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A Good Year
Rural Cyprus, 1925. Despo is recently married, heavily pregnant and deeply afraid. The twelve days of Christmas are beginning – the time when, according to local folklore, creatures known as kalikantzari come up from Hell to wreak havoc. Meanwhile, her husband Loukas has troubles of his own. Struggling with dreams and desires he doesn’t understand, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to an Englishman, a newcomer to the island. In a village wreathed in superstition, Despo and Loukas must protect themselves and their unborn child from ominous forces at play.
192 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2022
5 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Polis Loizou
7 books39 followersA Cyprus-born, UK-based writer and performer working across various disciplines.
His debut novel, ‘Disbanded Kingdom’, was published in 2018 and long-listed for the Polari First Book Prize. His second novel, ‘The Way It Breaks’, is set in his motherland of Cyprus, as is ‘A Good Year’, a queer historical novella inspired by local horror folklore.
Polis is also one third of the award-winning fringe theatre troupe The Off-Off-Off-Broadway Company, as well as a performer of folk tales.
His debut novel, ‘Disbanded Kingdom’, was published in 2018 and long-listed for the Polari First Book Prize. His second novel, ‘The Way It Breaks’, is set in his motherland of Cyprus, as is ‘A Good Year’, a queer historical novella inspired by local horror folklore.
Polis is also one third of the award-winning fringe theatre troupe The Off-Off-Off-Broadway Company, as well as a performer of folk tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
January 12, 2022
Well written account of a interbellum man struggling with his sexuality and his pregnant wife’s struggle with a loveless marriage. Set in Cyprus, magical thinking and folklore play a major part
Was she crying for him, for fear for his welfare, or was she crying for herself, the idiot, for the loss of something she’d never had?
Unhappy Loukas and pregnant Despo (Despina) form the backbone of this novella. Set in 1920's Cyprus over the 12 days of Christmas leading up to Epiphany, we get to know them, and the village life that keeps a strict surveillance on them.
Food and rituals, family and religion play a major part.
Also the fear of children dying (and polio), folktales and superstition being real is something prominent in A Good Year.
Kalikantzaro, supernatural forest dwellers with malevolent intent, form a central plot element. If they are real or just figments of imagination from island dwellers long under the rule of others is left open.
The British (Looks like the English have souls, too) are mentioned as having recruited Cypriot farmers for the First World War. William and his wife, English folk living in a fruit orchard nearby, are seen as fabulously wealthy to the main characters.
Loukas and William whirl around each other in the woods, making the relationship to pregnant Despo fraught with tension: With company gone, the house was filled with the silence of their marriage.
The characters are rendered in a believable way, and the conclusion is open ended. I really liked this book, it reminded me in stillness and shortness a bit to the recently published Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, and I'll definitely want to check out more of the writing by Polis Loizou.
Was she crying for him, for fear for his welfare, or was she crying for herself, the idiot, for the loss of something she’d never had?
Unhappy Loukas and pregnant Despo (Despina) form the backbone of this novella. Set in 1920's Cyprus over the 12 days of Christmas leading up to Epiphany, we get to know them, and the village life that keeps a strict surveillance on them.
Food and rituals, family and religion play a major part.
Also the fear of children dying (and polio), folktales and superstition being real is something prominent in A Good Year.
Kalikantzaro, supernatural forest dwellers with malevolent intent, form a central plot element. If they are real or just figments of imagination from island dwellers long under the rule of others is left open.
The British (Looks like the English have souls, too) are mentioned as having recruited Cypriot farmers for the First World War. William and his wife, English folk living in a fruit orchard nearby, are seen as fabulously wealthy to the main characters.
Loukas and William whirl around each other in the woods, making the relationship to pregnant Despo fraught with tension: With company gone, the house was filled with the silence of their marriage.
The characters are rendered in a believable way, and the conclusion is open ended. I really liked this book, it reminded me in stillness and shortness a bit to the recently published Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, and I'll definitely want to check out more of the writing by Polis Loizou.
January 12, 2022
Polis Loizou’s brooding, claustrophobic story of superstition and unexpected queer desire’s set at Christmas in rural Cyprus, during the mid-1920’s. Despo’s anxiously awaiting the birth of her first child but her dreams keeps drawing her back to her own childhood and her father’s disturbing tales of the legendary Kalikantzaroi, mythical, malevolent goblins lurking in dark, out-of-the-way places, who only venture out into the world of humans during the twelve days of Christmas. Meanwhile her husband Loukas is struggling with his overwhelming longing for newly-arrived, Englishman William. Loizou’s novella had some fascinating, promising aspects particularly the depiction of Cypriot culture and folklore, but I found the narrative itself harder to engage with, the characterisation was a little too thin and the plot a little too forced for my taste.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Fairlight Moderns for an arc
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Fairlight Moderns for an arc
July 24, 2022
The twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany are rich in folkloric associations, and traditionally held to be a period imbued with magic, a time when ghosts and spirits roam. Urf Faes exploited the Alpine customs associated with “Twelvetide” in his Twelve Nights, a novella in which the season’s evil spirits are used a metaphor for the pain which humans can inflict on each other. The twelve days of Christmas also provide the setting for A Good Year, a forthcoming novella in the Fairlight Moderns series written by UK-based Cypriot author Polis Loizou.
Loizou’s work is set in his native Cyprus in 1925, then under British occupation and soon to become a Crown colony. Despo, recently married and heavily pregnant, hopes that her baby will arrive after Epiphany. The feast will bring to an end the dark period after Christmas. Whoever is born in the shadowy time of year between Christmas and Epiphany can fall prey to the kalikantzari, malevolent hairy goblins with donkey’s feet. Despo prays that she will have a healthy baby and that she will manage to keep him safe from the fearsome creatures which wander around during the black winter nights.
In the meantime, Despo’s husband Loukas is facing fears of a different nature, as much to his surprise, guilt and shame, he finds himself irresistibly attracted to an Englishman who has just settled in the village.
Fairlight Books has introduced us to some great authors and I feel that with Loizou and his novella they have discovered another winner. A Good Year is written in a simple, yet poetic prose, one rich with the hues, flavours and traditions of a rural Mediterranean village. Although set in 1925, many of the descriptions evoke a timeless, ancient landscape. Just by way of comparison, the atmosphere of this novella is not unlike Narine Abgaryan’s Three Apples Fell from the Sky. It inhabits the same magical realist world, at once rooted in a historical reality and coloured by myth, legends and traditions.
If I have a quibble about A Good Year, it is that, much as I like the novella as a form, I think that there is a lot going on in this particular work, and it might have needed the breathing space which only a longer format can allow. At the heart of A Good Year is a poignant tale about an outsider, a man who is discovering himself and his sexuality, and the psychological battle which he goes through as he accepts this aspect of his personality. But Despo’s perspective is equally interesting, and one about which ultimately we do not get much closure. This novella also has strong Gothic overtones, its folk horror element never discounted as purely metaphorical. The historical context also provides the occasion for the author to obliquely comment on the colonial experience. I found this aspect particularly interesting as a Maltese reader, even though it was not developed in any great detail.
A Good Year left me wanting more, but in a positive way. It is a novella I certainly recommend, while looking forward to Loizou’s future work.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
Loizou’s work is set in his native Cyprus in 1925, then under British occupation and soon to become a Crown colony. Despo, recently married and heavily pregnant, hopes that her baby will arrive after Epiphany. The feast will bring to an end the dark period after Christmas. Whoever is born in the shadowy time of year between Christmas and Epiphany can fall prey to the kalikantzari, malevolent hairy goblins with donkey’s feet. Despo prays that she will have a healthy baby and that she will manage to keep him safe from the fearsome creatures which wander around during the black winter nights.
In the meantime, Despo’s husband Loukas is facing fears of a different nature, as much to his surprise, guilt and shame, he finds himself irresistibly attracted to an Englishman who has just settled in the village.
Fairlight Books has introduced us to some great authors and I feel that with Loizou and his novella they have discovered another winner. A Good Year is written in a simple, yet poetic prose, one rich with the hues, flavours and traditions of a rural Mediterranean village. Although set in 1925, many of the descriptions evoke a timeless, ancient landscape. Just by way of comparison, the atmosphere of this novella is not unlike Narine Abgaryan’s Three Apples Fell from the Sky. It inhabits the same magical realist world, at once rooted in a historical reality and coloured by myth, legends and traditions.
If I have a quibble about A Good Year, it is that, much as I like the novella as a form, I think that there is a lot going on in this particular work, and it might have needed the breathing space which only a longer format can allow. At the heart of A Good Year is a poignant tale about an outsider, a man who is discovering himself and his sexuality, and the psychological battle which he goes through as he accepts this aspect of his personality. But Despo’s perspective is equally interesting, and one about which ultimately we do not get much closure. This novella also has strong Gothic overtones, its folk horror element never discounted as purely metaphorical. The historical context also provides the occasion for the author to obliquely comment on the colonial experience. I found this aspect particularly interesting as a Maltese reader, even though it was not developed in any great detail.
A Good Year left me wanting more, but in a positive way. It is a novella I certainly recommend, while looking forward to Loizou’s future work.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
April 8, 2022
An atmospheric novella set on Cyprus in the 1920s about a couple expecting their first child. It reads in almost like a fairytale with a lot of local folklore and superstition in the story.
February 22, 2022
Nicely structured and delicately examined by Loizou.
A novella riddled in superstition with it's strict rules and regulations. Seems ridiculous to us now, but consider what you would do if you did not have a lot of control over your life, your land, your livelihood and not a lot of educated information. Well this is the result.
Loizou builds the relationships day by day and we come to see that we cannot reason with our hearts, they will feel what they want to regardless of logic or duty or 'morality'. What is unwillingly given will turn out to be worthless.
Enjoyed this Fairlight novella, they'll continue to be on my list.
An ARC gently given by the author/publish via Netgalley
A novella riddled in superstition with it's strict rules and regulations. Seems ridiculous to us now, but consider what you would do if you did not have a lot of control over your life, your land, your livelihood and not a lot of educated information. Well this is the result.
Loizou builds the relationships day by day and we come to see that we cannot reason with our hearts, they will feel what they want to regardless of logic or duty or 'morality'. What is unwillingly given will turn out to be worthless.
Enjoyed this Fairlight novella, they'll continue to be on my list.
An ARC gently given by the author/publish via Netgalley
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May 9, 2024this is one for the Our Share of Night girlies who love their folk horror with a nice helping of queerness. Need the author to write more books and commit even harder to the horror AND the romance. I will eat it up.
June 21, 2022
Fairlight Moderns are a series of pocket sized book which feature stories by authors from around the world, and although I like what Fairlight publish, I will admit that these little books are a reading highlight. So far the quality has been high and I haven’t been disappointed by the ones I’ve read. Although they can be completed in less than an hour, they are quite punchy and will stick with the reader for a while.
This time we’re off to Cyprus with Polis Loizou. The plot is about pregnant Despo, whose life is steeped in Cypriot folklore especially the Kalikantzari, goblins who emerge during the 12 days of Christmas and cause havoc. These creatures are at the back of her mind. At the same time her husband Loukas is having a relationship with a married Englishman who is studying the fauna and flora of Cyprus. Both couples are drifting apart and yet they know that their child will need them to be together.
A Good Year is steeped in Cypriot culture and superstitions and that fascinated me. As the book takes place during Christmastime it is interesting to see the myriad of customs from keeping a fire burning until epiphany to family gatherings. At one point the English couple give Loukas and Despo a Christmas cake and they don’t like it that much, proving how deep set traditions can be. Incidentally as I live on an island in the Mediterranean (albeit Malta is 94% Roman Catholic as opposed to Cyprus’ Christian Orthodox), I was curious to see if any traditions overlapped but other than the role of the poinsettia there’s a lot of differences
As Loukas begins to worry about his orientation we see how religion plays an important role. At one point he begins to confess to a priest about his desires and the whole thing ends in a disaster as homosexuality is inconceivable. From Despo’s side the reader can see how pagan rituals take over the true meaning of Christmas due to her worry that the baby will be born before epiphany, thus exposing it to the Kalikantzari.
I read and enjoyed Polis Loizou’s previous novel The Way it Breaks , which was about the problems in contemporary Cyprus but A Good Year focuses on a lot of Christmas traditions, many of which were unknown to me, which goes to show the diversity of the Mediterranean cultures. Anyway A Good Year is another worthy addition to The Fairlight Moderns and definitely one of the strongest of the batch.
This time we’re off to Cyprus with Polis Loizou. The plot is about pregnant Despo, whose life is steeped in Cypriot folklore especially the Kalikantzari, goblins who emerge during the 12 days of Christmas and cause havoc. These creatures are at the back of her mind. At the same time her husband Loukas is having a relationship with a married Englishman who is studying the fauna and flora of Cyprus. Both couples are drifting apart and yet they know that their child will need them to be together.
A Good Year is steeped in Cypriot culture and superstitions and that fascinated me. As the book takes place during Christmastime it is interesting to see the myriad of customs from keeping a fire burning until epiphany to family gatherings. At one point the English couple give Loukas and Despo a Christmas cake and they don’t like it that much, proving how deep set traditions can be. Incidentally as I live on an island in the Mediterranean (albeit Malta is 94% Roman Catholic as opposed to Cyprus’ Christian Orthodox), I was curious to see if any traditions overlapped but other than the role of the poinsettia there’s a lot of differences
As Loukas begins to worry about his orientation we see how religion plays an important role. At one point he begins to confess to a priest about his desires and the whole thing ends in a disaster as homosexuality is inconceivable. From Despo’s side the reader can see how pagan rituals take over the true meaning of Christmas due to her worry that the baby will be born before epiphany, thus exposing it to the Kalikantzari.
I read and enjoyed Polis Loizou’s previous novel The Way it Breaks , which was about the problems in contemporary Cyprus but A Good Year focuses on a lot of Christmas traditions, many of which were unknown to me, which goes to show the diversity of the Mediterranean cultures. Anyway A Good Year is another worthy addition to The Fairlight Moderns and definitely one of the strongest of the batch.
March 7, 2022
DRC provided by Fairlight Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Representation: Cypriote protagonist, gay Cypriote protagonist, queer white English secondary character, Cypriote secondary and tertiary characters, Armenian tertiary character, Turkish tertiary character.
Content Warning: death, anxiety, violence, toxic masculinity, sexism, xenophobia, internalised homophobia, alcohol.
A Good Year by Polis Loizou is an intriguing historical novella tinged with Cyprian folkloristic tales and horror-ish vibes set in a post-World War I Cyprus, in the span of twelve days between Christmas and the Epiphany, centring the questioning Loukas and his expecting wife Despo.
It is very fitting that the word “good” is in the title because this novella is so, so, so good! The word is there for other reasons, but still, so, so good!
I love reading new-to-me authors and savour their writing and Polis Loizou is no exception. He is not new to me as in I have never heard of him because I was already aware of his past works, but I had not yet had the chance to experience his writing style. His writing transports you to another time and a completely different place effortlessly as if you were astral projecting and watching the events happen before your own eyes. He crafted such a tense atmosphere and an emotional tale which captivated me from start to finish. I loved reading about Cyprus and some of its folklore, Despo’s journey to childbirth and Loukas’ internal turmoil.
A Good Year by Polis Loizou was definitely an intriguing reading experience. One which makes me excited about what he has in store for us next and the works he already gifted us.
Representation: Cypriote protagonist, gay Cypriote protagonist, queer white English secondary character, Cypriote secondary and tertiary characters, Armenian tertiary character, Turkish tertiary character.
Content Warning: death, anxiety, violence, toxic masculinity, sexism, xenophobia, internalised homophobia, alcohol.
A Good Year by Polis Loizou is an intriguing historical novella tinged with Cyprian folkloristic tales and horror-ish vibes set in a post-World War I Cyprus, in the span of twelve days between Christmas and the Epiphany, centring the questioning Loukas and his expecting wife Despo.
It is very fitting that the word “good” is in the title because this novella is so, so, so good! The word is there for other reasons, but still, so, so good!
I love reading new-to-me authors and savour their writing and Polis Loizou is no exception. He is not new to me as in I have never heard of him because I was already aware of his past works, but I had not yet had the chance to experience his writing style. His writing transports you to another time and a completely different place effortlessly as if you were astral projecting and watching the events happen before your own eyes. He crafted such a tense atmosphere and an emotional tale which captivated me from start to finish. I loved reading about Cyprus and some of its folklore, Despo’s journey to childbirth and Loukas’ internal turmoil.
A Good Year by Polis Loizou was definitely an intriguing reading experience. One which makes me excited about what he has in store for us next and the works he already gifted us.
November 21, 2021
A Good Year is a novel about folklore, desires, and tradition, as a Cypriot couple pass the twelve days of Christmas. In 1920s rural Cyprus, Despo is pregnant and afraid of local legends that suggest a dangerous time for her and her baby, but her new husband Loukas is little help, as he seems distracted. Loukas' mind is on something much more tangible: his desires for the Englishman who lives in their village, and if these are the sign of the devil.
This is a folk gothic horror story that combines tradition with lingering moments of modernity after the First World War, and considers the impact of traditional lore and fears upon people and their minds. For a long time I didn't realise when it was meant to be set, which made me a bit confused, but generally I enjoyed the setting and the way the atmosphere was built up, especially around folktales and the church as separate and yet intertwined. I thought the twelve days of Christmas structure also worked very well, building up tension and giving the story a very specific sense of time, both only a few days but also looking back over the year.
I enjoyed how A Good Year combines a tale of desire and not finding a framework for yourself within traditional values alongside a creepily lingering folk gothic story of pregnancy and evil creatures. At times I lost track of some of the side characters (and I should've checked the blurb as to when it was set) so it's worth taking your time with this one to enjoy the atmosphere.
This is a folk gothic horror story that combines tradition with lingering moments of modernity after the First World War, and considers the impact of traditional lore and fears upon people and their minds. For a long time I didn't realise when it was meant to be set, which made me a bit confused, but generally I enjoyed the setting and the way the atmosphere was built up, especially around folktales and the church as separate and yet intertwined. I thought the twelve days of Christmas structure also worked very well, building up tension and giving the story a very specific sense of time, both only a few days but also looking back over the year.
I enjoyed how A Good Year combines a tale of desire and not finding a framework for yourself within traditional values alongside a creepily lingering folk gothic story of pregnancy and evil creatures. At times I lost track of some of the side characters (and I should've checked the blurb as to when it was set) so it's worth taking your time with this one to enjoy the atmosphere.
January 4, 2022
Set in rural Cyprus shortly after WW1, the story is about a newly married couple, Despo and Loukas. They have both lost their parents and it seems have little in common apart from this, and the fact that no one else would have them. It takes place during the 12 days of Christmas, when according to local folklore, demons known as Kalikantzari are abroad. Despo, who is in the last stages of pregnancy is desperately afraid she'll give birth during that time leaving her child vulnerable to these creatures. Meanwhile, Louise has his own demons to face; he has feelings for an English man who is staying in the village.
While I can see that this is well written, I found I wasn't particularly drawn to the characters and cared little about them; this could be down to the novella form, or it could be to do with the translation. I found the setting interesting, but on the whole it didn't quite live up to my expectation.
*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion*
While I can see that this is well written, I found I wasn't particularly drawn to the characters and cared little about them; this could be down to the novella form, or it could be to do with the translation. I found the setting interesting, but on the whole it didn't quite live up to my expectation.
*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion*
January 7, 2024
cyprian folklore!!! and it's queer 😍
April 8, 2022
Published April 1, A Good Year represents a fascinating type of magic realism. It does exactly what I look for when I read world literature, giving me a glimpse into the perspectives and everyday lives of other cultures, in this case, through their folklore.
There is something archetypal about the unearthly beings and the elements of the life cycle that are playing out, and yet the geography and specific belief system and practices serve as artifacts of early 20th century Cyprus. All in all, an excellent short read.
Thank you to Polis Loizou, Fairlight Books, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
There is something archetypal about the unearthly beings and the elements of the life cycle that are playing out, and yet the geography and specific belief system and practices serve as artifacts of early 20th century Cyprus. All in all, an excellent short read.
Thank you to Polis Loizou, Fairlight Books, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2022
(thanks to netgalley & fairlight books for the advance copy!)
am on the fence with this one. it's sparse, and its characters are earthy & solid but not entirely emotionally real; on the one hand, works really well as a piece of modern fairy-tale telling for those reasons, on the other, also for those reasons, it didn't entirely work as either horror or history or becoming-narrative for me ?
there were elements that felt particular and tonally interesting, esp the food and all the rituals accompanying it, of exchange and generosity and gratitude, & the practice of blessing the hands of the person who cooked for you; i'm v curious abt superstition generally, and i think the rhythms of ritual and tradition and faith and magic were a really Good backbone fr this novella. but i think the central emotional tensions of the novel were only half there, & even though what Did exist was interesting, my experience of the characters' fears and desires was too muted to feel as much as i wanted when they reached their climax.
am on the fence with this one. it's sparse, and its characters are earthy & solid but not entirely emotionally real; on the one hand, works really well as a piece of modern fairy-tale telling for those reasons, on the other, also for those reasons, it didn't entirely work as either horror or history or becoming-narrative for me ?
there were elements that felt particular and tonally interesting, esp the food and all the rituals accompanying it, of exchange and generosity and gratitude, & the practice of blessing the hands of the person who cooked for you; i'm v curious abt superstition generally, and i think the rhythms of ritual and tradition and faith and magic were a really Good backbone fr this novella. but i think the central emotional tensions of the novel were only half there, & even though what Did exist was interesting, my experience of the characters' fears and desires was too muted to feel as much as i wanted when they reached their climax.
April 21, 2022
*3.5 stars*
I enjoyed this! The setting was so interesting and atmospheric. I thought it was well written and felt that the characters were believable.
I'm excited to see what Polis Loizou will publish in the future!
I enjoyed this! The setting was so interesting and atmospheric. I thought it was well written and felt that the characters were believable.
I'm excited to see what Polis Loizou will publish in the future!
December 15, 2022
A strange and rather dark little book about a pregnant Cypriot woman, her in-the-closet and suffering for it gay husband, and the other villagers and foreign visitors in rural Cyprus during the twelve days of Christmas.
Most of it has to do with superstitions and demonic folklore, local rituals, Cypriot Catholicism, and specific food-stuffs (this was my favourite part - the book made me hungry, when it didn't make me depressed). The rest of it has to do with a heart-broken and lonely young wife, terrified of giving birth to a deformed or demonic baby*, and having her baby stolen or cursed, and receiving no comfort from a distant, self-absorbed husband. (The wife's name is Despo, which I felt rather fit her desperation).
*when I marked this book as 'to read', I instantly thought of The Very Scary Almanac I had read as a teen - apparently in Greek culture, a child conceived on a certain day and born on Christmas was destined to become a demon. I figured this was a similar myth here, but I'm still none the wiser.
And the husband's point of view is no picnic, either. Full of self-hatred for not being 'a real man', at least not really in his view, because he was born gay and was unable to change that or repress it entirely, Loukas is abjectly miserable. It's awful to read. Then he ends up having a tryst with a red headed Englishman in the vineyard. If you, like me, had hoped that this is the point at which the tide turns, and Loukas can at least find peace and self-acceptance, you'd be wrong.
It's rather rambling, and dark. It has some violence in it and death, and, well perhaps it was above me but, I didn't see any of that as serving a purpose. It's like a 'slice of life of miserable, superstitious and fearful Cypriot peasants'. With the added bonus of . This bit, practically at the end, bugged me because the . Immediately following this, we go back to Loukas's POV at another local custom at Epiphany, which I understood, sort of, only in retrospect - the ritualistic content is heavy, and I found myself a bit at sea (in this last scene, literally) trying to follow that alone. I needed more background. I honestly couldn't tell if it was another dream or not, but I suppose it wasn't.
Overall: rather unsatisfying. Lots of foreshadowing, no resolution (unless I missed it somehow).
ALSO: don't be reading this if you're pregnant with your first child, or if you've miscarried and don't want to be reminded of that, or if you're afraid of miscarrying in the future. Being inside Despo's head isn't very fun, and I think the fear is a little contagious. And I'm not sure of what it's like to be a gay man, so I can't comment on whether or not Loukas's thoughts and experiences would be vindicating or identifiable or not.. but it seemed really tragically sad and depressing to me. I don't want to spoil the ending (I'm not totally sure I understand it, tbh), but this, I think,
Since virtually ALL of the other reviewers state that they received a copy of the book for free, I would like to say: I DID NOT RECEIVE ANYTHING FOR FREE - I PURCHASED A HARD COPY OF THIS BOOK. So my review comes with no feelings of obligation towards the publishers or whomever else.
Just thought it was worth stating. ;) Might be easier to be critical when you had to fork out yourself, or? ;)
Most of it has to do with superstitions and demonic folklore, local rituals, Cypriot Catholicism, and specific food-stuffs (this was my favourite part - the book made me hungry, when it didn't make me depressed). The rest of it has to do with a heart-broken and lonely young wife, terrified of giving birth to a deformed or demonic baby*, and having her baby stolen or cursed, and receiving no comfort from a distant, self-absorbed husband. (The wife's name is Despo, which I felt rather fit her desperation).
*when I marked this book as 'to read', I instantly thought of The Very Scary Almanac I had read as a teen - apparently in Greek culture, a child conceived on a certain day and born on Christmas was destined to become a demon. I figured this was a similar myth here, but I'm still none the wiser.
And the husband's point of view is no picnic, either. Full of self-hatred for not being 'a real man', at least not really in his view, because he was born gay and was unable to change that or repress it entirely, Loukas is abjectly miserable. It's awful to read. Then he ends up having a tryst with a red headed Englishman in the vineyard. If you, like me, had hoped that this is the point at which the tide turns, and Loukas can at least find peace and self-acceptance, you'd be wrong.
It's rather rambling, and dark. It has some violence in it and death, and, well perhaps it was above me but, I didn't see any of that as serving a purpose. It's like a 'slice of life of miserable, superstitious and fearful Cypriot peasants'. With the added bonus of . This bit, practically at the end, bugged me because the . Immediately following this, we go back to Loukas's POV at another local custom at Epiphany, which I understood, sort of, only in retrospect - the ritualistic content is heavy, and I found myself a bit at sea (in this last scene, literally) trying to follow that alone. I needed more background. I honestly couldn't tell if it was another dream or not, but I suppose it wasn't.
Overall: rather unsatisfying. Lots of foreshadowing, no resolution (unless I missed it somehow).
ALSO: don't be reading this if you're pregnant with your first child, or if you've miscarried and don't want to be reminded of that, or if you're afraid of miscarrying in the future. Being inside Despo's head isn't very fun, and I think the fear is a little contagious. And I'm not sure of what it's like to be a gay man, so I can't comment on whether or not Loukas's thoughts and experiences would be vindicating or identifiable or not.. but it seemed really tragically sad and depressing to me. I don't want to spoil the ending (I'm not totally sure I understand it, tbh), but this, I think,
Since virtually ALL of the other reviewers state that they received a copy of the book for free, I would like to say: I DID NOT RECEIVE ANYTHING FOR FREE - I PURCHASED A HARD COPY OF THIS BOOK. So my review comes with no feelings of obligation towards the publishers or whomever else.
Just thought it was worth stating. ;) Might be easier to be critical when you had to fork out yourself, or? ;)
March 9, 2022
"A Good Year" is a vivid and intense slow-burn centered on a couple about to have their first child in early 20th century Cyprus. There should be calm during the twelve days of Christmas, but with every passing day, the tension builds and the cracks in the main characters' fears grow wider, until finally the chasms open up and eat them whole (figuratively speaking).
The prose, translated from Greek, flows well and captures just the right uneasy tone of someone looking over their shoulder in a sunny field or a creaking house at night. Overall, it's a quick and high-quality read.
Recommended for a tense historical fiction piece, or if you're in the mood for a ambiguous ending bolstered by wonderful prose.
Thank you to Netgalley and Fairlight Books for giving me a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The prose, translated from Greek, flows well and captures just the right uneasy tone of someone looking over their shoulder in a sunny field or a creaking house at night. Overall, it's a quick and high-quality read.
Recommended for a tense historical fiction piece, or if you're in the mood for a ambiguous ending bolstered by wonderful prose.
Thank you to Netgalley and Fairlight Books for giving me a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2021
I’m the first to review this book properly for GR, not all that surprisingly, because this certainly is something of an acquired taste.
Ok, so…I recently downloaded a bunch of these short novels by Fairlight books with the goal of stepping up my international reading. This one takes the readers not only to a different place, but to a different time.
Cyrpus, post WWI, is a place divided. Multinational, though not quite a melting pot, it exists profoundly steeped in superstition and old traditions. It’s 1925, but it comes across as medieval in its dedicated backwardness. Among this, one young family, a man and his heavily pregnant wife, are trying to survive a fairly ominous Christmas season.
The book is structured as 12 chapters for 12 days of Christmas, though it isn’t exactly a heartwarming seasonal read. Quite the opposite, in fact. The man in the story is wrestling with his secret homosexual side as he is, time and again, tempted by the redhaired married Englishman living on the island; the woman has to with pregnancy fears and both of them are terrified of the local evil creatures that are either real or vividly imagined.
The book does a good job of creating a time and place and utilizing that as characters, but overall, it didn’t quite work for me – the motional engagement just wasn’t there. Interesting, competently written and relentlessly bleak, this is probably the sort of thing one has to be in the mood for. Thanks Netgalley.
Ok, so…I recently downloaded a bunch of these short novels by Fairlight books with the goal of stepping up my international reading. This one takes the readers not only to a different place, but to a different time.
Cyrpus, post WWI, is a place divided. Multinational, though not quite a melting pot, it exists profoundly steeped in superstition and old traditions. It’s 1925, but it comes across as medieval in its dedicated backwardness. Among this, one young family, a man and his heavily pregnant wife, are trying to survive a fairly ominous Christmas season.
The book is structured as 12 chapters for 12 days of Christmas, though it isn’t exactly a heartwarming seasonal read. Quite the opposite, in fact. The man in the story is wrestling with his secret homosexual side as he is, time and again, tempted by the redhaired married Englishman living on the island; the woman has to with pregnancy fears and both of them are terrified of the local evil creatures that are either real or vividly imagined.
The book does a good job of creating a time and place and utilizing that as characters, but overall, it didn’t quite work for me – the motional engagement just wasn’t there. Interesting, competently written and relentlessly bleak, this is probably the sort of thing one has to be in the mood for. Thanks Netgalley.
August 25, 2022
Structured around the twelve days of Christmas in a countdown to Epiphany, this is a tale which activates folk horror in the shape of malevolent troll-like creatures, alongside superstition and religion. The focus of the portents seems to be a pregnant woman (surprise!) - but actually, the more potent struggle is that of her husband, facing up to his submerged desire for another man.
This is set on Cyprus in the 1920s and while there is nice attention to Cypriot rites and culture, I didn't get a feel for the time setting. A fast read but I wanted more spookiness, more characterisation and generally more bite.
This is set on Cyprus in the 1920s and while there is nice attention to Cypriot rites and culture, I didn't get a feel for the time setting. A fast read but I wanted more spookiness, more characterisation and generally more bite.
January 15, 2022
‘A Good Year’ was a fantastic read! It has a great concept, with different story threads coming together to make a really beautiful book. It was tense, emotional and captures the different journeys of the characters, really well. Loizou’s future work will definitely be added to my TBR!
March 30, 2022
I’ve never read fiction set in Cyprus, so reading “A Good Year” written by Polis Loizou was a treat for me!
The story of Despo and her husband Loukas is a tale of folklore, horror and a queer love story.
Despo is heavily pregnant with he first child and finds herself both physically and emotionally alone during Christmas, and Loukas continues to retreat into himself—especially after a sexual encounter with an English tourist. Both are devout in their Christian faith, and their lives revolve around the ceremonious traditions and beliefs which they believe will keep them safe from harm. What harm can possibly come? The harm inflicted by the kalikantzari: creatures from Hell which are known for causing harm and wreaking havoc. Will Despo’s child be born alive? Deformed? Healthy? Can Loukas rid himself of his impure desire for the Englishman? Is his desire the work of the devil? These questions, among others, preoccupy the couple as they move through the Christmas season, ever closer to the birth of their son.
I found this short work of fiction interestingly dark and moving. I’m not a fan of reading about homosexuality as an impurity or influence of the devil. However, considering this setting is rural Cyprus in 1925, it’s clear that these viewpoints are a sign of the times. I found the heavy influence of religion and rituals/superstition fascinating. The performative nature of religion and culture in this story are suffocating at times, which I believe is indicative of how it would have felt for Despo and Loukas, form whom this would have just been their lifestyle. It’s a stark reminder though of how we haven’t moved very far. Although our performance is in a digital sphere, we’re still pretending and living in a time when culture is considered a religion.
Loizou’s focus is not primarily on setting or creating a scene, yet his portrayal of rural Cyprus was done so well. “A Good Year” is certainly an atmospheric novella, and I loved that aspect of the story. I also loved the introspection of both Despo and Loukas. They’re clearly at a point in their relationship when they know something is amiss, and they need to confront the issue head on. There were moments when I wanted to shake them both and tell them to speak with one another instead of keeping their innermost thoughts to themselves. Alas, it doesn’t happen, and the lack of character development is infuriating at best.
My only irritation about the story was the overuse of similes and metaphors. Loizou’s writing could carry itself without the embellishment.
If you’re interested in reading fiction from a country that, at least in Canada, we don’t have much access to, I would recommend this short, unsettling story of lives on the precipice. Many thanks to Fairlight Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers’ copy of “A Good Year” in exchange for an honest review.
An enthusiastic 3.5 stars from me!
The story of Despo and her husband Loukas is a tale of folklore, horror and a queer love story.
Despo is heavily pregnant with he first child and finds herself both physically and emotionally alone during Christmas, and Loukas continues to retreat into himself—especially after a sexual encounter with an English tourist. Both are devout in their Christian faith, and their lives revolve around the ceremonious traditions and beliefs which they believe will keep them safe from harm. What harm can possibly come? The harm inflicted by the kalikantzari: creatures from Hell which are known for causing harm and wreaking havoc. Will Despo’s child be born alive? Deformed? Healthy? Can Loukas rid himself of his impure desire for the Englishman? Is his desire the work of the devil? These questions, among others, preoccupy the couple as they move through the Christmas season, ever closer to the birth of their son.
I found this short work of fiction interestingly dark and moving. I’m not a fan of reading about homosexuality as an impurity or influence of the devil. However, considering this setting is rural Cyprus in 1925, it’s clear that these viewpoints are a sign of the times. I found the heavy influence of religion and rituals/superstition fascinating. The performative nature of religion and culture in this story are suffocating at times, which I believe is indicative of how it would have felt for Despo and Loukas, form whom this would have just been their lifestyle. It’s a stark reminder though of how we haven’t moved very far. Although our performance is in a digital sphere, we’re still pretending and living in a time when culture is considered a religion.
Loizou’s focus is not primarily on setting or creating a scene, yet his portrayal of rural Cyprus was done so well. “A Good Year” is certainly an atmospheric novella, and I loved that aspect of the story. I also loved the introspection of both Despo and Loukas. They’re clearly at a point in their relationship when they know something is amiss, and they need to confront the issue head on. There were moments when I wanted to shake them both and tell them to speak with one another instead of keeping their innermost thoughts to themselves. Alas, it doesn’t happen, and the lack of character development is infuriating at best.
My only irritation about the story was the overuse of similes and metaphors. Loizou’s writing could carry itself without the embellishment.
If you’re interested in reading fiction from a country that, at least in Canada, we don’t have much access to, I would recommend this short, unsettling story of lives on the precipice. Many thanks to Fairlight Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers’ copy of “A Good Year” in exchange for an honest review.
An enthusiastic 3.5 stars from me!
April 11, 2022
Received from NetGalley, thanks!
2.5 stars
*SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD!*
Okay, I'm not quite sure what I just read... Probably, if I had read the synopsis, I wouldn't have requested this one, as overall the story doesn't really sound like something I would be in to. But that is not how I roll; I just request things willy nilly and hope for the best. Didn't really work out for me this time. I mean, it wasn't bad, I just didn't really like it. It was definitely more litfic-y than I would usually choose.
So, the book is set in 1925 in Cyprus and follows a married couple, Despo and Loukas, who are expecting their first baby. It takes place over Christmas, which felt a bit weird to be reading, as we are finally coming out of winter!
Something that I found interesting was how religion and folklore were so interwoven in this story. The people of this small village are extremely religious, religion pretty much dictates every aspect of their lives. But then, so does folklore. There are so many little traditions that everyone follows; keeping the fire lit for the entire 12 days of Christmas, at one point someone dies and Despo (who is just about to give birth) isn't allowed to lay down or sleep until the body is buried, the idea that you can catch a demon with a loop of string. Loukas is also convinced that he's been cursed/turned into a demon because his grape vines are diseased and he's catching feelings for the red-haired Englishman who has recently moved to the island.
Overall, it was an okay story, though I found it extremely slow (it took me 5 days to read a 144 page long book). I was okay with it being slow, but then the ending just completely confused me. Like, I don't understand what happened. There were also some really weird things happening in the last couple of chapters, that didn't seem to make much sense and didn't really have an impact on the story. I don't know... I feel like maybe I am not smart enough for this story? Or maybe it's a cultural thing and I'm missing something because I'm not familiar with Cyprian culture?
As I've been writing this review, I've slowly talked myself down from a 3 star rating to a 2.5 star rating... Which I feel a bit bad about, but also, I just don't know that this is a 3 star read (for me).
2.5 stars
*SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD!*
Okay, I'm not quite sure what I just read... Probably, if I had read the synopsis, I wouldn't have requested this one, as overall the story doesn't really sound like something I would be in to. But that is not how I roll; I just request things willy nilly and hope for the best. Didn't really work out for me this time. I mean, it wasn't bad, I just didn't really like it. It was definitely more litfic-y than I would usually choose.
So, the book is set in 1925 in Cyprus and follows a married couple, Despo and Loukas, who are expecting their first baby. It takes place over Christmas, which felt a bit weird to be reading, as we are finally coming out of winter!
Something that I found interesting was how religion and folklore were so interwoven in this story. The people of this small village are extremely religious, religion pretty much dictates every aspect of their lives. But then, so does folklore. There are so many little traditions that everyone follows; keeping the fire lit for the entire 12 days of Christmas, at one point someone dies and Despo (who is just about to give birth) isn't allowed to lay down or sleep until the body is buried, the idea that you can catch a demon with a loop of string. Loukas is also convinced that he's been cursed/turned into a demon because his grape vines are diseased and he's catching feelings for the red-haired Englishman who has recently moved to the island.
Overall, it was an okay story, though I found it extremely slow (it took me 5 days to read a 144 page long book). I was okay with it being slow, but then the ending just completely confused me. Like, I don't understand what happened. There were also some really weird things happening in the last couple of chapters, that didn't seem to make much sense and didn't really have an impact on the story. I don't know... I feel like maybe I am not smart enough for this story? Or maybe it's a cultural thing and I'm missing something because I'm not familiar with Cyprian culture?
As I've been writing this review, I've slowly talked myself down from a 3 star rating to a 2.5 star rating... Which I feel a bit bad about, but also, I just don't know that this is a 3 star read (for me).
March 11, 2022
Polis Loizou weaves a beguiling spell in 'A Good Year'. The novel draws on Cypriot folklore and history, relating the story of a poor married couple, the heavily pregnant Despo and her brooding husband Loukas, during the Twelve Days of Christmas.
At this time, creatures from myth are said to crawl forth and prey upon the living. Loizou frames the human drama at the heart of the story with eerie elements just out of sight - ghosts of the past, figures in the wood and half-seen limbs disappearing up chimneys... When Loukas finds himself drawn to a visiting Englishman, he is called to question his entire world. Meanwhile, Despo is left alone in the cottage wondering if she is the source of her husband's sorrow. Or does darkness threaten from beyond in the shape of the cunning kalikantzaro? A series of misfortunes surround the couple, and gossip threatens to upend their simple lives.
Will love and faith be enough to save them?
With deft prose and authentic dialogue, 'A Good Year' presents a tale on a par with Naomi Novik's 'Spinning Silver'. There are insightful moments of cultural perspectives (the English who wear few clothes in the Cypriot winter) and moving emotional scenes (the romantic struggle of the men in the woods), all knitting together a well-realised story, one of surprising depth for its brevity. The plot is gripping and original, with characters you'll care about.
While revealing a little seen world, Loizou spins a modern fable with a masterful touch, the novel emerging as a rare work of grace, with shadows of the uncanny around the edges, and sighs and shivers along the way.
*The publisher provided me with an advance copy for an honest review*
At this time, creatures from myth are said to crawl forth and prey upon the living. Loizou frames the human drama at the heart of the story with eerie elements just out of sight - ghosts of the past, figures in the wood and half-seen limbs disappearing up chimneys... When Loukas finds himself drawn to a visiting Englishman, he is called to question his entire world. Meanwhile, Despo is left alone in the cottage wondering if she is the source of her husband's sorrow. Or does darkness threaten from beyond in the shape of the cunning kalikantzaro? A series of misfortunes surround the couple, and gossip threatens to upend their simple lives.
Will love and faith be enough to save them?
With deft prose and authentic dialogue, 'A Good Year' presents a tale on a par with Naomi Novik's 'Spinning Silver'. There are insightful moments of cultural perspectives (the English who wear few clothes in the Cypriot winter) and moving emotional scenes (the romantic struggle of the men in the woods), all knitting together a well-realised story, one of surprising depth for its brevity. The plot is gripping and original, with characters you'll care about.
While revealing a little seen world, Loizou spins a modern fable with a masterful touch, the novel emerging as a rare work of grace, with shadows of the uncanny around the edges, and sighs and shivers along the way.
*The publisher provided me with an advance copy for an honest review*
January 23, 2022
An enchanting novella about how folklore and religion can fuel fear and uncertainty during our most vulnerable moments. A Good Year is set during the twelve days after Christmas where a heavily pregnant Despo is riddled with nightmares, sleepless nights and visions of creatures from folkloric stories her father would tell her as a child. During this her husband, Loukas, is haunted by desires for the foreign newcomer who has enchanted his spirit and unveiled a deep longing he has forever tried to keep hidden. As the two battle against the fears instilled by religion and folklore, they are torn apart and unable to reach one and other to ensure the safety of their unborn child.
A hauntingly beautiful story which is filled with magic, tension and mystery. Polis Loizou create, in only 150 pages, a mystifying world where superstition prevails against reality. Terrifyingly he touches on a shared experience among all of us, no matter our age, gender or culture, which is the stories of our childhoods.
Set in 1925 in Cyprus, Loizou introduced us to the Kalikantzari, a goblin like creature which come up from hell during the twelve days after Christmas. These evil mythical beings lurk in the deep darkness of the wintery nights and act as cautionary tale for the children of the village. With Despo’s baby on the way, she fears that he may be born during those twelve days and may become a victim of one of the folklore.
The poetic prose and beautiful visuals juxtaposed with the grotesque creatures and heartbreaking reality allows us to bounce between the key ideas of the book. Love and fear in all their forms. A Good Year is a suspenseful story which offers a warm sadness beneath its magic and terror, and in the end softens it’s gaze as the twelve days pass and sunshine prevails.
Thank you to Fairlight Books for allowing me to read and review an arc of this beautiful book.
Read
January 9, 2026Μέσα στις φετινές διακοπές των Χριστουγέννων αποφάσισα να διαβάσω μόνο επίκαιρα βιβλία.
Φτάνει με τα μαζοχιστικά αναγνώσματα όπως άλλες χρονιές (βλέπε Αδερφούς Καραμάζοφ, Κρίλεζα, και Οδύσσεια Καζαντζάκη)
Από την παραμονή της Προπαραμονής (22 Δεκ.) ως ανήμερα των Φώτων (6 Ιαν.) διάβασα μόνο Χριστουγεννιάτικα.
Έκανα αρχή με τα Χριστουγεννιάτικα διηγήματα του Παπαδιαμάντη που μας μεταφέρουν στην Σκιάθο στα τέλη 19ου αιώνα, ακολούθως την Χριστουγεννιάτικη Ιστορία του Ντίκενς που μας μεταφέρει στην Αγγλία των αρχών του 19ου αιώνα, συνέχισα με το A Good Year του Poli Loizou που μας μεταφέρει στην Κύπρο του 1925 και φινάλε έκανα με τη νορβηγική νουβέλα της Ingvild Rishøi, Ο δρόμος προς τα αστέρια.
Ο Πόλυς Λοΐζου παρόλο που από το 2001 έχει έδρα την Αγγλία και γράφει στα αγγλικά η γραφή του έχει κυπριακή εσάνς. Δεν είναι όπως άλλους Κύπριους της Αγγλίας που γράφουν για την Κύπρο αλλά σαν Άγγλοι περισσότερο.
Το βιβλίο του δε θα μπορούσε να είναι πιο επίκαιρο, με τίτλο Μια Καλή Χρονιά, και να διαδραματίζεται τα Χριστούγεννα του 1925 και να τελειώνει τα Φώτα του 1926 με βασικό θέμα τους καλικάντζαρους που εμφανίζονται στην Κύπρο το Δωδεκαήμερο.
Ένα βιβλίο που δεν έχει φυσικά και το πιο ευχάριστο κλίμα αλλά προσωπικά μου άρεσε. Μια έγκυος που παλεύει με τις δυσιδαιμονίες της εποχής, με ένα σύζυγο που παλεύει με την σεξουαλικότητά του και όλο αυτό με μια εσάνς μαγικού ρεαλισμού όπου το στοιχείο των καλικάντζαρων ο αφηγητής δεν το αποκλείει εντελώς από τη σφαίρα της πραγματικότητας.
Μια μικρή νουβέλα που θα ήθελα να ήταν λίγο μεγαλύτερη και με ένα πιο κλειστό τελείωμα, όχι open ended που λένε και στο χωριό μου.
Φτάνει με τα μαζοχιστικά αναγνώσματα όπως άλλες χρονιές (βλέπε Αδερφούς Καραμάζοφ, Κρίλεζα, και Οδύσσεια Καζαντζάκη)
Από την παραμονή της Προπαραμονής (22 Δεκ.) ως ανήμερα των Φώτων (6 Ιαν.) διάβασα μόνο Χριστουγεννιάτικα.
Έκανα αρχή με τα Χριστουγεννιάτικα διηγήματα του Παπαδιαμάντη που μας μεταφέρουν στην Σκιάθο στα τέλη 19ου αιώνα, ακολούθως την Χριστουγεννιάτικη Ιστορία του Ντίκενς που μας μεταφέρει στην Αγγλία των αρχών του 19ου αιώνα, συνέχισα με το A Good Year του Poli Loizou που μας μεταφέρει στην Κύπρο του 1925 και φινάλε έκανα με τη νορβηγική νουβέλα της Ingvild Rishøi, Ο δρόμος προς τα αστέρια.
Ο Πόλυς Λοΐζου παρόλο που από το 2001 έχει έδρα την Αγγλία και γράφει στα αγγλικά η γραφή του έχει κυπριακή εσάνς. Δεν είναι όπως άλλους Κύπριους της Αγγλίας που γράφουν για την Κύπρο αλλά σαν Άγγλοι περισσότερο.
Το βιβλίο του δε θα μπορούσε να είναι πιο επίκαιρο, με τίτλο Μια Καλή Χρονιά, και να διαδραματίζεται τα Χριστούγεννα του 1925 και να τελειώνει τα Φώτα του 1926 με βασικό θέμα τους καλικάντζαρους που εμφανίζονται στην Κύπρο το Δωδεκαήμερο.
Ένα βιβλίο που δεν έχει φυσικά και το πιο ευχάριστο κλίμα αλλά προσωπικά μου άρεσε. Μια έγκυος που παλεύει με τις δυσιδαιμονίες της εποχής, με ένα σύζυγο που παλεύει με την σεξουαλικότητά του και όλο αυτό με μια εσάνς μαγικού ρεαλισμού όπου το στοιχείο των καλικάντζαρων ο αφηγητής δεν το αποκλείει εντελώς από τη σφαίρα της πραγματικότητας.
Μια μικρή νουβέλα που θα ήθελα να ήταν λίγο μεγαλύτερη και με ένα πιο κλειστό τελείωμα, όχι open ended που λένε και στο χωριό μου.
January 29, 2022
Each chapter in this novella is one of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The villagers in rural Cyprus celebrate each one with visits to the church, family, and food. However, the superstitions and folklore are intertwined with the Christian rites. Coupled with individual animosities and collective xenophobia, one begins to wonder what the real reason-for-the-season is.
Despo and Loukas are a young couple expecting their first child to be born by Epiphany, January 6, 1925. Despo goes about her day taking care of their very humble home while Loukas works in their vineyard. She is worried about the baby and wonders about Loukas: why can’t he just let her love him; and does he want this baby. Loukas doesn’t want to be in the house. He is going through a personal crisis, and sees himself as a sinner because of his attraction to William, an Englishman visiting their village.
Often, it is easier to blame supernatural as the cause for our difficulties, and this is true for Despo and Loukas. Despo is certain that she must protect herself and her unborn child from the Kalikantzari: creatures that come up from the underground only during the Twelve Days of Christmas to cause mayhem. Loukas, however, sees himself as a sinner in need of God’s mercy.
I would have enjoyed this book more if some of the plotlines and inner dialogues were developed further. For example, characters often change their thoughts every paragraph. When we next see the character, there is no evidence that they are affected by their reflections.
This was an enjoyable and quick read. It made me explore the Kalikantzari further; and for that alone, this novella was worth it.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Fairlight Books for the opportunity to read and review this novella.
Despo and Loukas are a young couple expecting their first child to be born by Epiphany, January 6, 1925. Despo goes about her day taking care of their very humble home while Loukas works in their vineyard. She is worried about the baby and wonders about Loukas: why can’t he just let her love him; and does he want this baby. Loukas doesn’t want to be in the house. He is going through a personal crisis, and sees himself as a sinner because of his attraction to William, an Englishman visiting their village.
Often, it is easier to blame supernatural as the cause for our difficulties, and this is true for Despo and Loukas. Despo is certain that she must protect herself and her unborn child from the Kalikantzari: creatures that come up from the underground only during the Twelve Days of Christmas to cause mayhem. Loukas, however, sees himself as a sinner in need of God’s mercy.
I would have enjoyed this book more if some of the plotlines and inner dialogues were developed further. For example, characters often change their thoughts every paragraph. When we next see the character, there is no evidence that they are affected by their reflections.
This was an enjoyable and quick read. It made me explore the Kalikantzari further; and for that alone, this novella was worth it.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Fairlight Books for the opportunity to read and review this novella.
November 24, 2021
A Good Year was a quick but intense and interesting read that blended emotional drama with gothic folktale. It's one of those stories where it will be up to the individual reader to decide if the folklore aspects are 'real' or an elaborate metaphor. I personally viewed it as the latter, and interpreted the book as such. Essentially, this is a story of secrets threatening to bubble over in a small, rural community still steeped in the old ways as the modern world tries to seep in. Despite the short length of the piece, both Despo and Loukas came across as well-drawn characters with emotional depth, and the narration held my interest from start to finish. Well worth a read if you are looking for a darker drama with a folkloric twist that you can read in a single sitting.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 2, 2021
I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for a review. This, dear reader, is that review.
I really enjoyed A Good Year by Polis Loizou. I went into the book with absolutely no expectations, and discovered an interesting piece of writing that charmed the heck out of me. Set over the course of the twelve days of Christmas in a small town in Cyprus in 1925, this story of a woman and her husband facing fear, desire, and mystery managed to be enchanting, claustrophobic, and powerful.
The superstitions and folklore of the townfolk inform the story and create a feeling of heightened reality. Despo and Loukas, husband and wife and parents to an unborn child, both deal with isolation and secret fears as the days pass and Despo comes closer to giving birth.
I really loved this book.
I really enjoyed A Good Year by Polis Loizou. I went into the book with absolutely no expectations, and discovered an interesting piece of writing that charmed the heck out of me. Set over the course of the twelve days of Christmas in a small town in Cyprus in 1925, this story of a woman and her husband facing fear, desire, and mystery managed to be enchanting, claustrophobic, and powerful.
The superstitions and folklore of the townfolk inform the story and create a feeling of heightened reality. Despo and Loukas, husband and wife and parents to an unborn child, both deal with isolation and secret fears as the days pass and Despo comes closer to giving birth.
I really loved this book.
January 30, 2025
As a Queer Cypriot woman this book just twisted me. The superstitions and the way they manifest into reality. The way community binds and splits, the people that love you, hate you. The presence of the church ever present, comforting and haunting, always judging and demanding and yet forgiving.
This book is a reminder of where we come from and where we go as Cypriots, as the queer community in the island. The glimpses of the present mixed with the reminders of the past.
Our best told stories - of the kalikatzari, of the epiphany, of colonialism - stories we keep alive in our culture. Mixed with the unfair and tragic tale of Despo and Loukas. Neither of them deserve it. But it happened - and it happens. A story closer to me than anything, both personal and familial.
A beautiful novella and I am so glad it exists ❤️
This book is a reminder of where we come from and where we go as Cypriots, as the queer community in the island. The glimpses of the present mixed with the reminders of the past.
Our best told stories - of the kalikatzari, of the epiphany, of colonialism - stories we keep alive in our culture. Mixed with the unfair and tragic tale of Despo and Loukas. Neither of them deserve it. But it happened - and it happens. A story closer to me than anything, both personal and familial.
A beautiful novella and I am so glad it exists ❤️
March 18, 2022
This beautiful and fun book takes us through the folklore and tales leading up to a Christmas celebration, with creatures, spirits and stories peppered throughout to add life and texture.
As the characters go through their own personal struggles (sexuality, family cohesion, fears about the future) they also tie together beautifully in this story that felt like it was being delivered in an oral tradition.
It was fun, clever and very alive, and I enjoyed the ride greatly.
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As the characters go through their own personal struggles (sexuality, family cohesion, fears about the future) they also tie together beautifully in this story that felt like it was being delivered in an oral tradition.
It was fun, clever and very alive, and I enjoyed the ride greatly.
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2022
This was a creepy fairytale/folklore story about a Cyprian family that expects their first child.
I enjoyed the folklore aspect, but I didn't enjoy the dialogue. The story is set in the 1950s and does read old.
It was an okay read.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the folklore aspect, but I didn't enjoy the dialogue. The story is set in the 1950s and does read old.
It was an okay read.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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