This was a beautifully written story and one that didn’t disappoint. Transporting me across the sea to Greece, I felt fully immersed in the Santorini sunshine and could not put this down at all.
Written as a dual narrative, we learn about what happened to Laura when, as a young woman in her early twenties, had the opportunity to go to Santorini with her then “boyfriend”. In alternating chapters, the viewpoint shifts to Laura’s daughter, Rebecca, in the present who accompanies her mother back to Santorini for a holiday. The narrative of the two women was equally captivating and I loved learning how each of them created their memories, then and now, on this Greek island.
So well constructed, it was effortless to imagine the beautiful scenery that Alexander describes. The idyllic, romantic and peaceful setting was totally enticing, making this a great summer read. However, this only juxtaposes with the darkness of Laura's story; the horrors that she experiences, coupled with her naivety, made for rather tense reading. The writer takes Laura's story in an unexpected direction and as a reader, I just wanted to intervene and help out Laura. Her lack of worldliness and desperation to escape her extreme, religious Grandmother, created a vision of Conor and her Greek holiday that just didn't match the reality.
Whilst we learn what really happened to Laura when she was in Santorini and how different it is to what she has related to her daughter, I found it fascinating to compare how the two women carved their identities in this beautiful location. The subtle parallels between mother and daughter signify that they are not as far apart as Rebecca believes. Certainly, the desperation to "prove oneself" and not depend on another was striking and, as Rebecca begins to discover more about her mother's past, she starts to see the reasons for Laura's ambiguous and sad behaviour.
Conor was as disgusting a character as much as Leif was beautiful. The antithesis of these characters created such tension for me when reading Laura's story that, when it switched back to Rebecca's narrative, I was almost more interested to read about the past, rather than the present. I found it difficult to predict how the story would eventually conclude and I feel that Alexander does the plot justice and allows it to follow what I feel would be a natural ending.
I loved this story and the escapism it provided. It was so well-written and enthralling that there is no way I can find fault with the plot! The summer sunshine, coupled with the magic of Greece, made for a plot that was a little bit different from my recent reads. This is a true gem of a read and I can assure you, this is definitely not one to be missed.