The Island
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Review
'Adding depth and colour to the story is the description of Cretan life... in particular, the vividly detailed account of life on Spinalonga... It is one of the achievements of this thoughtful novel that it presents the lives of the island's inhabitants with such empathy. The result is a fascinating work that combines a moving love story witha plea for more understanding about this most cruel of diseases.'
(The Times )'This is a vivid, moving and absorbing tale, with its sensitive, realistic engagement with all the consequences of, and stigma attached to leprosy, elevating it beyond holiday literature.'
(Observer )'Gently gripping tale'
(Scotsman on Sunday )'Brings dignity and tenderness to her novel'
(Telegraph )'a compelling story that has rarely left the bestseller list this year and deservedly so'
(Sunday Express )Product Description
On the brink of a life-changing decision, Alexis Fielding longs to find out about her mother's past. But Sofia has never spoken of it. All she admits to is growing up in a small Cretan village before moving to London. When Alexis decides to visit Crete, however, Sofia gives her daughter a letter to take to an old friend, and promises that through her she will learn more.
Arriving in Plaka, Alexis is astonished to see that it lies a stone's throw from the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga - Greece's former leper colony. Then she finds Fotini, and at last hears the story that Sofia has buried all her life: the tale of her great-grandmother Eleni and her daughters and a family rent by tragedy, war and passion. She discovers how intimately she is connected with the island, and how secrecy holds them all in its powerful grip... (20060416)
Arriving in Plaka, Alexis is astonished to see that it lies a stone's throw from the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga - Greece's former leper colony. Then she finds Fotini, and at last hears the story that Sofia has buried all her life: the tale of her great-grandmother Eleni and her daughters and a family rent by tragedy, war and passion. She discovers how intimately she is connected with the island, and how secrecy holds them all in its powerful grip... (20060416)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
106 of 111 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A beautiful novel that makes you re-evaluate your views.,
By
This review is from: The Island (Paperback)
This has to be one of the best books I have read in a long time. It is certainly a quality book but without being heavy like an old classic. It is well-researched and contains powerful imagery and detailed descriptions of Crete. It makes you want to go and look up the places on the internet so you can see exactly where the novel is set. It is tragic without being upsetting. This novel makes you think about how we treat people today with certain illnesses and explores class, prejudice and discrimination wonderfully. It also makes you consider those who put themselves at risk for the sake of others and humbles the reader.
The story is well structured and I was not able to guess what was going to happen in the end, but the book was so enjoyable throughout that I certainly wasn't hankering to see what would happen at the end. This is one of those books I was sad to finish and will be pushed to find one so good to read next. I will definately be buying the author's next book and would highly recommend this to anyone who likes books that let you escape abroad in your own home but with a bit of substance.
33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
So much better than I thought,
By
This review is from: The Island (Paperback)
I was a little dubious about this book because it seemed like so much beach holiday pulp, just the title suggests a short flight holiday with sand in everything.
I decided to give it a try though and I was pleasantly surprised. I was not overwhelmed by the character Alexis who is our way into the story, but once we went back in time to her great grandparents and the meat of the story I was engrossed. I thought the characters were very well written, and you felt empathy with all of them, even those who were behaved badly. I thought her descriptions of places were very good and not too long, as I have a habit of wandering off during descriptive ramblings. The pace was also good with days sometimes stretching for many pages and other times several years passing in a paragraph. I enjoyed it very much.
36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A fantastic beach read,
By
This review is from: The Island (Paperback)
This is a very touching and well written story. Hislop evokes real empathy for her characters' battles with the 'curse' of leprosy. The story details how the shame of the disease touched the lives of all affected family members, as well as the wider community. It is impossible not to feel the wrench of those who were exiled onto the leper colony of Spinalonga.
This is so well researched, that the events of the novel seemed real, without falling into the trap of writing a historical account. The plight of the central characters is so compelling that I couldn't put this book down. Further enhanced by beatiful depictions of it's Cretan setting, this book will encourage tourists to trek to Crete and the infamous Spinalonga. Sit back and enjoy...
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