Items related to The Island (Charnwood Large Print)
An atmospheric, vibrant and moving first novel from an exciting new author.
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 Fortini, 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...
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
Hislop carefully evokes the lives of Cretans between the wars and during German occupation, but most commendable is her compassionate portrayal of the outcasts (Guardian)
Hislop is an exceptional writer with a strong voice who completely deserves rich success with this debut... Beautifully balanced, vivid and atmospheric prose (Newbury Weekly News)
War, tragedy and passion unfurl against a Mediterranean backdrop in this engrossing debut novel (You magazine)
Wonderful descriptions, strong characters and an intimate portrait of island existence (Woman & Home)
Passionately engaged with its subject...the author has meticulously researched her fascinating background and medical facts (The Sunday Times)
A page-turning tale that reminds us that love and life continue in even the most extraordinary of circumstances (Sunday Express)
Hislop's deep research, imagination and patent love of Crete creates a convincing portrait of times on the island. She writes evocatively of the minutiae of traditional life... She...manages to milk the dramatic potential of each unexpected twist and broken engagement, of the ruined and resurrected lives of her characters... A moving and absorbing holiday read that pulls at the heart strings (Evening Standard)
At last - a beach book with a heart... Meticulous research into Cretan culture...packed with family sagas, doomed love affairs, devastating secrets... She also forces us to reflect on illness, both the nasty, narrow-mindedness of the healthy and the spirit of survival in the so-called "unclean". Her message seems as relevant today as it would have been a century ago (Observer)
A moving and atmospheric tale (The Scotsman)
A promising debut (Grazia magazine)
Book Description:
Hislop is an exceptional writer with a strong voice who completely deserves rich success with this debut... Beautifully balanced, vivid and atmospheric prose (Newbury Weekly News)
War, tragedy and passion unfurl against a Mediterranean backdrop in this engrossing debut novel (You magazine)
Wonderful descriptions, strong characters and an intimate portrait of island existence (Woman & Home)
Passionately engaged with its subject...the author has meticulously researched her fascinating background and medical facts (The Sunday Times)
A page-turning tale that reminds us that love and life continue in even the most extraordinary of circumstances (Sunday Express)
Hislop's deep research, imagination and patent love of Crete creates a convincing portrait of times on the island. She writes evocatively of the minutiae of traditional life... She...manages to milk the dramatic potential of each unexpected twist and broken engagement, of the ruined and resurrected lives of her characters... A moving and absorbing holiday read that pulls at the heart strings (Evening Standard)
At last - a beach book with a heart... Meticulous research into Cretan culture...packed with family sagas, doomed love affairs, devastating secrets... She also forces us to reflect on illness, both the nasty, narrow-mindedness of the healthy and the spirit of survival in the so-called "unclean". Her message seems as relevant today as it would have been a century ago (Observer)
A moving and atmospheric tale (The Scotsman)
A promising debut (Grazia magazine)
A compelling portrayal of family ties, with vivid characters and an authentic Cretan background reminiscent of Captain Corelli's Cephalonia.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherUlverscroft Large Print Books Ltd
- Publication date2006
- ISBN 10 1846174228
- ISBN 13 9781846174223
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages536
- Rating
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