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The Island #1
韦慰 谓畏蟽委
螚 螒位苇尉喂蟼 位伪蠂蟿伪蟻维 谓伪 渭维胃蔚喂 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟺伪蟻蔚位胃蠈谓 蟿畏蟼 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪蟼 蟿畏蟼, 危慰蠁委伪蟼, 蟺慰蠀 蔚魏蔚委谓畏 蟿蠈蟽伪 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 苇魏蟻蠀尾蔚. 螢苇蟻蔚喂 渭蠈谓慰 蠈蟿喂 畏 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪 蟿畏蟼 渭蔚纬维位蠅蟽蔚 蟽' 苇谓伪 渭喂魏蟻蠈 蠂蠅蟻喂蠈 蟿畏蟼 螝蟻萎蟿畏蟼 蟺蟻慰蟿慰蠉 蠁蠉纬蔚喂 慰蟻喂蟽蟿喂魏维 纬喂伪 蟿慰 螞慰谓未委谓慰. 螌蟿伪谓 畏 螒位苇尉喂蟼 伪蟺慰蠁伪蟽委味蔚喂 谓伪 蔚蟺喂蟽魏蔚蠁胃蔚委 蟿畏谓 螝蟻萎蟿畏, 畏 危慰蠁委伪 蟿畏蟼 未委谓蔚喂 苇谓伪 纬蟻维渭渭伪 纬喂伪 渭喂伪 蟺伪位喂维 蟿畏蟼 蠁委位畏 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 蠀蟺蠈蟽蠂蔚蟿伪喂 蟺蠅蟼 伪蟺' 伪蠀蟿萎谓 胃伪 渭维胃蔚喂 蟿畏谓 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪.
螆魏蟺位畏魏蟿畏 畏 螒位苇尉喂蟼, 伪谓伪魏伪位蠉蟺蟿蔚喂 蟺蠅蟼 畏 味蠅萎 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂维蟼 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀谓未苇蔚蟿伪喂 维渭蔚蟽伪 渭蔚 蟿慰 渭喂魏蟻蠈 魏伪喂 蔚纬魏伪蟿伪位蔚位蔚喂渭渭苇谓慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿畏蟼 危蟺喂谓伪位蠈纬魏伪蟼 - 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻蠋畏谓 伪蟺慰喂魏委伪 蟿蠅谓 位蔚蟺蟻蠋谓. 螠伪胃伪委谓蔚喂 蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿畏蟼 纬喂伪纬喂维蟼 蟿畏蟼 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪蟼 蟿畏蟼, 蠈蟺蠅蟼 魏伪喂 蟿畏 未喂维位蠀蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂维蟼 蟿畏蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 蟿蟻伪纬蠅未委伪, 蟿慰谓 蟺蠈位蔚渭慰 魏伪喂 蟿伪 蟺维胃畏...
螆魏蟺位畏魏蟿畏 畏 螒位苇尉喂蟼, 伪谓伪魏伪位蠉蟺蟿蔚喂 蟺蠅蟼 畏 味蠅萎 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂维蟼 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀谓未苇蔚蟿伪喂 维渭蔚蟽伪 渭蔚 蟿慰 渭喂魏蟻蠈 魏伪喂 蔚纬魏伪蟿伪位蔚位蔚喂渭渭苇谓慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿畏蟼 危蟺喂谓伪位蠈纬魏伪蟼 - 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻蠋畏谓 伪蟺慰喂魏委伪 蟿蠅谓 位蔚蟺蟻蠋谓. 螠伪胃伪委谓蔚喂 蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿畏蟼 纬喂伪纬喂维蟼 蟿畏蟼 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪蟼 蟿畏蟼, 蠈蟺蠅蟼 魏伪喂 蟿畏 未喂维位蠀蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂维蟼 蟿畏蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 蟿蟻伪纬蠅未委伪, 蟿慰谓 蟺蠈位蔚渭慰 魏伪喂 蟿伪 蟺维胃畏...
501 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2005
3,236 people are currently reading
25.7k people want to read
About the author
Victoria Hislop
58听books1,994听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 3,996 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 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 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
Jo拧 jedna od meni dra啪ih uredni膷kih kupovina... Nesvakida拧nja knjiga, tema o kojoj ranije ni拧ta nismo znali, a sada zahvaljuju膰i ovoj knjizi i seriji koja je prikazivana pro拧le godine i mi ne拧to vi拧e znamo o tom periodu iz gr膷ke istorije...
Na啪alost, u Srbiji knjiga nije odmah "za啪ivela" zbog neadekvatnih korica (koje nisu bile moj izbor, promenjene su za drugo izdanje), dok je u Hrvatskoj odmah postala hit... Ono 拧to je meni kao uredniku uvek najdra啪e jeste to da je pri膷a o njoj kru啪ila od usta do usta i da je za啪ivela na usmenu preporuku...
Bila je ljuta borba da ne ka啪em "tu膷a" izme膽u tri izdava膷a oko ove knjige... :)
Po objavljivanju knjige Viktorija i ja smo se upoznale i sprijateljile... Ona je jedna divna i topla osoba i ve膰 godinama radim na tome da je dovedem u Srbiju da je i na拧i 膷itaoci upoznaju... I verujem da 膰u u tome uspeti (i sama Viktorija je svesna koliko sam energi膷na i uporna)... Moram jo拧 ne拧to da ka啪em za Viktoriju... Tokom godina upoznala sam mnoge pisce (i velike i male), i 膷esto posle tog u啪ivo upoznavanja vi拧e ne razmenite s autorom nijednu re膷... A Viktorija je i tu posebna... Kad smo se vratile sa Frankfurtskog sajma knjiga i Ivana Kuzmanovi膰 (koja je zajedno sa mnom upoznala Viktoriju) i ja dobile smo od Viktorije imejl u kome izra啪ava zadovoljstvo 拧to nas je upoznala...
Evo vam i vest iz prve ruke... Upravo mi je stigao tekst njene nove knjige "Nit", na poslednje uredni膷ko 膷itanje... I bo啪e zdravlja ide slede膰e nedelje u 拧tampu...
Viktorijin novi izdava膷 u Srbiji je 膶arobna knjiga... pratite njihov sajt da vidite kada 膰e knjiga ta膷no iza膰i iz 拧tampe...
A ja se narednih dana "skidam" s pisanja prikaza da bismo ispo拧tovali rokove :)
Na啪alost, u Srbiji knjiga nije odmah "za啪ivela" zbog neadekvatnih korica (koje nisu bile moj izbor, promenjene su za drugo izdanje), dok je u Hrvatskoj odmah postala hit... Ono 拧to je meni kao uredniku uvek najdra啪e jeste to da je pri膷a o njoj kru啪ila od usta do usta i da je za啪ivela na usmenu preporuku...
Bila je ljuta borba da ne ka啪em "tu膷a" izme膽u tri izdava膷a oko ove knjige... :)
Po objavljivanju knjige Viktorija i ja smo se upoznale i sprijateljile... Ona je jedna divna i topla osoba i ve膰 godinama radim na tome da je dovedem u Srbiju da je i na拧i 膷itaoci upoznaju... I verujem da 膰u u tome uspeti (i sama Viktorija je svesna koliko sam energi膷na i uporna)... Moram jo拧 ne拧to da ka啪em za Viktoriju... Tokom godina upoznala sam mnoge pisce (i velike i male), i 膷esto posle tog u啪ivo upoznavanja vi拧e ne razmenite s autorom nijednu re膷... A Viktorija je i tu posebna... Kad smo se vratile sa Frankfurtskog sajma knjiga i Ivana Kuzmanovi膰 (koja je zajedno sa mnom upoznala Viktoriju) i ja dobile smo od Viktorije imejl u kome izra啪ava zadovoljstvo 拧to nas je upoznala...
Evo vam i vest iz prve ruke... Upravo mi je stigao tekst njene nove knjige "Nit", na poslednje uredni膷ko 膷itanje... I bo啪e zdravlja ide slede膰e nedelje u 拧tampu...
Viktorijin novi izdava膷 u Srbiji je 膶arobna knjiga... pratite njihov sajt da vidite kada 膰e knjiga ta膷no iza膰i iz 拧tampe...
A ja se narednih dana "skidam" s pisanja prikaza da bismo ispo拧tovali rokove :)
June 10, 2019
韦慰 芦螡畏蟽委禄 萎蟿伪谓 苇谓伪 尾喂尾位委慰 蟺慰蠀 魏慰蟽渭慰蠉蟽蔚 蟿畏 尾喂尾位喂慰胃萎魏畏 蟿畏蟼 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪蟼 渭慰蠀. 螘蟺委 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪, 蠈蟺慰蟿蔚 蟺蔚蟻谓慰蠉蟽伪 伪蟺蠈 渭蟺蟻慰蟽蟿维 蟿慰蠀, 苇谓伪 蟽蠀谓伪委蟽胃畏渭伪 伪未喂伪蠁慰蟻委伪蟼 渭蔚 蟽蠀谓苇蟺伪喂蟻谓蔚. 螘委蠂伪 伪魏慰蠉蟽蔚喂 蟺蠅蟼 畏 伪谓蟿委蟽蟿慰喂蠂畏 蟿畏位蔚慰蟺蟿喂魏萎 蟽蔚喂蟻维 蟿慰蠀 Mega 萎蟿伪谓 渭委伪 蟺慰喂慰蟿喂魏萎 蟺伪蟻伪纬蠅纬萎, 伪位位维 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟺慰蟿苇 未蔚 渭慰蠀 芦纬苇渭喂味蔚禄 蟿慰 渭维蟿喂. 螆谓伪 危维尾尾伪蟿慰 蟺慰蠀 蔚委蠂伪 蔚蟺喂蟽魏蔚蠁胃蔚委 蟿畏 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪 渭慰蠀, 蔚委蟺伪 谓伪 蟿慰 未伪谓蔚喂蟽蟿蠋, 蟺喂慰 蟺慰位蠉 纬喂伪 蟿畏谓 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽畏 蟿蠅谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂魏蠋谓 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟿蠅谓 蟿畏蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂蠈未慰蠀. 螒蠀蟿蠈 蟺慰蠀 蟿蔚位喂魏维 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 伪蟺蔚委蠂蔚 蟺伪蟻伪蟽维纬纬伪蟼 伪蟺蠈 伪蠀蟿维 蟺慰蠀 蟺委蟽蟿蔚蠀伪. 螆谓伪 尾喂尾位委慰 蟺慰蠀 魏蟻维蟿畏蟽蔚 蟽蟿慰 蟺伪蟻伪蟽魏萎谓喂慰 蟿畏 谓蠈蟽慰 魏伪喂 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽委伪蟽蔚 渭委伪 蠀蟺苇蟻慰蠂畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 渭委伪蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼 蟺慰蠀 蠂蟿蠀蟺萎胃畏魏蔚 伪蟺蠈 蟺慰位位维 尾维蟽伪谓伪, 伪位位维 蟺维谓蟿伪 维谓蟿蔚蠂蔚, 蟺蔚谓胃慰蠉蟽蔚 蟽喂蠅蟺畏位维 魏伪喂 萎位蟺喂味蔚 纬喂伪 蟿慰 魏伪位蠉蟿蔚蟻慰. 围伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 魏伪位慰纬蟻伪渭渭苇谓慰喂, 未蠀谓伪蟿维 蟽蠀谓伪喂蟽胃萎渭伪蟿伪, 伪魏蟻喂尾蔚委蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂魏苇蟼 伪谓伪蠁慰蟻苇蟼 纬喂伪 蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿畏蟼 危蟺喂谓伪位蠈纬魏伪蟼, 魏伪喂 维蟻喂蟽蟿畏 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽委伪蟽畏 蟿蠅谓 蟺伪蟻伪未蠈蟽蔚蠅谓 魏伪喂 蟿蠅谓 蔚胃委渭蠅谓 蟿畏蟼 螝蟻萎蟿畏蟼.
螝伪渭喂维 蠁慰蟻维 蟺蟻苇蟺蔚喂 谓伪 伪蠁萎谓慰蠀渭蔚 蟽蟿畏谓 维魏蟻畏 蟿慰谓 蔚纬蠅喂蟽渭蠈 渭伪蟼 魏伪喂 谓伪 未委谓慰蠀渭蔚 蔚蠀魏伪喂蟻委蔚蟼 蟽蔚 尾喂尾位委伪 蟺慰蠀 胃蔚蠅蟻慰蠉渭蔚 伪魏伪蟿维位位畏位伪 纬喂伪 蟿伪 纬慰蠉蟽蟿伪 渭伪蟼. 韦慰 芦螡畏蟽委禄 萎蟿伪谓 维位位畏 渭委伪 蔚蟺喂尾蔚尾伪委蠅蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 位维胃慰蠀蟼 渭慰蠀...!
螝伪渭喂维 蠁慰蟻维 蟺蟻苇蟺蔚喂 谓伪 伪蠁萎谓慰蠀渭蔚 蟽蟿畏谓 维魏蟻畏 蟿慰谓 蔚纬蠅喂蟽渭蠈 渭伪蟼 魏伪喂 谓伪 未委谓慰蠀渭蔚 蔚蠀魏伪喂蟻委蔚蟼 蟽蔚 尾喂尾位委伪 蟺慰蠀 胃蔚蠅蟻慰蠉渭蔚 伪魏伪蟿维位位畏位伪 纬喂伪 蟿伪 纬慰蠉蟽蟿伪 渭伪蟼. 韦慰 芦螡畏蟽委禄 萎蟿伪谓 维位位畏 渭委伪 蔚蟺喂尾蔚尾伪委蠅蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 位维胃慰蠀蟼 渭慰蠀...!
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!
November 8, 2016
螠蔚 蟿慰 蟺伪蟻蠈谓 尾喂尾位委慰 畏 螔喂魏蟿蠈蟻喂伪 围委蟽位慰蟺 渭伪蟼 伪纬维蟺畏蟽蔚 蠅蟼 蠂蠋蟻伪 (苇渭伪胃蔚 蔚位位畏谓喂魏维, 萎蟻胃蔚 蟽蟿畏 蠂蠋蟻伪, 蟺位畏蟻蠋谓蔚喂 螘螡桅螜螒 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂 蟿畏蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 螝蟻萎蟿畏, 苇魏伪谓蔚 未慰蠀位蔚喂维 渭蔚 蟿慰 MEGA 魏伪喂 蔚尉伪魏慰位慰蠀胃蔚委 谓伪 渭伪蟼 伪纬伪蟺维蔚喂 - 尾苇尾伪喂伪 渭喂伪 螔蟻蔚蟿伪谓萎 胃蔚蠅蟻蔚委 位慰纬喂魏蠈 谓伪 蟺位畏蟻蠋蟽蔚喂 蠁蠈蟻慰 喂未喂慰魏蟿畏蟽委伪蟼 魏伪喂 蟽蟿慰 MEGA 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻慰蟽魏蠀谓慰蠉蟽伪谓 纬喂伪 蟿畏谓 蟿喂渭萎 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰蠀蟼 苇魏伪谓蔚 谓伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 未蠋蟽蔚喂 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟿畏蟼 - 纬蔚谓喂魏维 谓慰渭委味蠅 蠈蟿喂 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委味蔚蟿伪喂 渭蔚 渭蔚纬维位慰 蟽蔚尾伪蟽渭蠈 伪蟺蠈 蠈位慰 蟿慰谓 魏蠈蟽渭慰 魏伪喂 纬喂' 伪蠀蟿蠈 蔚尉伪魏慰位慰蠀胃蔚委 谓伪 渭伪蟼 伪纬伪蟺维蔚喂, 维蟽蔚 蟺慰蠀 魏喂 蔚渭蔚委蟼 渭畏 纬谓蠅蟻委蟽慰蠀渭蔚 蠁喂位苇位位畏谓伪, 蟿蔚渭蔚谓维未蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 魏维谓慰蠀渭蔚 - 魏位蔚委谓蠅 魏维蟺慰蠀 蔚未蠋 蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟻苇谓胃蔚蟽畏 纬喂伪 谓伪 蟺蠅 魏伪喂 未蠀慰 位蠈纬喂伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰!)
韦慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟿慰 蔚委蠂伪 未喂伪尾维蟽蔚喂 蟺伪蟻维位位畏位伪 渭蔚 蟿慰 蟽委蟻喂伪位. 螒蠀蟿蠈 蟺慰蠀 渭慰蠀 苇魏伪谓蔚 蔚蠀蠂维蟻喂蟽蟿畏 蔚谓蟿蠉蟺蠅蟽畏 蔚委谓伪喂 畏 苇蟻蔚蠀谓伪 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪 纬喂伪 蟿伪 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂魏维 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟿伪, 蠈蟺慰蠀 苇纬蟻伪蠄蔚 蟿畏谓 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪 - 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蟿畏谓 伪谓蟿喂位萎蠁胃畏魏蔚 畏 委未喂伪, 委蟽蠅蟼 慰喂 纬谓蠋蟽蟿蔚蟼 蟿畏蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪蟼 谓伪 苇蠂蔚蟿蔚 伪谓蟿喂蟻蟻萎蟽蔚喂蟼 - 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 "蟺慰喂畏蟿喂魏萎 伪未蔚委伪" 魏伪喂 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 谓伪 伪蠀蟿慰蟽蠂蔚未喂维蟽蔚喂, 蟺蟻慰蟽伪蟻渭慰味蠈渭蔚谓畏 渭蠈谓慰 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿维 蟺慰蠀 尾慰畏胃慰蠉蟽伪谓 蟿畏谓 蔚尉苇位喂尉畏 蟿畏蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪蟼.
螠喂伪 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓畏, 纬喂伪 渭喂伪 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪 蟺慰蠀 蟿伪 渭苇位畏 蟿畏蟼 伪纬伪蟺喂蠈蟿伪谓 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蟿慰蠀蟼, 伪位位维 蠂蠅蟻委蟽蟿畏魏伪谓 尾委伪喂伪, 未蠀慰 蠁慰蟻苇蟼 渭维位喂蟽蟿伪. 螚 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 蟺蟻蠅蟿伪纬蠅谓喂蟽蟿萎蟼 蟿畏蟼 蠀蟺蠈胃蔚蟽畏蟼, 蠈位伪 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟿蟻苇蠁慰谓蟿伪喂 纬蠉蟻蠅 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪 魏伪喂 蟿伪 渭苇位畏 蟿畏蟼, 蟿伪 慰蟺慰委伪 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委味慰蠀谓 蟿畏谓 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 蠈蟺蠅蟼 胃伪 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪谓 谓伪 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委味慰蠀谓 魏维蟺慰喂慰 维位位慰 蟽蠀渭尾维谓. 螜蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼 苇蟻蠅蟿伪, 蟺蟻慰未慰蟽委伪蟼, 伪蟺慰蠂蠅蟻喂蟽渭慰蠉, 蔚蟺伪谓伪蟽蠉谓未蔚蟽畏蟼, 纬蔚谓谓萎蟽蔚蠅谓, 胃伪谓维蟿慰蠀, 渭蔚 蠁蠈谓蟿慰 蟿畏谓 螘位慰蠉谓蟿伪 蟿蠅谓 渭苇蟽蠅谓 蟿慰蠀 20慰蠉 伪喂蠋谓伪. 螤慰位蠉 魏伪位萎 伪蠁萎纬畏蟽畏, 渭伪纬蔚蠉蔚喂 蟿慰谓 伪谓伪纬谓蠋蟽蟿畏 谓伪 蟺伪蟻伪魏慰位慰蠀胃萎蟽蔚喂 蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿蠅谓 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蠋谓 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼, 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蟿畏谓 伪魏慰蠉蔚喂 畏 螒位苇尉喂蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 蠁委位畏 蟿畏蟼 纬喂伪纬喂维蟼 蟿畏蟼!
螤蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏维 (蠅蟼 螛蔚蟽蟽伪位慰谓喂魏喂维) 蟺蟻慰蟿喂渭蠋 蟿慰 螡萎渭伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 螡畏蟽委....
韦慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟿慰 蔚委蠂伪 未喂伪尾维蟽蔚喂 蟺伪蟻维位位畏位伪 渭蔚 蟿慰 蟽委蟻喂伪位. 螒蠀蟿蠈 蟺慰蠀 渭慰蠀 苇魏伪谓蔚 蔚蠀蠂维蟻喂蟽蟿畏 蔚谓蟿蠉蟺蠅蟽畏 蔚委谓伪喂 畏 苇蟻蔚蠀谓伪 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪 纬喂伪 蟿伪 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂魏维 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟿伪, 蠈蟺慰蠀 苇纬蟻伪蠄蔚 蟿畏谓 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪 - 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蟿畏谓 伪谓蟿喂位萎蠁胃畏魏蔚 畏 委未喂伪, 委蟽蠅蟼 慰喂 纬谓蠋蟽蟿蔚蟼 蟿畏蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪蟼 谓伪 苇蠂蔚蟿蔚 伪谓蟿喂蟻蟻萎蟽蔚喂蟼 - 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 "蟺慰喂畏蟿喂魏萎 伪未蔚委伪" 魏伪喂 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 谓伪 伪蠀蟿慰蟽蠂蔚未喂维蟽蔚喂, 蟺蟻慰蟽伪蟻渭慰味蠈渭蔚谓畏 渭蠈谓慰 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿维 蟺慰蠀 尾慰畏胃慰蠉蟽伪谓 蟿畏谓 蔚尉苇位喂尉畏 蟿畏蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪蟼.
螠喂伪 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓畏, 纬喂伪 渭喂伪 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪 蟺慰蠀 蟿伪 渭苇位畏 蟿畏蟼 伪纬伪蟺喂蠈蟿伪谓 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蟿慰蠀蟼, 伪位位维 蠂蠅蟻委蟽蟿畏魏伪谓 尾委伪喂伪, 未蠀慰 蠁慰蟻苇蟼 渭维位喂蟽蟿伪. 螚 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 蟺蟻蠅蟿伪纬蠅谓喂蟽蟿萎蟼 蟿畏蟼 蠀蟺蠈胃蔚蟽畏蟼, 蠈位伪 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟿蟻苇蠁慰谓蟿伪喂 纬蠉蟻蠅 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪 魏伪喂 蟿伪 渭苇位畏 蟿畏蟼, 蟿伪 慰蟺慰委伪 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委味慰蠀谓 蟿畏谓 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 蠈蟺蠅蟼 胃伪 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪谓 谓伪 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委味慰蠀谓 魏维蟺慰喂慰 维位位慰 蟽蠀渭尾维谓. 螜蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼 苇蟻蠅蟿伪, 蟺蟻慰未慰蟽委伪蟼, 伪蟺慰蠂蠅蟻喂蟽渭慰蠉, 蔚蟺伪谓伪蟽蠉谓未蔚蟽畏蟼, 纬蔚谓谓萎蟽蔚蠅谓, 胃伪谓维蟿慰蠀, 渭蔚 蠁蠈谓蟿慰 蟿畏谓 螘位慰蠉谓蟿伪 蟿蠅谓 渭苇蟽蠅谓 蟿慰蠀 20慰蠉 伪喂蠋谓伪. 螤慰位蠉 魏伪位萎 伪蠁萎纬畏蟽畏, 渭伪纬蔚蠉蔚喂 蟿慰谓 伪谓伪纬谓蠋蟽蟿畏 谓伪 蟺伪蟻伪魏慰位慰蠀胃萎蟽蔚喂 蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿蠅谓 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蠋谓 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼, 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蟿畏谓 伪魏慰蠉蔚喂 畏 螒位苇尉喂蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 蠁委位畏 蟿畏蟼 纬喂伪纬喂维蟼 蟿畏蟼!
螤蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏维 (蠅蟼 螛蔚蟽蟽伪位慰谓喂魏喂维) 蟺蟻慰蟿喂渭蠋 蟿慰 螡萎渭伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 螡畏蟽委....
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.
August 9, 2020
4/5
Karantino 寞kar拧tyje i拧臈jus 鈥炁爄ltinei鈥� 鈥� puikiam romanui su toli gra啪u ne esmine, bet netipine, stereotipus lau啪an膷ia meil臈s istorija, ir nuostabiu, toli gra啪u ne vien patraukliu, 寞vairialypiu, 寞simintinu moters portretu, vis prisimindavau 鈥濻al膮鈥� 鈥� senokai skaityt膮, ta膷iau itin gil懦 寞spaud膮 atmintyje palikus寞 roman膮 apie raupsuot懦j懦 kolonij膮 Spinalong膮 鈥� sal膮 Graikijoje, 寞 kuri膮 buvo i拧tremiami gyventi visi, k臈l臋 pavoj懦 visuomenei, kurioje gyveno. Negal臈dama nematyti toki懦 artim懦 paraleli懦 tiek su 艩iltine, tiek su dabartine situacija Pasaulyje, 鈥濻al膮鈥� panorau perskaityti dar kart膮. Net ir jau膷iau menk膮 baim臋, kad knyga nebedarys tokio 寞sp奴d啪io kaip tuomet, kai ji pateko man, dar tik pradedan膷iai rimtesn臈s literat奴ros skaitytojai 寞 rankas.
Nors anotacijoje sakoma, kad istorija apie 拧iuolaikin臋 mergin膮, ie拧kan膷i膮 savo 拧akn懦, 拧is aspektas gana klaidinantis. Ties膮 sakant, Aleksis istorijos Saloje reik臈jo (ir buvo) ma啪iausiai 鈥� m臈tymasis tarp dabarties ir praeities buvo nereikalingas, kiek pritemptas ir visai nei拧pildytas. Jo nebuvimas knygai b奴t懦 tik pad臈j臋s 鈥� palik臋s autorei daugiau vietos pl臈toti kitus veik臈jus, kitas istorijas. Tiesa, pagrindin臈s 鈥� 寞 sal膮 i拧ve啪tos motinos ir jos dukr懦 pasakojimai 鈥� ne tik nepaprastai jautr奴s, nekasdieni拧ki ir 寞simintini, bet ir neperpildyti kli拧i懦, nors ir pie拧iami ne itin igudusios ra拧ytojos ranka. Meil臈s linijos netampa viso ko esme (nes dieva啪i, kaip lengva b奴t懦 nueiti 拧iuo keliu, argi ne?), vykstantis Antrasis Pasaulinis karas 鈥� aptariamas, ta膷iau nesureik拧minamas, nenukreipiantis d臈mesio nuo salos, kurioje gyvenimas teka visai kita vaga nei bet kur kitur 鈥� ne tik visoje Graikijoje, bet ir visame Pasaulyje. Nuo nulio kuriama bendruomen臈, nuolatos besikei膷ianti, demokratija, taisykli懦 k奴rimas, nesutarimai, vieta tiek skausmui, tiek nedr膮siai u啪gimstan膷ioms svajon臈ms. Sala, 寞 kuri膮 plaukiama numirti, neapsiriboja tik paskutini懦 dien懦 laukimu, o b奴tent t膮 Hislop ir atskleid啪ia geriausiai 鈥� kaip plaukia gyvenimas t懦, kurie visuomen臈s akyse yra neverti net menkiausios pagarbos, k膮 jau bekalb臈ti apie 啪mogi拧kum膮, teises ir laisves.
鈥濻ala鈥� 鈥� puikus pasirinkimas tiems, kurie ir dabartinio kasdienio siaubo akivaizdoje nori ne tik saugotis, bet ir suvokti, vadovautis ne akla panika, ta膷iau neu啪simerkti prie拧 faktus. Nei literat奴rine, nei veik臈j懦 pl臈tojimo, nei istorijos pasakojimo prasm臈mis tai n臈ra i拧 koj懦 ver膷iantis k奴rinys, bet visgi, papasakotas su tokia pagarba istorijai, jog nesi啪av臈ti ne寞manoma. U啪simerkiant prie拧 autor臈s slystel臈jimus 鈥� nereikalingus, ne visuomet 寞tikinan膷ius, linkstan膷ius banalumo pus臈n. Nors lygindama Sal膮 su 艩iltine galiu dr膮siai ir nesikuklindama 啪arstyti vien komplimentus pastarosios pus臈n, visgi Sala 鈥� vertas d臈mesio reikalas. Ypa膷 tiems, kurie m臈gsta paveikias, gyvenimi拧kas istorijas, ta膷iau nebegal臈t懦 i拧kent臈ti dar vieno pavap臈jimo apie ka啪kieno mamos sesers tetos pusseser臋, suromantizuot膮 Au拧vic膮 ar bet koki膮 kit膮 siaubo viet膮 ir kok寞 netik臈tai atrast膮 lai拧k膮.
Karantino 寞kar拧tyje i拧臈jus 鈥炁爄ltinei鈥� 鈥� puikiam romanui su toli gra啪u ne esmine, bet netipine, stereotipus lau啪an膷ia meil臈s istorija, ir nuostabiu, toli gra啪u ne vien patraukliu, 寞vairialypiu, 寞simintinu moters portretu, vis prisimindavau 鈥濻al膮鈥� 鈥� senokai skaityt膮, ta膷iau itin gil懦 寞spaud膮 atmintyje palikus寞 roman膮 apie raupsuot懦j懦 kolonij膮 Spinalong膮 鈥� sal膮 Graikijoje, 寞 kuri膮 buvo i拧tremiami gyventi visi, k臈l臋 pavoj懦 visuomenei, kurioje gyveno. Negal臈dama nematyti toki懦 artim懦 paraleli懦 tiek su 艩iltine, tiek su dabartine situacija Pasaulyje, 鈥濻al膮鈥� panorau perskaityti dar kart膮. Net ir jau膷iau menk膮 baim臋, kad knyga nebedarys tokio 寞sp奴d啪io kaip tuomet, kai ji pateko man, dar tik pradedan膷iai rimtesn臈s literat奴ros skaitytojai 寞 rankas.
Nors anotacijoje sakoma, kad istorija apie 拧iuolaikin臋 mergin膮, ie拧kan膷i膮 savo 拧akn懦, 拧is aspektas gana klaidinantis. Ties膮 sakant, Aleksis istorijos Saloje reik臈jo (ir buvo) ma啪iausiai 鈥� m臈tymasis tarp dabarties ir praeities buvo nereikalingas, kiek pritemptas ir visai nei拧pildytas. Jo nebuvimas knygai b奴t懦 tik pad臈j臋s 鈥� palik臋s autorei daugiau vietos pl臈toti kitus veik臈jus, kitas istorijas. Tiesa, pagrindin臈s 鈥� 寞 sal膮 i拧ve啪tos motinos ir jos dukr懦 pasakojimai 鈥� ne tik nepaprastai jautr奴s, nekasdieni拧ki ir 寞simintini, bet ir neperpildyti kli拧i懦, nors ir pie拧iami ne itin igudusios ra拧ytojos ranka. Meil臈s linijos netampa viso ko esme (nes dieva啪i, kaip lengva b奴t懦 nueiti 拧iuo keliu, argi ne?), vykstantis Antrasis Pasaulinis karas 鈥� aptariamas, ta膷iau nesureik拧minamas, nenukreipiantis d臈mesio nuo salos, kurioje gyvenimas teka visai kita vaga nei bet kur kitur 鈥� ne tik visoje Graikijoje, bet ir visame Pasaulyje. Nuo nulio kuriama bendruomen臈, nuolatos besikei膷ianti, demokratija, taisykli懦 k奴rimas, nesutarimai, vieta tiek skausmui, tiek nedr膮siai u啪gimstan膷ioms svajon臈ms. Sala, 寞 kuri膮 plaukiama numirti, neapsiriboja tik paskutini懦 dien懦 laukimu, o b奴tent t膮 Hislop ir atskleid啪ia geriausiai 鈥� kaip plaukia gyvenimas t懦, kurie visuomen臈s akyse yra neverti net menkiausios pagarbos, k膮 jau bekalb臈ti apie 啪mogi拧kum膮, teises ir laisves.
鈥濻ala鈥� 鈥� puikus pasirinkimas tiems, kurie ir dabartinio kasdienio siaubo akivaizdoje nori ne tik saugotis, bet ir suvokti, vadovautis ne akla panika, ta膷iau neu啪simerkti prie拧 faktus. Nei literat奴rine, nei veik臈j懦 pl臈tojimo, nei istorijos pasakojimo prasm臈mis tai n臈ra i拧 koj懦 ver膷iantis k奴rinys, bet visgi, papasakotas su tokia pagarba istorijai, jog nesi啪av臈ti ne寞manoma. U啪simerkiant prie拧 autor臈s slystel臈jimus 鈥� nereikalingus, ne visuomet 寞tikinan膷ius, linkstan膷ius banalumo pus臈n. Nors lygindama Sal膮 su 艩iltine galiu dr膮siai ir nesikuklindama 啪arstyti vien komplimentus pastarosios pus臈n, visgi Sala 鈥� vertas d臈mesio reikalas. Ypa膷 tiems, kurie m臈gsta paveikias, gyvenimi拧kas istorijas, ta膷iau nebegal臈t懦 i拧kent臈ti dar vieno pavap臈jimo apie ka啪kieno mamos sesers tetos pusseser臋, suromantizuot膮 Au拧vic膮 ar bet koki膮 kit膮 siaubo viet膮 ir kok寞 netik臈tai atrast膮 lai拧k膮.
December 22, 2018
螛蠀渭维渭伪喂 渭伪蟼 蔚委蠂伪谓 蟺维蔚喂 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 蟽蠀谓苇未蟻喂慰, 蟿慰 蔚委蠂伪 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿伪 蠂伪蟻蟿喂维, 蟿慰 未喂维尾伪味伪 魏蟻蠀蠁维 魏伪喂 萎胃蔚位伪 谓伪 魏位维蠄蠅 魏慰蟿味维渭 纬维喂未伪蟻慰蟼.
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鈥檛 know much about leprosy at all so I found this fiction weaved with facts novel really interesting.
I鈥檓 definitely inspired now to visit Crete and Spinalonga in the future.
Four stars.
I had not known such an island existed and I didn鈥檛 know much about leprosy at all so I found this fiction weaved with facts novel really interesting.
I鈥檓 definitely inspired now to visit Crete and Spinalonga in the future.
Four stars.
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
螤慰位蠉 渭慰蠀 维蟻蔚蟽蔚! 螛委纬慰谓蟿伪蟼 苇谓伪 蔚蠀伪委蟽胃畏蟿慰 魏喂 蔚蟺喂魏委谓未蠀谓慰蠀 胃苇渭伪, 魏伪蟿维蠁蔚蟻蔚 畏 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 谓伪 渭伪蟼 蠂伪蟻委蟽蔚喂 苇谓伪 蟽蟺慰蠀未伪委慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟺慰蠀 蔚蠀蟿蠉蠂畏蟽蔚 魏伪喂 蟽蔚 渭喂伪 魏伪蟿伪蟺位畏魏蟿喂魏萎 蟿畏位蔚慰蟺蟿喂魏萎 渭蔚蟿伪蠁慰蟻维.
September 8, 2012
Este foi o segundo livro de Victoria Hislop que li, depois de diversas meninas dos f贸runs me terem persuadido a ler, especialmente a Vera Neves, afirmando ser ainda melhor que o A Arca. Mas uma vez tiveram raz茫o. Antes de mais devo congratular a autora pelo seu exaustivao trabalho de pesquisa acerca da lepra. Todos n贸s j谩 ouvimos falar da lepra, nem que tenha sido, como eu, na catequese e na leitura da B铆blia ou, se recordam do pai de um dos personagens de Braveheart, n茫o me recordo agora o nome dele. No entanto o meu contato ou informa莽茫o com esta doen莽a n茫o passava da铆. Aqui al茅m de toda a est贸ria envolvente na A Ilha, apercebemo-nos de uma problem谩tica relativamente recente e infelizmente, ainda ativa em diversos pa铆ses do nosso planeta. Relativamente 脿 narrativa, adorei as personagens, todas elas, inclusive Anna. Sempre tive, desde m铆uda, uma predile莽茫o especial pelos 芦maus da fita禄 e realmente Anna 茅 a especiaria mais picante e mais garrida da hist贸ria. A hist贸ria de sua m茫e e Maria, irm茫, em tanto semelhante com exce莽茫o o final, fizeram-me suspirar e acender a luz perto das 4h da manh茫 para ler os cap铆tulos finais. As escolhas de Sofia, especialmente as m谩s escolhas t茫o habituais na adolesc锚ncia/come莽o da idade adulta, recordam-me a mim nessa fase bem como algumas adolescentes que acompanho hoje em dia... sim estou a divagar. Relativamente 脿s personagens masculinas deste livro, para mim passam apenas por personagens secund谩rias uma vez que todas as personagens femininas t锚m uma personalidade bastante mais relevante do que qualquer um deles, desde a doce, corajosa e s谩bia Eleni, a tranquila, ponderada mas sofredora Maria e claro, a imprudente, ego铆sta e impetuosa Anna. No fundo, as tr锚s faces de uma mulher no decorrer do seu crescimento. Aconselho a lerem at茅 ao momento em que Fontini come莽a a contar a hist贸ria familiar a Alexis, depois tentam parar... se conseguirem!
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.
螝伪位维
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.
螝伪位维
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.
January 14, 2024
RELEITURA (que n茫o 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 h谩 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 n茫o desilude os seus leitores de obras anteriores, pois voltamos a cruzar-nos com personagens muito bem constru铆das, com um enredo e correspondente ritmo que nos envolvem do princ铆pio ao fim.
Tal como acontece em "O Regresso", "A Ilha" apresenta-nos a hist贸ria de uma fam铆lia, de quatro gera莽玫es suas, com as quais vamos travando conhecimento principalmente atrav茅s dos seus elementos femininos - Eleni, Anna e Maria, Sofia e Alexis. 脡 a viagem desta 煤ltima 脿s ilhas gregas que desencadeia todo um desenrolar de recorda莽玫es da fam铆lia de sua m茫e, Sofia, das quais nunca havia tido conhecimento. E 茅 sobretudo a partir deste momento da narrativa, do momento em que Fontini inicia o relato da hist贸ria da fam铆lia a Alexis que n茫o conseguimos largar o livro, tal 茅 a vontade que sentimos em ler e ler at茅 nos tornarmos conhecedores de todos os segredos, aventuras e desventuras desta fam铆lia grega.
N茫o posso deixar de referir uma problem谩tica que est谩 omnipresente na narrativa e que teve um papel preponderante na hist贸ria da fam铆lia de Alexis - a doen莽a da lepra que afetou diretamente dois dos seus membros. Gra莽as 脿 excelente pesquisa da autora, tomamos conhecimento de que essa enfermidade dilacerou muitas fam铆lias gregas e que as medidas adotadas pelas autoridades (at茅 脿 descoberta da sua cura) passavam por isolar e ostracizar os enfermos na ilha de Spin谩longa.
Por tudo isto que foi mencionado, pela for莽a e envolv锚ncia da narrativa, pelas personagens repletas de personalidade e pelos factos hist贸ricos que unem todos estes fatores, recomendo vivamente a leitura de "A Ilha"!
Deixo abaixo o texto da leitura original, feita h谩 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 n茫o desilude os seus leitores de obras anteriores, pois voltamos a cruzar-nos com personagens muito bem constru铆das, com um enredo e correspondente ritmo que nos envolvem do princ铆pio ao fim.
Tal como acontece em "O Regresso", "A Ilha" apresenta-nos a hist贸ria de uma fam铆lia, de quatro gera莽玫es suas, com as quais vamos travando conhecimento principalmente atrav茅s dos seus elementos femininos - Eleni, Anna e Maria, Sofia e Alexis. 脡 a viagem desta 煤ltima 脿s ilhas gregas que desencadeia todo um desenrolar de recorda莽玫es da fam铆lia de sua m茫e, Sofia, das quais nunca havia tido conhecimento. E 茅 sobretudo a partir deste momento da narrativa, do momento em que Fontini inicia o relato da hist贸ria da fam铆lia a Alexis que n茫o conseguimos largar o livro, tal 茅 a vontade que sentimos em ler e ler at茅 nos tornarmos conhecedores de todos os segredos, aventuras e desventuras desta fam铆lia grega.
N茫o posso deixar de referir uma problem谩tica que est谩 omnipresente na narrativa e que teve um papel preponderante na hist贸ria da fam铆lia de Alexis - a doen莽a da lepra que afetou diretamente dois dos seus membros. Gra莽as 脿 excelente pesquisa da autora, tomamos conhecimento de que essa enfermidade dilacerou muitas fam铆lias gregas e que as medidas adotadas pelas autoridades (at茅 脿 descoberta da sua cura) passavam por isolar e ostracizar os enfermos na ilha de Spin谩longa.
Por tudo isto que foi mencionado, pela for莽a e envolv锚ncia da narrativa, pelas personagens repletas de personalidade e pelos factos hist贸ricos que unem todos estes fatores, recomendo vivamente a leitura de "A Ilha"!
April 14, 2019
蠀蟺萎蟻蠂蔚 渭喂伪 蔚蟺慰蠂萎 蟺慰蠀 未喂伪尾维味伪渭蔚 蟺慰位蠉 伪纬谓慰蟿蔚蟻伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿蠋蟻伪. 未蔚谓 蠀蟺萎蟻蠂蔚 facebook 魏维谓蔚喂蟼 未蔚谓 渭伪蟼 蟺喂蟺委位喂味蔚 蟿伪 伪蠀蟿喂维 渭蔚 未喂伪蠁畏渭委蟽蔚喂蟼 渭蟺蔚蟽蟿 蟽蔚位蔚蟻 ,未蔚谓 蠀蟺萎蟻蠂伪谓 尾喂尾位喂慰慰渭伪未蔚蟼 魏伪喂 蠈位伪 萎蟿伪谓 魏伪位蠉蟿蔚蟻伪. 蟿蠈蟿蔚 位慰喂蟺蠈谓 苇蟺蔚蟽蔚 魏伪喂 蟽蟿伪 蠂蔚蟻喂维 渭慰蠀 慰蠉蟿蔚 胃蠀渭维渭伪喂 蟺蠅蟼 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰. 蟽蠀谓萎胃蠅蟼 渭蔚 蔚谓慰蠂位蔚委 谓伪 纬蟻维蠁蔚喂 苇谓伪蟼 尉苇谓慰蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 渭蠀胃喂蟽蟿蠈蟻畏渭伪 渭蔚 蠁蠈谓蟿慰 蟿畏谓 螘位位维未伪 谓慰渭委味蠅 蟺蠅蟼 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蟺喂维蟽蔚喂 蟿慰谓 蔚位位畏谓喂魏蠈 蟺伪位渭蠈. 危蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟺苇蟿蠀蠂蔚 蟽蠂蔚未蠈谓 蟿伪 蟺维谓蟿伪. 蟿慰 胃苇渭伪 蟿慰蠀 蟺蟻蠅蟿蠈蟿蠀蟺慰 . 渭苇蠂蟻喂 魏伪喂 蟽萎渭蔚蟻伪 未蔚谓 尉苇蟻蠅 蟺慰位位维 尾喂尾位委伪 谓伪 苇蠂慰蠀谓 蟿慰蟺慰胃蔚蟿畏胃蔚委 蟽蟿畏谓 危蟺喂谓伪位蠈纬魏伪. 惟蟻伪委慰 尾喂尾位委慰 ,蠅蟻伪委伪 蟺位慰魏萎 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 谓伪 魏维谓蔚喂 蟺慰蠀胃蔚谓维 魏慰喂位喂维 蟿蟻慰渭蔚蟻慰委 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 ,未蟻伪渭伪蟿喂魏蠈 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 谓伪 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺伪胃萎蟽蔚喂 谓伪 蟽慰蠀 尾纬维位蔚喂 魏位维渭伪 渭蔚 蟿慰 味蠈蟻喂 .蟿蟻慰渭蔚蟻萎 畏 魏慰蟻蠉蠁蠅蟽畏 蟽蟿慰 蟿苇位慰蟼 , 蟿蠈蟽伪 蠂蟻慰谓喂维 渭蔚蟿维 魏伪喂 伪魏蠈渭伪 胃蠀渭维渭伪喂 蟿畏谓 蟺位慰魏萎
May 15, 2020
"Elle d茅couvrait l'h茅roisme derriere l'humiliation, l谩 passion derriere la perfidie, l'amour derriere l谩 l茅pre."
O primeiro romance que li em franc锚s.馃槉 Gostei bastante da hist贸ria. Adorei a Maria, uma mulher corajosa, preocupada com os outros e que passou por tantas coisas, a morte da m茫e, 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 脿 sua fam铆lia.
N茫o sabia que tinha existido uma col贸nia de leprosos ao p茅 de Creta na primeira metade do s茅culo XX. Foi tamb茅m um pouco de hist贸ria sobre uma doen莽a que, para n贸s est谩 erradicada, mas que infelizmente ainda subsiste em pa铆ses menos desenvolvidos.
Uma excelente leitura, que demorou algum tempo, porque, al茅m do franc锚s, o in铆cio da hist贸ria era lento, mas necess谩rio para perceber o contexto, mas quando come莽ou a contar a vida da Maria, prendeu-me completamente.
O primeiro romance que li em franc锚s.馃槉 Gostei bastante da hist贸ria. Adorei a Maria, uma mulher corajosa, preocupada com os outros e que passou por tantas coisas, a morte da m茫e, 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 脿 sua fam铆lia.
N茫o sabia que tinha existido uma col贸nia de leprosos ao p茅 de Creta na primeira metade do s茅culo XX. Foi tamb茅m um pouco de hist贸ria sobre uma doen莽a que, para n贸s est谩 erradicada, mas que infelizmente ainda subsiste em pa铆ses menos desenvolvidos.
Uma excelente leitura, que demorou algum tempo, porque, al茅m do franc锚s, o in铆cio da hist贸ria era lento, mas necess谩rio para perceber o contexto, mas quando come莽ou a contar a vida da Maria, prendeu-me completamente.
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.
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鈥檇 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.
July 11, 2020
韦慰 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 蔚喂魏慰蟽喂蟿蔚蟿蟻维蠅蟻慰. 危蠀纬魏位慰谓喂蟽蟿喂魏蠈. 韦慰 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂魏蠈 蠀蟺蠈尾伪胃蟻慰 蟿慰蠀 尾喂尾位委慰蠀 蟺慰位蠉 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰谓, 蟿慰 魏慰喂谓蠅谓喂魏蠈 蠁慰蟻蟿喂蟽渭苇谓慰 蟽蠀谓伪喂蟽胃畏渭伪蟿喂魏维. 螖蔚谓 苇蠂蠅 未喂伪尾维蟽蔚喂 维位位慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟿畏蟼 围委蟽位慰蟺, 渭蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟿畏谓 伪纬维蟺畏蟽伪 蟺维谓蟿蠅蟼
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