or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
449 used & new from £0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The Island
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book

The Island (Paperback)

by Victoria Hislop (Author)
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (287 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
Price: £5.09 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £2.90 (36%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Want guaranteed delivery by Thursday, February 11? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
46 new from £0.01 403 used from £0.01
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover 4 used & new from £3.96
Paperback (Australian ed) Order it used
Audio Download (Unabridged) £16.99 £8.92
or £3.99 with new Audible.co.uk membership.
Audio Download (Abridged) £15.99 £8.39
or £3.99 with new Audible.co.uk membership.
Hardcover (Large Print) 2 used & new from £11.10
Audio CD (Audiobook) £15.99 £10.86 20 used & new from £5.72

Frequently Bought Together

The Island + The Return + The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Total RRP: £23.97
Price For All Three: £13.33

Show availability and delivery details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Return

The Return

by Victoria Hislop
3.0 out of 5 stars (100)  £4.76
The Colony: The Harrowing True Story of the Exiles of Molokai

The Colony: The Harrowing True Story of the Exiles of Molokai

by John Tayman
£8.10
The Villa in Italy

The Villa in Italy

by Elizabeth Edmondson
3.8 out of 5 stars (25)  £4.70
The Forgotten Garden

The Forgotten Garden

by Kate Morton
4.3 out of 5 stars (179)  £4.21
The House at Riverton

The House at Riverton

by Kate Morton
3.7 out of 5 stars (306)  £4.23
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 496 pages
  • Publisher: Headline Review (10 April 2006)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0755309510
  • ISBN-13: 978-0755309511
  • Product Dimensions: 18.8 x 12.8 x 3.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (287 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 2,332 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #2 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > H > Hislop, Victoria

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

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 20060417 '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 20060416 'Gently gripping tale' -- Scotsman on Sunday 20060416 'Brings dignity and tenderness to her novel' -- Telegraph 20060430 'a compelling story that has rarely left the bestseller list this year and deservedly so' -- Sunday Express 20061203

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 )
See all Product Description
Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(23)
(10)
(9)
(5)
(5)
(5)
(4)
(3)
(2)
(1)
Agree with these tags?
See all 13 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Island
90% buy the item featured on this page:
The Island 3.6 out of 5 stars (287)
£5.09
The Return
7% buy
The Return 3.0 out of 5 stars (100)
£4.76
The Forgotten Garden
1% buy
The Forgotten Garden 4.3 out of 5 stars (179)
£4.21
The Villa in Italy
1% buy
The Villa in Italy 3.8 out of 5 stars (25)
£4.70
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

287 Reviews
5 star:
 (114)
4 star:
 (67)
3 star:
 (26)
2 star:
 (25)
1 star:
 (55)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.6 out of 5 stars (287 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
39 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful novel that makes you re-evaluate your views., 16 July 2006
By P. Bradburn "omegacontracts" (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
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.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
134 of 155 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Different books for different types of readers, 20 Feb 2007
I enjoyed The Island but I think it has to be admitted that it cast leprosy in an "old" light: a book mentioned below, John Tayman's The Colony was aimed at the serious reader who wants to know about leprosy from a non-fiction viewpoint, and Dinah Kung's Under Their Skin offers readers a more complex, engrossing novel where leprosy medicine is in the fabric of the story, but isn't the focus. The Island was obviously meant for beach reading, even said so on the cover. I'm studying public health so I'm thrilled to see authors looking at medicine this way for all kinds or levels of reading!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
30 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic beach read, 24 July 2006
By Amy Fox - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
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...
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Island
Fantastic book, made it all the more enjoyable as we had just come back from Crete and had done a trip out to Spinalonga. Read more
Published 10 days ago by Mrs. Kathryn L. Wood

4.0 out of 5 stars Resonates more over time...
A major theme of this novel is how things that previous generations do affects the lives of those born later. Read more
Published 15 days ago by Mrs. Fiona Wilton

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great read
It was a book recommended by my Mother, she was right (again!!) It is a great read - it inspired me to investigate the island of Spingalonga on the internet - what an inspiring... Read more
Published 25 days ago by Lesley Pitt

5.0 out of 5 stars A real page-turner!
A friend recommended this book to me several times and I always declined as I didn't think it would be "my thing". Read more
Published 1 month ago by A.S.

4.0 out of 5 stars Tragic Love Story
This is yet another novel that languished on my bookshelves waiting to be read for far too long. A fictional story of a families ties to a real life setting. Read more
Published 2 months ago by LindyLouMac

1.0 out of 5 stars Badly written
How did this book get published? How can Victoria Hislop live with herself? A good book if you have insomnia.
Published 2 months ago by Victoria Library IQ

4.0 out of 5 stars A lovely read - I couldn't put it down
This has to be one of the best books I've read in long time. The description of cretan life is so vivid you feel you're experiancing the seasons with the characters. Read more
Published 2 months ago by lizzie

2.0 out of 5 stars Deserted Island
I was looking for a novel that was a light antidote to the literary fiction I've recently been reading. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Not Stoppard

4.0 out of 5 stars The Island
A very good read. Fascinating history of the Greek Island where lepers were sent away from their families in order to prevent the disease spreading to others. Read more
Published 2 months ago by G. Richards

1.0 out of 5 stars Are we reading the same book?
Like previous reviewers, I also read this book as suggested as a book club recommendation. Not only that, it was the only book I took for a weekend away. Bad mistake. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Chris

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject








i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.