Alexis, a young woman trying to get to the bottom of her mother's strange and mysterious past while vacationing in Crete. I would like to note here that it is NOT like the "Forgotten Garden" for those of you that are not fond of time jumping. After a brief Part One in which readers meet Alexis and her mother Sofia, the entire novel until the very end is about Eleni (Alexis's great grandmother) and Eleni's daughters, Anna and Maria. Eleni is banished from her family and sent to Spinalonga, a leper colony, during pre world war II. While she makes the most of her situation and her disease, her husband and daughters deal with the loss of her and the girls especially deal with pre adolesence and the uncertainity of their futures. Anna is an awful character, the daughter that is evil and cruel and wants something for nothing. Maria cares for people as well as her father and has a heart of gold. Shortly after Eleni dies, Anna marries into a wealthy family and has all she has ever wanted, fine clothes, maids, and a life of money spending and idleness. Yet she wants more. She desires her husband's cousin, who has decided to marry Maria. Unfortunately, and much to Anna's glee, Maria contracts leprosy and must go live on Spinalonga. Is this a blessing in disguise? Readers will be pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Despite her hardships and disease, Maria outshines Anna in life and happiness. A tired but sometimes true moral is hidden within this story.. "Good things come to those that wait.."
I really loved the way the author showed us what life on Spinalonga must have been like, that the people had hope and lived live to its fullest. She also addressed issues such as prejudicy against those that are different and how people's ignorance makes them act harshly and rashly towards others.
I really loved the way the author showed us what life on Spinalonga must have been like, that the people had hope and lived live to its fullest. She also addressed issues such as prejudicy against those that are different and how people's ignorance makes them act harshly and rashly towards others.
June 8, 2012
I enjoyed the book - partly because the island that the story centers on was the view from our terrace during our honeymoon but also because of the unique topic of the story. It was a quick and enjoyable read though I think was weak in a few ways. As with many novels that combine the past and the present with the past being the focus, the scenes in the present were not as well written and lacked depth and development. I thought Alexis' struggle over her relationship with Ed was totally irrelevant and a superficial plot device. Similarly, Sofia was very under-developed and I thought the explanation for her decision to hide her past was thin - as a teenager she wanted to go out into the wider world, hoping to experience new, more modern cultures yet her reasons for hiding her past were all derived from the traditional nature of her Cretan culture? At the end I had developed no warmth or engagement with Alexis or Sofia or felt any real emotion at the change to their relationship.
The story of Eleni and Giorgis and their daughters was far more engaging and was clearly given all of the author's attention and skill. My only criticism about this section of the book (which is the bulk of it really) is that there didn't seem to be any character development or progress through the course of the story. Eleni, Giorgis, Anna, and Maria all pretty much remain the same characters from start to finish.
Nonetheless, a nice, easy read that illuminates, if fictionally, a fascinating bit of Greek history.
The story of Eleni and Giorgis and their daughters was far more engaging and was clearly given all of the author's attention and skill. My only criticism about this section of the book (which is the bulk of it really) is that there didn't seem to be any character development or progress through the course of the story. Eleni, Giorgis, Anna, and Maria all pretty much remain the same characters from start to finish.
Nonetheless, a nice, easy read that illuminates, if fictionally, a fascinating bit of Greek history.
November 23, 2018
Πολύ μου άρεσε! Θίγοντας ένα ευαίσθητο κι επικίνδυνου θέμα, κατάφερε η συγγραφέας να μας χαρίσει ένα σπουδαίο βιβλίο που ευτύχησε και σε μια καταπληκτική τηλεοπτική μεταφορά.
August 4, 2016
A really enjoyable read, albeit out of my usual genres. That said being a real Hellenophile and having a number of Cretan friends, I was always going to enjoy it. I do not know the area described in the book at all well, my friends live nearer Rethymno, but I have flown in over Spinalonga many times and was aware of its history.
The story was woven well into the history of both Crete and the Isle of Spinalonga.
Would recommend to anyone with a love of Greece or Crete, or just looking for a genuinely good story well told.
Καλά
The story was woven well into the history of both Crete and the Isle of Spinalonga.
Would recommend to anyone with a love of Greece or Crete, or just looking for a genuinely good story well told.
Καλά
August 24, 2013
I am afraid I really didn't get along with this book at all. It is fairly easy to read and has some interesting subject matter but I feel it takes a scatter gun approach, putting in a little bit of everything, and failing to hit any target. The book covers 70 years of Cretan history and 4 generations of a family. We get information on leprosy, the way it was treated, medically, socially and officially. Hislop includes a range of incidents that took place on and around Spinalonga, which appear to have come from newspaper reports of the time. One of these involves an inmate of Spinalonga being shot by a German soldier when trying to swim to the mainland. This incident is briefly given context after it is told but no indications of the issues or the character of the individual are given previously. I like my novels to be more integrated and feel Hislop is just cobbling together bits of flotsam and jetsam that she has come across in her research. Rather than tell a more restricted tale of life on Spinalonga she ranges wider and tries to develop a love triangle between two sisters and a local Lothario.
The main characters of this central romance I found completely unbelievable, both in their attitudes which seemed to change constantly, and in their actions which just don't seem to fit in with family life on Crete. For example, is Anna jealous of her sister or not, and if so why? Also who was doing the cooking in the Vandoulakis household?
Secrecy seems to be a major theme and the justification for extending the tale for two more generations, making the book too long and rather tedious. However the idea that the Vandoulakis family are unaware of the circumstances of the death of Anna's mother is very difficult to swallow. Eleni was the local primary teacher, was given a public send off when she was exiled to Spinalonga and her husband continued to be the only boatman making deliveries to the island. Similarly I couldn't believe that Sofia was not aware of who her parents really were, didn't she have contact with her grandparents and aunts?
There were a number of other minor irritations in the use and spelling of Greek words as well as some dubious chronological placements. Were they really listening to Theodorakis in 1953? And September 1953 seemed to last for about 6 weeks.
No, a promising subject rather mauled in my opinion. Hislop is obviously very popular but I won't be spending any more time reading her books. I found The Thread similarly disappointing.
The main characters of this central romance I found completely unbelievable, both in their attitudes which seemed to change constantly, and in their actions which just don't seem to fit in with family life on Crete. For example, is Anna jealous of her sister or not, and if so why? Also who was doing the cooking in the Vandoulakis household?
Secrecy seems to be a major theme and the justification for extending the tale for two more generations, making the book too long and rather tedious. However the idea that the Vandoulakis family are unaware of the circumstances of the death of Anna's mother is very difficult to swallow. Eleni was the local primary teacher, was given a public send off when she was exiled to Spinalonga and her husband continued to be the only boatman making deliveries to the island. Similarly I couldn't believe that Sofia was not aware of who her parents really were, didn't she have contact with her grandparents and aunts?
There were a number of other minor irritations in the use and spelling of Greek words as well as some dubious chronological placements. Were they really listening to Theodorakis in 1953? And September 1953 seemed to last for about 6 weeks.
No, a promising subject rather mauled in my opinion. Hislop is obviously very popular but I won't be spending any more time reading her books. I found The Thread similarly disappointing.
September 8, 2012
Este foi o segundo livro de Victoria Hislop que li, depois de diversas meninas dos fóruns me terem persuadido a ler, especialmente a Vera Neves, afirmando ser ainda melhor que o A Arca. Mas uma vez tiveram razão. Antes de mais devo congratular a autora pelo seu exaustivao trabalho de pesquisa acerca da lepra. Todos nós já ouvimos falar da lepra, nem que tenha sido, como eu, na catequese e na leitura da Bíblia ou, se recordam do pai de um dos personagens de Braveheart, não me recordo agora o nome dele. No entanto o meu contato ou informação com esta doença não passava daí. Aqui além de toda a estória envolvente na A Ilha, apercebemo-nos de uma problemática relativamente recente e infelizmente, ainda ativa em diversos países do nosso planeta. Relativamente à narrativa, adorei as personagens, todas elas, inclusive Anna. Sempre tive, desde míuda, uma predileção especial pelos «maus da fita» e realmente Anna é a especiaria mais picante e mais garrida da história. A história de sua mãe e Maria, irmã, em tanto semelhante com exceção o final, fizeram-me suspirar e acender a luz perto das 4h da manhã para ler os capítulos finais. As escolhas de Sofia, especialmente as más escolhas tão habituais na adolescência/começo da idade adulta, recordam-me a mim nessa fase bem como algumas adolescentes que acompanho hoje em dia... sim estou a divagar. Relativamente às personagens masculinas deste livro, para mim passam apenas por personagens secundárias uma vez que todas as personagens femininas têm uma personalidade bastante mais relevante do que qualquer um deles, desde a doce, corajosa e sábia Eleni, a tranquila, ponderada mas sofredora Maria e claro, a imprudente, egoísta e impetuosa Anna. No fundo, as três faces de uma mulher no decorrer do seu crescimento. Aconselho a lerem até ao momento em que Fontini começa a contar a história familiar a Alexis, depois tentam parar... se conseguirem!
January 14, 2024
RELEITURA (que não estava nos planos de janeiro, mas que tive que fazer para ler a sequela - Uma noite de agosto)
Deixo abaixo o texto da leitura original, feita há mais de 10 anos.
Este foi o segundo romance de Victoria Hislop que li, depois de me ter deliciado com a leitura de "O regresso". Comprei-o na Feira do Livro do ano passado e bendigo a hora em que o fiz!
Neste romance a autora não desilude os seus leitores de obras anteriores, pois voltamos a cruzar-nos com personagens muito bem construídas, com um enredo e correspondente ritmo que nos envolvem do princípio ao fim.
Tal como acontece em "O Regresso", "A Ilha" apresenta-nos a história de uma família, de quatro gerações suas, com as quais vamos travando conhecimento principalmente através dos seus elementos femininos - Eleni, Anna e Maria, Sofia e Alexis. É a viagem desta última às ilhas gregas que desencadeia todo um desenrolar de recordações da família de sua mãe, Sofia, das quais nunca havia tido conhecimento. E é sobretudo a partir deste momento da narrativa, do momento em que Fontini inicia o relato da história da família a Alexis que não conseguimos largar o livro, tal é a vontade que sentimos em ler e ler até nos tornarmos conhecedores de todos os segredos, aventuras e desventuras desta família grega.
Não posso deixar de referir uma problemática que está omnipresente na narrativa e que teve um papel preponderante na história da família de Alexis - a doença da lepra que afetou diretamente dois dos seus membros. Graças à excelente pesquisa da autora, tomamos conhecimento de que essa enfermidade dilacerou muitas famílias gregas e que as medidas adotadas pelas autoridades (até à descoberta da sua cura) passavam por isolar e ostracizar os enfermos na ilha de Spinálonga.
Por tudo isto que foi mencionado, pela força e envolvência da narrativa, pelas personagens repletas de personalidade e pelos factos históricos que unem todos estes fatores, recomendo vivamente a leitura de "A Ilha"!
Deixo abaixo o texto da leitura original, feita há mais de 10 anos.
Este foi o segundo romance de Victoria Hislop que li, depois de me ter deliciado com a leitura de "O regresso". Comprei-o na Feira do Livro do ano passado e bendigo a hora em que o fiz!
Neste romance a autora não desilude os seus leitores de obras anteriores, pois voltamos a cruzar-nos com personagens muito bem construídas, com um enredo e correspondente ritmo que nos envolvem do princípio ao fim.
Tal como acontece em "O Regresso", "A Ilha" apresenta-nos a história de uma família, de quatro gerações suas, com as quais vamos travando conhecimento principalmente através dos seus elementos femininos - Eleni, Anna e Maria, Sofia e Alexis. É a viagem desta última às ilhas gregas que desencadeia todo um desenrolar de recordações da família de sua mãe, Sofia, das quais nunca havia tido conhecimento. E é sobretudo a partir deste momento da narrativa, do momento em que Fontini inicia o relato da história da família a Alexis que não conseguimos largar o livro, tal é a vontade que sentimos em ler e ler até nos tornarmos conhecedores de todos os segredos, aventuras e desventuras desta família grega.
Não posso deixar de referir uma problemática que está omnipresente na narrativa e que teve um papel preponderante na história da família de Alexis - a doença da lepra que afetou diretamente dois dos seus membros. Graças à excelente pesquisa da autora, tomamos conhecimento de que essa enfermidade dilacerou muitas famílias gregas e que as medidas adotadas pelas autoridades (até à descoberta da sua cura) passavam por isolar e ostracizar os enfermos na ilha de Spinálonga.
Por tudo isto que foi mencionado, pela força e envolvência da narrativa, pelas personagens repletas de personalidade e pelos factos históricos que unem todos estes fatores, recomendo vivamente a leitura de "A Ilha"!
June 24, 2012
I really liked the idea for this book, I found it really interesting, but I found the story poorly written. Set on a Greek Island, the excuse for the main character to go to the former leper colony was contrived, and didn't make much sense to me. Why her mother would have simply cut off contact with everyone she knew I didn't really understand; I didn't engage with any of the characters as I felt they had little substance behind them. They seemed to be very clear cut; one was 'good' and one was 'bad' which was too simplistic. Parts of the plot didn't make sense, eg. why the mother didn't question her paternal grandparents.
The transformation of the leper colony from a crumbling dank village into a thriving community was described reasonably well. However I never really felt I was 'there' , unlike in Captain Corelli's Mandolin, which I felt described life in Greece much better, and had much deeper characters.
The prejudice about the disease was believable, and no doubt the author researched this accurately. This was a quick and easy read but I'm not sure I'd be inclined to read another novel of Hislop's.
The transformation of the leper colony from a crumbling dank village into a thriving community was described reasonably well. However I never really felt I was 'there' , unlike in Captain Corelli's Mandolin, which I felt described life in Greece much better, and had much deeper characters.
The prejudice about the disease was believable, and no doubt the author researched this accurately. This was a quick and easy read but I'm not sure I'd be inclined to read another novel of Hislop's.
April 14, 2019
υπήρχε μια εποχή που διαβάζαμε πολύ αγνοτερα από τώρα. δεν υπήρχε facebook κάνεις δεν μας πιπίλιζε τα αυτιά με διαφημίσεις μπεστ σελερ ,δεν υπήρχαν βιβλιοομαδες και όλα ήταν καλύτερα. τότε λοιπόν έπεσε και στα χεριά μου ούτε θυμάμαι πως αυτό το βιβλίο. συνήθως με ενοχλεί να γράφει ένας ξένος συγγραφέας μυθιστόρημα με φόντο την Ελλάδα νομίζω πως δεν μπορεί να πιάσει τον ελληνικό παλμό. Σε αυτό όμως πέτυχε σχεδόν τα πάντα. το θέμα του πρωτότυπο . μέχρι και σήμερα δεν ξέρω πολλά βιβλία να έχουν τοποθετηθεί στην Σπιναλόγκα. Ωραίο βιβλίο ,ωραία πλοκή χωρίς να κάνει πουθενά κοιλιά τρομεροί χαρακτήρες ,δραματικό χωρίς να προσπαθήσει να σου βγάλει κλάμα με το ζόρι .τρομερή η κορύφωση στο τέλος , τόσα χρονιά μετά και ακόμα θυμάμαι την πλοκή
May 15, 2020
"Elle découvrait l'héroisme derriere l'humiliation, lá passion derriere la perfidie, l'amour derriere lá lépre."
O primeiro romance que li em francês.😊 Gostei bastante da história. Adorei a Maria, uma mulher corajosa, preocupada com os outros e que passou por tantas coisas, a morte da mãe, o noivado rompido, a lepra e o abandono da Sophia, que ela sempre considerou como sua filha.
Foi bom ir descobrindo o passado da Alexis, tudo o que aconteceu à sua família.
Não sabia que tinha existido uma colónia de leprosos ao pé de Creta na primeira metade do século XX. Foi também um pouco de história sobre uma doença que, para nós está erradicada, mas que infelizmente ainda subsiste em países menos desenvolvidos.
Uma excelente leitura, que demorou algum tempo, porque, além do francês, o início da história era lento, mas necessário para perceber o contexto, mas quando começou a contar a vida da Maria, prendeu-me completamente.
O primeiro romance que li em francês.😊 Gostei bastante da história. Adorei a Maria, uma mulher corajosa, preocupada com os outros e que passou por tantas coisas, a morte da mãe, o noivado rompido, a lepra e o abandono da Sophia, que ela sempre considerou como sua filha.
Foi bom ir descobrindo o passado da Alexis, tudo o que aconteceu à sua família.
Não sabia que tinha existido uma colónia de leprosos ao pé de Creta na primeira metade do século XX. Foi também um pouco de história sobre uma doença que, para nós está erradicada, mas que infelizmente ainda subsiste em países menos desenvolvidos.
Uma excelente leitura, que demorou algum tempo, porque, além do francês, o início da história era lento, mas necessário para perceber o contexto, mas quando começou a contar a vida da Maria, prendeu-me completamente.
July 28, 2021
I read this book when it first came out and loved it. When I knew that Victoria was bringing out a sequel I immediately re-bought another copy of this book and got the sequel as a Christmas Present. So, having read this for a second time after such a long time, I’d forgotten some of the story as in fact it was more like a completely new read. This book still makes me sad and happy all at once, I just hope that the sequel is just as good.
September 3, 2016
I always wanted to go to Greece in literature and now I have. Let me tell you, it was worth the trip in this story too.
This book is like getting postcards from all the places you have never been to and now don't want to. For Home is gone and it is now in every one of those places you will never visit.
Highly recommended.
March 4, 2025
What more can I say about this book but that I loved every moment spent reading it?
Set in Greece, it's a very moving story about a family affected by discovery of leprosy and by secrets and tragedy.
And the storical background was very interesting: the Island of Spinalonga had really been a leper colony till 1957.
The brilliant and easy writing style made the read very pleasant.
Set in Greece, it's a very moving story about a family affected by discovery of leprosy and by secrets and tragedy.
And the storical background was very interesting: the Island of Spinalonga had really been a leper colony till 1957.
The brilliant and easy writing style made the read very pleasant.
April 12, 2018
Leprosy. You think of is as a biblical or medieval disease but I had not realised that even a control/cure wasn't found until the mid 20th century. This involving story is set on the island Spinalonga off the coast of Crete, between the two world wars, where there was a leper colony until leprosy was eradicated by medical intervention.
The author weaves the fictional story of Cretan family personally affected by leprosy, into the island's leper colony history. It is absorbing and moving and I was sorry to reach the end.
The author weaves the fictional story of Cretan family personally affected by leprosy, into the island's leper colony history. It is absorbing and moving and I was sorry to reach the end.
October 2, 2025
Absolutely couldn't put this book down, including two nights until 3:30 in the morning. This absorbing tale of the Petrakis family in Crete spans the years from 1939 to the early 2000s in the small village of Plaka across the water from the island of Spinalonga which was a leper colony from the early 1900s until 1957 when a treatment for leprosy was finally successful. I was completely wrapped up in the star-crossed saga of the Petrakis sisters, and at the same time learned once again about a part of history which I never would have known, the history of Spinalonga island, as well as the occupation of Crete by the Germans in World War II. Thank you, historical fiction writers everywhere for enlightening us and illuminating the past. It was so hard for me to finally put this book down as I kept turning pages. Thank you to my friend, Marjorie, in England for recommending this thoroughly engrossing book by Victoria Hislop who is also a travel writer for English newspapers.
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