The Island
by Victoria Hislop
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 546)
Read in May, 2008
A story about a Greek family that endures love and losses for four generations. Sophia the main character has refused to share any details about her past and keeps her dark family secrets from her daughter, who is so very interested to know why the deception. When Sophia finally agrees that her daughter Alexis should visit her home town and some of her friends, she sends Alexis into a journey to the past.
Sophia has entrusted in her friend, Fontini to unfold her story to Alexis. There Al...more
Sophia has entrusted in her friend, Fontini to unfold her story to Alexis. There Al...more
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Read in January, 2007
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 ve...more
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Read in June, 2007
recommends it for:
no one
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, ...more
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, ...more
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When beloved mother and schoolteacher Eleni is diagnosed with leprosy, she is exiled to the Greek island and leper colony of Spinalonga. Left behind on Crete are her husband and two daughters, headstrong Anna and dutiful Maria. Years later, Eleni's great-granddaughter Alexis returns to Crete to find answers about her mother's secret family history. Conveniently, a witness to her family history is still alive to tell her—and us the story of love, loss, leprosy, and family ties. The novel is a r...more
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Read in August, 2007
I started reading it, although I don't usually read this kind of books. To my surprise, I couldn't put it down! I finished it in a day! I got so absorbed, nothing else mattered! I just wanted to know what came next!
The story of a family, the story of an island. The story of a disease.
A wonderful story. Lively descriptions, great research. A fantastic job by Victoria Hislop. This is her first book, by the way.
PS. Reading this book, made me think. There are so many people suffering ou...more
The story of a family, the story of an island. The story of a disease.
A wonderful story. Lively descriptions, great research. A fantastic job by Victoria Hislop. This is her first book, by the way.
PS. Reading this book, made me think. There are so many people suffering ou...more
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1 comments
Read in July, 2008
I found this book interesting and radable--a powerful personal narrative. Evocative of Crete and Greek life, and an interesting look into a leper colony in the early part of the 20th century. However, the ending felt very rushed. There was a leisurely, detailed story to tell, and then in the end, there was an ultimately unsatisfying "wrap-up" of two of the characters that simply glossed over their experiences. I definitely wanted more.
For an even stronger story, centered a little m...more
For an even stronger story, centered a little m...more
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Read in July, 2008
Originally I found it difficult to really get into this book, but once the historical part of the story, dealing with the leper colony, Spinalonga, took over, I was interested. This was definitely not a favorite book, but the story was interesting and enjoyable, and I really liked the ending (of the Spinalonga part). The modern-day story (at beginning and very end of book) were fairly generic, and truly weren't needed, in fact the book would have likely been stronger without them. Though not a f...more
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Read in February, 2008
I disliked this book for about the first half, but I kept trudging on. I did, however, become quite attached to a few of the characters and needed to see the story through. I was intrigued by the leper colony, since I don't know a lick about what life might have been like, both having leperosy or life on a colony. I'm skeptical that all leper colonies were so well kept and prosperous. Nonetheless, it was interesting. It seemed to drag on a bit, but I was hooked enough to finish. I did enjoy...more
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Read in September, 2007
A good read! My primary criteria for the books that I start (and finish) lately is that they are page turners, and this fit the bill.
The Island is Hislop's first full length novel apparently, and other than some unrealistic dialog (nothing a screen writer couldn't fix, and it would make a great film!), I found it entertaining, even beautifully written at times, and I loved the setting; let's go to Crete! I even enjoyed the British vocab and idioms, as awkward as they sometimes sounded comin...more
The Island is Hislop's first full length novel apparently, and other than some unrealistic dialog (nothing a screen writer couldn't fix, and it would make a great film!), I found it entertaining, even beautifully written at times, and I loved the setting; let's go to Crete! I even enjoyed the British vocab and idioms, as awkward as they sometimes sounded comin...more
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Read in January, 2007
recommends it for:
everyone
I was lost in this look at life on a Greek leper colony on the island of Spinalonga. Fascinating, horrifying and illuminating! The mysterious and unspoken stigma that haunted families and defined a geographic area. The island came to life for me as well as its inhabitants and I enjoyed the evolution of the Petrakis family and their courage and fortitude in the face of this horrible illness. So interesting an evocatively written you can see and smell and taste the mists around the island as the...more
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Read in October, 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.
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Read in January, 2006
I loved this book. It is the story of a girl, Alexis, who is desperate to find out about her mothers life on the island of Crete, her mother refuses to tell her about it but asks her to take a letter to a friend that lives there. She promises Alexis she will find out more when she gets there. Alexis discovers all about a family history affected by tragedy, war and passion. A definite page turner, one that had me in tears in parts. A great read for the beach!
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in April, 2008
The Island falls under the category of historical fiction. There are, of course, inconsistencies with reality but the basic bones of the story and the location are true.
I was given this book as a door prize at an Island themed party...and then it turned out to be about Lepers of all things. Perhaps not the festive read the hostesses expected. However, if you like historical fiction that would touch on WWII, Leprosy or Greek culture you will find it here.
I was given this book as a door prize at an Island themed party...and then it turned out to be about Lepers of all things. Perhaps not the festive read the hostesses expected. However, if you like historical fiction that would touch on WWII, Leprosy or Greek culture you will find it here.
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Read in April, 2008
This is a very sad story about an island off the island of Crete. This island was for lepers and the story is set right before and after the cure for leprosy was found. There are some very unpleasant characters the books, as well as those who are of high character. I found the book interesting, but not a page turner. I have always been interested in those who have helped lepers through the ages. I am especially fond of Blessed Damien of Molakai, Hawaii.
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Read in November, 2007
recommended to Linda by:
A writing buddyrecommends it for: Those interested in Greece/leprosy
Good premise. A young woman traveling in Greece looks up a friend of her mysterious mother's. She finds her family history is tangled with a leper colony that existed off the coast of her mother's village. The whole leper idea was fascinating and that's why I kept reading. However, the story jumped around so much that I didn't feel I got to know the main characters well enough. In fact, it was hard to tell which characters were actually the main ones.
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
someone who wants a good vacation read
I often pick up a cheesy paperback that's on the bestseller list only to be briefly entertained, often disgusted, and usually disappointed. HOWEVER, I loved The Island. I became so interested in the leper colonies of Greece that I've read several other books on the subject now (though nonfiction). Great story and fascinating premise.
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Read in February, 2008
This was a really fascinating look into leprosy as well as Greek culture during a major turning point in history. It was full of all the drama you could want, along with all the history to pull you(at least me) into the fascinating world of the Greek. I've always wanted to go there and this book just increased the desire by ten-fold.
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Read in March, 2008
recommended to Carolyn by:
given to me as a presentrecommends it for: Lindy
This book lives up to the "Evening Standard" review "a moving and absorbing holiday read that pulls the heart strings" I read it on holiday an recommend it to anyone who wants something intelligent to read on the beach. Set in Crete, I was immediately taken bak to the places I had visited but to an earlier time - before it became a big holiday destination. I learned about island life then and about its horrors and predudices
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
friends
I bought this book after reading several reviews about it in different magazines. At times i found the story to be quite depressing. The characters no matter what happened to them were always full of hope and never gave up on life even thought some were struck down by leprosy or had family members with the disease.
I find this book to be an easy read. I'd recommended to anyone who is looking for a nice holiday read.
I find this book to be an easy read. I'd recommended to anyone who is looking for a nice holiday read.
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Read in November, 2007
A good book with good moral values and an interesting plot involving historic Crete and a leprosy colony. Is it a little contrived? Yes. Does it all work out in the end? Yes. Does it pull at your heartstrings, have at least one love story, feature well-wrought locales and characters that at least once display more than one dimension? Yes, yes, and yes. A "beach read"? Probably. Does it matter? No :-)
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