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The House of Dust and Dreams
In the vein of Victoria Hislop and Julia Gregson, this engrossing and poignant debut conjures up a Cretan village peopled with vivid characters, a wealth of fascinating historical detail, and amazing storiesa shocking story of heroic resistance and cruel betrayal that has been little covered in novels of WWII.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 22, 2018
This title was on my real life "to read" bookshelf for years... Years ago I've started the book and left it after few pages... And few days ago, I decided to give her last chance before I donate her to my local library... :) And this time I've binge read it! :) Good historical WWII fiction taking place on Crete...
Odličan srpski prevod, mislim da je Brana učinila da prevod bolje zvuči od originala... :)
Odličan srpski prevod, mislim da je Brana učinila da prevod bolje zvuči od originala... :)
February 28, 2016
Το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο δεν ήταν μέχρι τώρα στην λίστα των βιβλίων που καιγόμουν να διαβάσω. Για να μαι ειλικρινής το βρήκα στη δανειστική βιβλιοθήκη και επειδή βιαζόμουν να φύγω το άρπαξα δεδομένου ότι τράβηξε και την προσοχή μου το όμορφο εξώφυλλο. Συμβουλή για το μέλλον: να φροντίζω να έχω άπλετο χρόνο για ψάξιμο όταν πηγαίνω στη βιβλιοθήκη.
Όχι πραγματικά δεν έχω να πω κάτι πολύ κακό να πω για το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο πέρα του ότι οι γλυκανάλατες ροζ ιστορίες που κατά καιρούς με έχουν διασκεδάσει και το ομολογώ χωρίς κανένα δισταγμό τη δεδομένη χρονική στιγμή μάλλον μου τη δίνουν στα νεύρα και δεν έχω καμιά υπομονή με ιστορίες αγάπης και προδερμ, και η Victoria Hislop των φτωχών μάλλον δε θα μείνει στη μνήμη μου μετά το πέρας της συγκεκριμένης κριτικής.
Όχι πραγματικά δεν έχω να πω κάτι πολύ κακό να πω για το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο πέρα του ότι οι γλυκανάλατες ροζ ιστορίες που κατά καιρούς με έχουν διασκεδάσει και το ομολογώ χωρίς κανένα δισταγμό τη δεδομένη χρονική στιγμή μάλλον μου τη δίνουν στα νεύρα και δεν έχω καμιά υπομονή με ιστορίες αγάπης και προδερμ, και η Victoria Hislop των φτωχών μάλλον δε θα μείνει στη μνήμη μου μετά το πέρας της συγκεκριμένης κριτικής.
February 29, 2016
Λίγο βαρετό,λίγο ανούσιο, λίγο ογκώδες....
February 14, 2013
This should not be mistaken for a light holiday read. Unless you like your holiday reads to be tragic and shocking, of course.
I was left with an uneasy feeling after finishing this book: the ending was far from satisfying and it felt a bit sudden, clashing with the slow rhythm of the rest of the book.
It was definitely entertaining enough and I learnt things about Crete's involvement in the II World War that I had no idea about. But the story got darker and darker and the last portion of the book was very distinct from what you got in the beginning.
I thought most of the Cretan characters were very stereotyped: Anthi was the great, strong, working woman, who did everything amazingly well. Her mother and sister, who hated her, were like the evil characters in Cinderella: ugly and useless, they didn't even cook well, which Anthi naturally did splendidly. Anthi's husband was also vile, cruel and ugly. The priest is also a dreadful, vicious, corrupted man. But her grandparents were exceeedingly good and pure and kind...This goes on and on.
While this vision of life in a little village is full of preconceptions, the more realistic shades probably come from the descriptions of the war and the german/italian occupation of Crete.
Sometimes, it's the little things that annoy you: right in the beginning were are informed that all the fathers of the main characters were dead: Heavenly's, Hugh's and Anthi's. And all their mothers are evil ones, except Hugh's who was conveniently stowed away far from him and suffering from a horse riding injury. You can only ask yourself why the author felt the need to get rid of all these characters so quickly.
I was left with an uneasy feeling after finishing this book: the ending was far from satisfying and it felt a bit sudden, clashing with the slow rhythm of the rest of the book.
It was definitely entertaining enough and I learnt things about Crete's involvement in the II World War that I had no idea about. But the story got darker and darker and the last portion of the book was very distinct from what you got in the beginning.
I thought most of the Cretan characters were very stereotyped: Anthi was the great, strong, working woman, who did everything amazingly well. Her mother and sister, who hated her, were like the evil characters in Cinderella: ugly and useless, they didn't even cook well, which Anthi naturally did splendidly. Anthi's husband was also vile, cruel and ugly. The priest is also a dreadful, vicious, corrupted man. But her grandparents were exceeedingly good and pure and kind...This goes on and on.
While this vision of life in a little village is full of preconceptions, the more realistic shades probably come from the descriptions of the war and the german/italian occupation of Crete.
Sometimes, it's the little things that annoy you: right in the beginning were are informed that all the fathers of the main characters were dead: Heavenly's, Hugh's and Anthi's. And all their mothers are evil ones, except Hugh's who was conveniently stowed away far from him and suffering from a horse riding injury. You can only ask yourself why the author felt the need to get rid of all these characters so quickly.
January 18, 2016
I didn't really want to write a review for this book as it annoyed me slightly and I didn't want to come across as mean. Alas, I feel that reviews show diversity of opinion and are what this site is largely based on. So.. I didn't like this novel. I didn't hate it because I persevered and finished it. However, many of the Greek terms and references were inaccurate and some were misspelled; this irked me beyond belief. Parts of it were exceptionally eye-rolling and sickly 'something'. The two main characters had potential but in the end were boring - for want of a better word. Some (most) parts of the story were long-winded and a bit silly. I just found it all a bit like a bad tv show. I would say "set on the beautiful island of Crete", but I didn't even feel it was described well enough to captivate me and 'take me there', as such. Having said that, there were a couple of points in the book where I actually shed a tear, so something obviously resonated. But it was fleeting and my greatest joy came when I actually reached the last page. That can't be good, can it? Anyway, that's my tuppence. Maybe I should write reviews I don't want to write more often!
August 31, 2011
I found this book a bit of an escape from the cold days of Scotland to the searing heat of summer in Crete. We've read a few books connected with the war in our Book Group but this is the first from a Cretan perspective! I found myself liking and hating the characters in the village and the last 150 pages I read in a sitting!
Recommend!
Recommend!
July 2, 2019
Evadne en haar echtgenoot Hugh gaan op vakantie in Kreta. Evadne besluit er te blijven wonen en het huisje op te knappen. Hugh gaat terug naar Athene naar zijn job op de ambassade. Er ontstaat een hechte vriendschap tussen Evadne (Heavenly) en Anthi een dorpsgenote.
Evadne weet het vertrouwen te winnen van de dorpsbewoners en slaagt erin met hen een band te smeden.
Beide vrouwen komen aanbod als hoofdpersonages en het verhaal wisselt tussen hen als uitgangspunt. Dit geeft wel een bepaalde dynamiek aan het boek. Ik vond het leuk om te lezen, ondanks dat het lang geleden is, weet ik nog dat ik het zeer ontroerend en meeslepend vond.
Kortom: een leuke afwisseling tussen alle trillers en spannende boeken door.
#3wordresume on instagram
Evadne weet het vertrouwen te winnen van de dorpsbewoners en slaagt erin met hen een band te smeden.
Beide vrouwen komen aanbod als hoofdpersonages en het verhaal wisselt tussen hen als uitgangspunt. Dit geeft wel een bepaalde dynamiek aan het boek. Ik vond het leuk om te lezen, ondanks dat het lang geleden is, weet ik nog dat ik het zeer ontroerend en meeslepend vond.
Kortom: een leuke afwisseling tussen alle trillers en spannende boeken door.
#3wordresume on instagram
January 3, 2021
A beautiful story! I loved Crete and wished to visit once!
September 1, 2017
3.5 stars
June 16, 2020
Παρ' ότι το ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα είναι από τα αγαπημένα μου γιατί νιώθω ότι μπορώ να ζήσω για λίγο το κλίμα της εκάστοτε εποχής μέσα από τις σχέσεις και τη δράση των πρωταγωνιστών, το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο με κούρασε πάρα πολύ και δε με κράτησε γιατί αισθάνθηκα να του λείπει αυτή η "δύναμη" που βρίσκω και με γοητεύει σε άλλα μυθιστορήματα αυτού του είδους.
November 30, 2010
Absolutely loved this book. Full of the smells, sights and sounds of the real Greece, what the blurb doesn't tell you is that the main character's real name is Evadne, but the Greeks can't say it so they call her Heavenly. It's a wonderful love story, but with an edge as it examines the resistance to the German/Italian invasion of Crete and confronts a number of disturbing issues. The characters really live and breathe - Heavenly herself, her Cretan friend Anthi trapped in a loveless marriage, Anthi's daughters, the to-die-for Christos, even Heavenly's sad husband Hugh (that the Greeks call "You"!). This is the first book in a long time that had me sobbing helplessly at the end. It's not great literature, but anyone with a tender heart and love of Greece will adore it.
May 31, 2011
I was rather disappointed by this book. I was hoping for something like The Island by Victoria Hislop which I loved. But instead I found it difficult to sympathise with the main two characters. While the villagers are working hard in the fields, often struggling to grow enough food, Heavenly helps out in the school and lives off food donated by her neighbours. And Anthi, who on the whole I had more sympathy for, is unable to see what is happening to her daughter, despite it being obvious to her grandmother and the reader.
On the plus side, it was an easy read and I have learnt a little of the history of Crete.
On the plus side, it was an easy read and I have learnt a little of the history of Crete.
January 12, 2023
Voldoende boeiend om door te lezen, maar qua gevoelens en emoties had ik er meer van verwacht.
Bovendien klopte de tijdlijn volgens mij niet helemaal (of helemaal niet).
Niettemin ben ik wel nieuwsgierig naar het andere boek van deze schrijfster, 'Kind van de zee', dat min of meer een vervolg is.
Bovendien klopte de tijdlijn volgens mij niet helemaal (of helemaal niet).
Niettemin ben ik wel nieuwsgierig naar het andere boek van deze schrijfster, 'Kind van de zee', dat min of meer een vervolg is.
June 14, 2024
4.5 stars
My heart. This book was really well written and such a wonderful find for me. I’ve never read a WW2 book that tells the story of Crete or Greece in general. It would have been nice to read a little more about the history as this was mostly the story of two strong and amazing women. I really enjoyed it and will be reading the second book for sure.
My heart. This book was really well written and such a wonderful find for me. I’ve never read a WW2 book that tells the story of Crete or Greece in general. It would have been nice to read a little more about the history as this was mostly the story of two strong and amazing women. I really enjoyed it and will be reading the second book for sure.
August 29, 2017
από αδιάφορο έως παιδαριώδες,με έναν έντελώς άστοχο ελληνικο τίτλο.....απο τα βιβλια που βαριέμαι να διαβαζω κ παρουσιαζουν το απωθημένο πλείστων αλλοδαπών συγγραφέων για την Ελλάδα,να συνοψίζεται στο μοτο "λίγο κρασί,λίγο. θάλασσα κ τ'αγόρι μου"....το δε τέλος ανεκδιήγητο.....
July 20, 2022
Што се тиче рата у Грчкој спомиње се у задњих 80 (од 400) страна.
March 20, 2014
It’s very hard to categorise this book – is it a romance, is it a travelogue, is it historical fiction, is it a political thriller that incorporates elements of a spy novel?
It’s also very hard to mark it – some elements of the book are superb. Most of the characters are extremely believable, the sense of place is created wonderfully, the harshness of Crete and some of the horrors of war are written in a stark, striking manner. Overall, it is a very good story. But at other times, some of the plot developments are scarcely believable, stitched together with the flimsiest of continuous threads, based on some highly unlikely outcomes.
It follows the story over a number of years of a diplomat's wife who finds herself living on Crete in the years leading up to and incorporating the Second World War. It covers a number of situations she gets herself into, and looks at them both from her perspective and that of a local woman who befriends her.
The author is better known as a TV series scriptwriter, and you do get the sense that what we have in the book are a number of beautifully crafted episodes, carried out by credible characters, but linked together into one long narrative by some incongruous leaps. As stand alone half hours, they are wonderful – as a whole series, and then a number of follow up series’, the whole struggles a bit to make up the sum of the parts, if that isn’t too difficult an upside down analogy to follow?
At times this book soars – at other times, you almost squirm at some of the incredibly clumsy plot devices which try to keep it all together. But overall, it’s not a bad read – though I do get half a feeling that it was intended originally as a TV series?
It’s also very hard to mark it – some elements of the book are superb. Most of the characters are extremely believable, the sense of place is created wonderfully, the harshness of Crete and some of the horrors of war are written in a stark, striking manner. Overall, it is a very good story. But at other times, some of the plot developments are scarcely believable, stitched together with the flimsiest of continuous threads, based on some highly unlikely outcomes.
It follows the story over a number of years of a diplomat's wife who finds herself living on Crete in the years leading up to and incorporating the Second World War. It covers a number of situations she gets herself into, and looks at them both from her perspective and that of a local woman who befriends her.
The author is better known as a TV series scriptwriter, and you do get the sense that what we have in the book are a number of beautifully crafted episodes, carried out by credible characters, but linked together into one long narrative by some incongruous leaps. As stand alone half hours, they are wonderful – as a whole series, and then a number of follow up series’, the whole struggles a bit to make up the sum of the parts, if that isn’t too difficult an upside down analogy to follow?
At times this book soars – at other times, you almost squirm at some of the incredibly clumsy plot devices which try to keep it all together. But overall, it’s not a bad read – though I do get half a feeling that it was intended originally as a TV series?
March 3, 2011
The chapters alternated between the two women, Heavenly an English lady and Anthi a Cretan. They met when Heavenly was first exploring the beautiful countryside, she slipped and hurt her ankle and Anthi helped her, they immediately became firm friends, and this friendship was the basis for the story.
The backdrop was the lovely island of Crete and as the years went on and the War came nearer their lives began to change in different ways.
Heavenly was no longer the shy gauche creature who moved awkwardly, she blossomed in the friendliness of the people and gradually became absorbed in village life.
As the Germans gained control in Crete, Brenda Reid didn't shirk from describing the awful situation the inhabitants of the little villages found themselves in as they fought against the enemy.
I really warmed to both Heavenly and Anthi ..... they led two very different lives ...... Heavenly was the privileged wealthy wife of an Ambassador and Anthi was the poor hard-working mother of two young daughters and wife to a cruel husband in a loveless marriage.
Wonderful descriptive writing that was easy to read, the author obviously knows a great deal about Crete and which comes through very strongly throughout the story.
The backdrop was the lovely island of Crete and as the years went on and the War came nearer their lives began to change in different ways.
Heavenly was no longer the shy gauche creature who moved awkwardly, she blossomed in the friendliness of the people and gradually became absorbed in village life.
As the Germans gained control in Crete, Brenda Reid didn't shirk from describing the awful situation the inhabitants of the little villages found themselves in as they fought against the enemy.
I really warmed to both Heavenly and Anthi ..... they led two very different lives ...... Heavenly was the privileged wealthy wife of an Ambassador and Anthi was the poor hard-working mother of two young daughters and wife to a cruel husband in a loveless marriage.
Wonderful descriptive writing that was easy to read, the author obviously knows a great deal about Crete and which comes through very strongly throughout the story.
February 14, 2011
Author is responsible for the TV BBC series Ballykissangel. Book is as good as, and a cross between, A year in Provence, Correli's Mandolin and Shirley Valentine.
October 11, 2023
I found this an easy read, an ideal book for taking on holiday. However, it was also somewhat disappointing because it seemed to lack depth, despite the device of the story being told from two perspectives. I found most of the plot lines fairly predictable, and the characters often stereotypical, although occasionally there were some interesting twists. I thought there was something of an imbalance between the first two thirds of the story, which felt too slow and meandering, and the rather more engaging, darker, tension-filled, final third. As this section was the part which interested me most, I felt disappointed that it seemed far too rushed. However, what really engaged me, and kept me turning the pages, was the vivid evocation of Crete, an island I love, and its people. The author’s knowledge of the island, and her awareness of Cretan and Greek history were woven into the story in a very effective way. I especially liked the way in which she acknowledged the Cretans’ resistance to the German/Italian invasion of their island during the Second World War – an aspect of that history which is, shamefully, often not recognised.
May 9, 2022
The book was fantastic and very interesting. I turned every page with joy and excitement to find out what would happen next. The author beautifully described Greek nature and people. She also successfully wanted to show and make the reader realise the difficult situation of women in past decades and the horror of war, which I find very important. However the ending unsatisfied me a little bit, it was difficult to understand the decisions of the main character on the last pages, but generally, I highly recommend the book. It really made me concious about social problems which we still as people cope with.
May 31, 2024
Sweet story of during WW11 of Nurse Evadne meeting patient Hugh, British Diplomat as he recovered on her ward…. marriage.. posted to Athens… he living the highlife with Government colleagues, she very unhappy until a short post to Crete. He returned to Greece, she settled in with the locals becoming friends & developed a relationship with local guy Christo…
War eventually cones to the island & the idyllic life becomes traumatic & tough…
A hidden romance in the Cretan countryside whilst husband away and as war invades the island changes are made to ensure the safety of Evadne & those closest to her…
War eventually cones to the island & the idyllic life becomes traumatic & tough…
A hidden romance in the Cretan countryside whilst husband away and as war invades the island changes are made to ensure the safety of Evadne & those closest to her…
March 28, 2022
Just wow! I’ve just finished this and I’m in tears. What a powerful, wonderfully well written book. This is about friendship, love and war. Set in Crete just before and during the Italian and German invasion of Greece. A portion of history I knew very little about, but seems similar to what is happening in Ukraine and the stoicism of the countrymen. Unbelievably fantastic book.
April 12, 2019
I liked this book for a couple of reasons. I knew a little about the impact of WW2 on Crete but this story really brought this to life. The characters were believable and the story kept you in.
October 6, 2022
Lovely romantic easy read
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March 4, 2017Het was een mooi boek. Maar ik vond het soms wel ingewikkeld. Het werd ook langdradig... ondanks dat het een mooi verhaal is/was, ben ik blij dat het boek gelezen is.
Op naar het volgende...
Op naar het volgende...
July 31, 2016
Set during World War II, a British Diplomat and his wife are posted to Athens, and though Hugh loves it, Evadne doesn't so much. Until they are posted to Crete and live in a run down old house. Evadne immediately falls in love with the house, the village and the people and stays on when Hugh is posted back to Athens. Evadne, called Heavenly by the locals as they can't pronounce her name, becomes fast friends with Anthi and ends up falling in love with a young man named Christo, who is doing up her house. Can their love affair withstand the war, not to mention what happens after the war when Hugh returns? What will that mean for the lovers?
This was a luxuriously slow book. Normally I'd say a slow book is utterly boring, but this was perfect for life in Crete. It was rich and descriptive and allowed me to really get to know the characters. To like some, question others, and really want to stab some in the eye. I really enjoyed the evolving love affair between Heavenly and Christo, but it did take a bit too long to come about for my taste. I was incredibly proud of Anthi for taking responsibility (finally) for her bastard husband and taking care of him (i.e. he died), but would really have liked to have shaken her for being so blind and stupid to what had been happening to her daughter. Grr!
I didn't like the ending of this book. There, I said it.
If you are thinking of reading this book as a light holiday read, don't. Unless you like reading a tragedy on your holiday. The end is utterly depressing.
Stop now if you don't want the spoilers.
Heavenly and Christo had a baby near the end of the war, but of course with the end of the war meant Hugh coming back and he couldn't find out. So Christo whisked the baby away and gave him to his sister as a "war orphan" to look after. And they never saw each other again. Broke my heart, broke Heavenly's, probably broke Christo's too but at least he got to see his child every day. Years and years later Heavenly dies and Christo dies at the same time, even though they were separated by miles.
Let's jump over to Anthi and I was so happy that she actually fell in love and found out what a loving relationship was like, with a Kiwi and moved to New Zealand. Her girls grew up and became successful etc, etc.
Asides from the depressing ending with Heavenly and Christo, it was all wrapped up rather too quickly for my liking. Given the slow pace of the rest of the book, the end was just bam, one thing after another and all happened far too close together. So it was a bit unsatisfying in that respect.
Despite all that, I did enjoy reading it. It was probably just more the fact it made me cry at the end that I didn't like!
Read more on my blog.
This was a luxuriously slow book. Normally I'd say a slow book is utterly boring, but this was perfect for life in Crete. It was rich and descriptive and allowed me to really get to know the characters. To like some, question others, and really want to stab some in the eye. I really enjoyed the evolving love affair between Heavenly and Christo, but it did take a bit too long to come about for my taste. I was incredibly proud of Anthi for taking responsibility (finally) for her bastard husband and taking care of him (i.e. he died), but would really have liked to have shaken her for being so blind and stupid to what had been happening to her daughter. Grr!
I didn't like the ending of this book. There, I said it.
If you are thinking of reading this book as a light holiday read, don't. Unless you like reading a tragedy on your holiday. The end is utterly depressing.
Stop now if you don't want the spoilers.
Heavenly and Christo had a baby near the end of the war, but of course with the end of the war meant Hugh coming back and he couldn't find out. So Christo whisked the baby away and gave him to his sister as a "war orphan" to look after. And they never saw each other again. Broke my heart, broke Heavenly's, probably broke Christo's too but at least he got to see his child every day. Years and years later Heavenly dies and Christo dies at the same time, even though they were separated by miles.
Let's jump over to Anthi and I was so happy that she actually fell in love and found out what a loving relationship was like, with a Kiwi and moved to New Zealand. Her girls grew up and became successful etc, etc.
Asides from the depressing ending with Heavenly and Christo, it was all wrapped up rather too quickly for my liking. Given the slow pace of the rest of the book, the end was just bam, one thing after another and all happened far too close together. So it was a bit unsatisfying in that respect.
Despite all that, I did enjoy reading it. It was probably just more the fact it made me cry at the end that I didn't like!
Read more on my blog.
August 17, 2016
Πάντα διατηρώ μια επιφύλαξη, όταν οι συγγραφείς (έλληνες και ξένοι), σκέφτονται (και δημιουργούν, εννοείται) την ιστορία τους, τοποθετημένη, όχι απλώς σε διαφορετική εποχή και δη προγενέστερη από τη δική τους, αλλά και σε τόπο, στον οποίο είτε δεν έχουν ζήσει ή δεν έχουν καμία απολύτως σχέση είτε και αν τυχόν έχουν ζήσει, είναι δύσκολο να αναπαραστήσουν τις συνθήκες, τις συνήθειες, τα ήθη και την ιδιοσυγκρασία ανθρώπων που ανήκουν στο συγκεκριμένο χωροχρονικό περιβάλλον....δεν το αναφέρω με την έννοια της "απαγόρευσης" (μυθοπλασία είναι άλλωστε), αλλά μετά τη Β. Χίσλοπ, τουλάχιστον προσωπικά δεν θυμάμαι άλλο τόσο επιτυχημένο μυθιστόρημα (εννοώντας το "Νησί" και μόνο, το οποίο και αυτό δέχθηκε αυστηρές κριτικές....) με αυτά τα χαρακτηριστικά....Ωστόσο το "Χωρίς Αντίο" της B. Reid, με εξέπληξε ευχάριστα....μπορεί η γραφή της να μην είναι τόσο περίτεχνη ή να είναι ιδιαιτέρως φειδωλή με τα εκφραστικά μέσα, όμως οι περιγραφές του τόπου, ενός χωριού της Κρήτης, στα χρόνια λίγο πριν τον πόλεμο και κατά τη διάρκεια αυτού, οι συνθήκες ζωής των κατοίκων, οι στερήσεις σε υλικά αγαθά, που για όσους έζησαν εκείνα τα χρόνια μπορεί να ήταν δύσκολες αλλά όχι αδύνατον να ξεπερασθούν, χάρη στους στενούς δεσμούς φιλίας και αλληλεγγύης, οι προκαταλήψεις, τα κοινωνικά στερεότυπα, η θέση της γυναίκας σε σχέση με το οικογενειακό αλλά και κοινωνικό περιβάλλον, η αξιοπρέπεια, η υπερηφάνεια και ο πόθος για ελευθερία, αρκούν και με το παραπάνω κατά τη γνώμη μου, για να το καταστήσουν πολύ ενδιαφέρον. Η χρήση δε, της κρητικής διαλέκτου, στους διαλόγους του βιβλίου, προσδίδει ακόμα μεγαλύτερη αμεσότητα και αληθοφάνεια στην αναπαράσταση μίας μικρής "κλειστής" κοινωνίας, με όσα αυτή συνεπάγεται, στην οποία, η μία ηρωίδα επιλέγει να ζήσει και η δεύτερη αποτελεί, κατά κάποιο τρόπο, "αναπόσπαστο" μέρος της, χωρίς όμως να αποδέχεται τον τρόπο ζωής που της έχει επιβληθεί, με συνέπεια η αφήγηση να γίνεται και πιο ενδιαφέρουσα, και ο αναγνώστης να μην εστιάζει μόνο στην ερωτική ιστορία που εξελίσσεται, αλλά και στον ηθογραφικό (εν μέρει) χαρακτήρα του βιβλίου. Πάντως είναι βέβαιο, ότι η συγγραφέας αγαπά την Ελλάδα και την Κρήτη, κρίνοντας από τη βιβλιογραφία της, την οποία χρησιμοποίησε με σεβασμό, και πιο προσωπικά, μιλώντας, αισθάνθηκα πολύ "οικεία" με την αφήγησή της, επειδή μάλλον άκουγα και ακούω συχνά τον πατέρα μου, να μου περιγράφει πολλές σκηνές εκείνης της περιόδου, σε εκείνα τα ίδια μέρη χωρίς να διακρίνω διαφορές μεταξύ "αυθεντικού" υλικού και έμπνευσης....
September 2, 2015
I really loved this book from start to finish, although the ending seemed a little hurried.Having been to Crete it was so easy to imaginePano Panagia and the mountains,caves and beaches in the surrounding area.I love the. References to Cretan customs and recipes along with the descriptions of the flora and fauna.The characters were all so believe able with the exception of Hugh whose dialogue seemed a bit stereotypical of an upper class English diplomat.The story centred on the contrasting lives of Heavenly and Anthi.They both appeared to be very strong women with different marriage problems,neither of them enjoyed the physical side of their relationships.The outbreak of war tests them to the limits with much in the way of sacrifices being made.A thoroughly good read.
November 30, 2016
Overall I didn't mind this novel. There were phrases and sentences in some chapters that were so " sweet" and "sugary" it was embarrassing. Set in Crete just prior to ww2 and then the start of the war. A married 30 something English woman the locals called Heavenly lives in her husbands ramshackle house while he is off in Greece doing his government duty. She falls in love with Christos a smokey handsome Cretian and eventually has a son to him. The strongest character I felt was Anthi, a woman of similar age to Heavenly, with two you.g daughters and an abusive vile husband.
The story is weak in parts and strong in parts. I learned a little about Crete history and culture of the 1930s. I wouldn't shout this novel from the rooftops but I'd say give it a whirl.
The story is weak in parts and strong in parts. I learned a little about Crete history and culture of the 1930s. I wouldn't shout this novel from the rooftops but I'd say give it a whirl.
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