Paperback: 481 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Headline Publishing
Source: Tywyn Public Library
First Sentences: 2016 In a small apartment in Athens, four generations gathered to celebrate a birthday.
Review Quote: 'Brings Greek history to compelling life' The Sunday Times
Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: The gripping new novel by Sunday Times Number One bestseller Victoria Hislop is set against the backdrop of the German occupation of Greece, the subsequent civil war and a military dictatorship, all of which left deep scars.Athens 1941. After decades of political uncertainty, Greece is polarised between Right- and Left-wing views when the Germans invade.Fifteen-year-old Themis comes from a family divided by these political differences. The Nazi occupation deepens the fault-lines between those she loves just as it reduces Greece to destitution. She watches friends die in the ensuing famine and is moved to commit acts of resistance.In the civil war that follows the end of the occupation, Themis joins the Communist army, where she experiences the extremes of love and hatred and the paradoxes presented by a war in which Greek fights Greek.Eventually imprisoned on the infamous islands of exile, Makronisos and then Trikeri, Themis encounters another prisoner whose life will entwine with her own in ways neither can foresee. And finds she must weigh her principles against her desire to escape and live.As she looks back on her life, Themis realises how tightly the personal and political can become entangled. While some wounds heal, others deepen.
My Opinion: 'Those Who Are Loved’ is a line from a poem that is well known in Greece, ‘Epitafios’ by Yannis Ritsos. Written in 1936 it is about love, grief and social justice, so not surprisingly when a dictatorship was imposed just a few months later, many copies of the poem were burnt.
It is
certainly a fitting title for this absorbing historical narrative which has
left me with a better understanding of Greece and its people. As with all of
Victoria Hislop’s novels her research is obvious. The pain and suffering of the
characters during the period leading up to WWII and in the years of civil
unrest afterwards is vividly described. With such a powerful back story the
reader is easily drawn into the extremely moving story of the Koralis family,
living in Athens. In particular the personal story of the protagonist Themis as
she relates a lifetimes experiences to her great grandchildren.
A
distressing read but well worth while as amongst the sorrow and angst there is
joy. As a long time fan of the author’s writing, I recommend her novels,
including this one, to those that like to learn some history behind the story.
Victoria Hislop has shown once again that she has a fervent interest in Greek
History.
Author Profile:
Born in Bromley, Kent in 1959, she was raised in Tonbridge, Kent, and attended Tonbridge Grammar School. She studied English at St Hilda's College, Oxford and worked in publishing and as a journalist before becoming an author. She lived in London for over 20 years, and now lives in Sissinghurst. She married Private Eye editor Ian Hislop on 16 April 1988 in Oxford. They have two children, Emily Helen (born 1990) and William David (born 1993).
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.Victoria acted as script consultant on the 26-part adaptation of The Island in Greece, which achieved record ratings for Greek television. Since then she has gone on to write many more successful novels which have been translated into more than 30 languages.
Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:
Twitter Victoria Hislop Official Website Victoria Hislop - Wikipedia
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