Uma Casa na Grécia

by Rosie Thomas, Teresa Martins de Carvalho (Translator)

Escapando à devastação de um terramoto, Cary chega
à ilha grega de Halemni e dá de caras consigo própria.
Ou antes Olivia, cuja semelhança é assustadora. Nesta nova vida Cary começa por encontrar a felicidade que nunca tivera. Não desde o dia em que a sua vida mudara. Agora libertara-se de tudo o que a relacionava com o passado. Estava tudo enterrado nas profundezas do terramoto. Ia começar de novo.
Olivia, por outro lado, era uma mulher acomodada. Depois de vários anos a viajar encontrara finalmente um lugar a que podia chamar "lar". A vida na ilha e a hospitalidade eram acolhedoras mas agora algo se tornara diferente. Seria pela chegada desta desconhecida? Havia alguma coisa estranha e desconfortável nesta mulher. Quem é Cary? Qual o seu passado? Porque se sente Olivia tão desconfortável na sua companhia? Olivia tenta controlar-se, mas não consegue deixar de sentir que a sua vida está a ser roubada. Uma luta entre duas mulheres por uma vida, e apenas uma pode vencer.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Mystery, Greece, Contemporary, Paranormal

352 pages, Capa Mole

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Janey King, née Morris was born on 1947 in Denbigh, Wales, and also grew up in North Wales. She read English at Oxford, and after a spell in journalism and publishing began writing fiction after the birth of her first child. Published since 1982 as Rosie Thomas, she has written fourteen best-selling novels, deal with the common themes of love and loss. She is one of only a few authors to have won twice the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association, in 1985 with Sunrise, and in 2007 with Iris and Ruby.

Janey is an adventurer and once she was established as a writer and her children were grown, she discovered a love of travelling and mountaineering. She has climbed in the Alps and the Himalayas, competed in the Peking to Paris car rally, spent time on a tiny Bulgarian research station in Antarctica and travelled the silk road through Asia. She currently lives in London.

Reviews

[Bookguide · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautifully written, and an atmospheric description of life in a remote village on a Greek island, with interesting characters and a storyline which intrigues and pulls you into the novel, wanting to solve the mystery and reach the conclusion. I wouldn't describe it as a page-turner, but it was absorbing and enigmatic enough to keep me reading until the end. After the initial description of the earthquake, we are taken back to Cary's (later Kitty's) recent life, and are drawn into her point of view by the first person narrative, with flashbacks to her childhood. Later on, the first person narrative is interleaved with episodes told in the third person, but it is always clear who is telling the tale. At various times I found both Olivia and Kitty sympathetic, but the real star of the show is the Greek community, and the simple and mostly happy life they lead. I particularly enjoyed the story of the Christmas Day with the simple home-made presents, and the children's toys and games.

CONFUSING SPOILERS (or not, depending on what you think really happened):

It's difficult to put this story into a particular bracket. It is psychological, it could (almost) be read as a story simply about relationships, or it could be put into the class of paranormal or even sci-fi. Who is the mysterious Andreas? Is he a guardian angel, an omnipotent entity such as Q in 'Star Trek, the Next Generation' who enjoys interfering with humans' lives, an ancient Greek god, or simply a figment of Cary / Kitty's imagination? Your guess is as good as mine! After all, she does see the ghosts of the past, invisible to others, and at one point I was convinced it was all some 'Sixth Sense' trickery; did Cary die after all during the tsunami, and perhaps Olivia and her family and the others in the village too? I was also beginning to wonder if Kitty was all part of Olivia's feverish dreams, but why could all the other people on the island see her, why was she so solid and real? In the end I came to the conclusion that Andreas was indeed some supernatural being who allowed Cary to enter a parallel universe to see what might have been. The disturbing aspect of this was that in this universe, Kitty sleeps with Max, which implies that she would have had an incestuous relationship with her brother, had he lived. Or am I reading too much into that, and is it proof that it is dangerous to travel in time or into parallel universes and to interact with your alternative self? I for one am totally confused, and intrigued, and would love to know what Rosie Thomas' explanation is.
P.S. I am totally in awe of the way she has lived her life after her children have grown up: "climbed in the Alps and the Himalayas, competed in the Peking to Paris car rally, spent time on a tiny Bulgarian research station in Antarctica and travelled the silk road through Asia." http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/.... If that is what life after children is like, I should get into training now!

Updated 26 November 2017: Apparently I wasn't the only person to be confused by this book, promting Rosie Thomas to explain what she had intended. This is quoted in Marie-Elaine's review. Very helpful, thank you!

[LindyLouMac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been reading and enjoying Rosie Thomas’s novels for the last fifteen years. This one is no exception, thinking I had missed this one for some reason I started it the other day. The haunting storyline soon came flooding back to me. The earthquake, the residents of Dunollie mansions, the island of Halemni and the Giorgiadis family.
The arrival of Kitty (Catherine, ‘Cary’ Stafford) on the island in the aftermath of the tsunami upsets the balance of life within the Giorgiadas family. Olivia Giorgiadas comes to feel threatened by Kitty this stranger who seems to want what she has. It disconcerts her as she is same age as Kitty and they are strikingly similar in looks. Kitty is envious of Olivia and things become even more complicated when Olivia’s brother Max arrives on the island. There is an immediate physical attraction between Kitty and Max which adds to the tension already building. Eventually things come to a dramatic climax and Kitty realises she must leave Halemni, but not without having learnt what might have been!
The Potter’s House is an absorbing story about love and fate. Fate makes us the person we are but it can also prevent us from becoming the person we could have been. It will leave you thinking about it for a long time afterwards.

[Guera · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read. Unfortunately a lot of story repeating . However, the story keeps you glued as you trying to understand the purpose of it. The two seemingly different yet very much the same person and you wonder what they have in common for this parallel story to immerse. I am sad to say that I did not understand the end. I failed to understand the plot. They appeared to be 2 different woman with different pasts yet the end suggested that it was the same woman living 2 lives, perhaps one being an imaginative one? Not sure.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully written and wonderful descriptions of a Greek Island. Just right for a wet, grey day in December. I particularly enjoyed the description of the arrival of the Greek Ferry.
I did get a bit confused as the story progressed and still not sure if Kitty was real or died in the earthquake.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy it at all. I found it prose-heavy, and was skimming page after page towards the end...what was the point of it all?

[Mari-Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unusual story written by an unusual woman.
It is the story of how life experiences can & could be so different if something out of ones control rocks your very existence.
It's an exploration into an alternative life which could easily happen depending on decisions made at the time either by self or devastation.
The first part of the story seems quite idyllic & normal, then there is an earthquake which changes everything & Kitty appears .......
Olivia & Kitty are written as two separate women with interaction between them & this is where it gets confusing as the two women are different yet similar.
Although you could leave it at that & come to your own conclusions I thought it would be helpful to include the authors intentions here.


SPOILER ALERT:
anyone who has not yet read The Potter’s House, stop here!

I’m so sorry the book’s ending disappointed you. I know some readers don’t pick up on the central theme, which is parallel lives. I wanted to examine the way that a catastrophic event in a person’s childhood can alter their future path. So….Kitty and Olivia are the same person. Kitty’s life has been sent off at a tangent by her brother’s tragic death. Olivia’s is the life in which this catastrophe never happened. So, of course Kitty actually died in the earthquake. Andreas is her guardian angel, her spirit guide if you like, who takes her to Halemni and shows her this alternative world. And thus Kitty and Olivia almost become one another – as the story relates. I hope this helps. It’s a darker and more serious book than the packaging suggests, and I can only apologise if you were misled by the cover. I did raise it with my publishers. If you can bear to look at the book a second time, you will see that it’s quite carefully constructed and there are clues along the way – but I think now not quite enough of them.
Apologies again. Enjoy your reading….

[Stuart Aken · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Potter's House, Rosie Thomas has constructed a story that demonstrates the complexities of the human spirit. The relationships between the various and disparate characters are drawn so convincingly that the reader is quickly drawn into the novel, wanting to know more about these complicated people. Her skill in creating such believable characters is matched by her ability to tell a fascinating tale in which all human emotions are explored. And her use of language is both subtle and startling, bringing events to life so that the reader feels present and involved.
I don't generally summarise a novel when reviewing; my interest lies in the way a book is written and the mastery or otherwise of the language used by the author. In The Potter's House, the author proves her skill in all areas of writing and shows her readers how her characters feel, see and live. There is excitement, pathos, laughter, love, sadness and more in this fascinating story. I was unable to finish it at one sitting for purely practical reasons; but had I had the opportunity, I would have read it from cover to cover without pause, so engrossing was the interplay between the people of her imagination.
The air of mystery surrounding Cary/Kitty is intriguing, allowing her slightly fey nature to surface in a way that is entirely believable. The strength of Olivia is cleverly contrasted with her doubts and fears as the other woman intrudes into her world and turns it upside down. The Greek islands are my favourite holiday destination and here the lives of the ordinary islanders are brought to life both convincingly and in affectionate detail.
If you like your fiction to deal with real people facing real situations, affectionately but truthfully depicted, then this is a book you will enjoy. I have no hesitation in recommending it.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was urged to read The Potter's House and decided to take it on holiday to Corfu with me and read it under the blue skies of Greece - where the story is set. It was a bit unsettling for me to read of the earthquake that devastated the small island in the book and imagine the carnage and ruin that it caused.
The Potter's House was not what I thought it would be, somehow I expected chick-lit for the older woman, maybe it's the cover, or the blurb on the back of the book, or maybe my preconception of what Rosie Thomas writes.

This is a story of love and relationships, of life on an idyllic Greek island and also of finding out about yourself. There's also a bit of a ghost story thrown in there somewhere. English Olivia and her Greek husband have lived happily on the island of his childhood for some time, they run a small guest house, have two children and don't want or need very much. After the devastation of the earthquake, the mysterious English woman Kitty arrives on their doorstep. With no possessions, no history (or so it seems) and no desire to leave, Kitty soon becomes a part of the small-knit island community.
The writing captures the Greek way of life perfectly, the countryside, the food and the traditions are excellently portrayed. Kitty's presence in Olivia's life begins to make her think of things in a different way - is she really happy? Is she really content?
An easy read, a great plot and quite unique in that the reader is not sure, even after the finish just who or what Kitty is - an ending that leaves the reading wondering

[Jillean Whyte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fake your own death and start all over again....how many if us would like that opportunity. Well for kitty, that's exactly what she did under Greek skies after her husband of so many years left her for a younger woman. She is welcomed into Olivia's family, where they give her all that they can. Unforseeable twist at the end. I could so picture the Greek Island Thomas paints for the reader and exactly how it's inhabitants live, work n play. Beautifully written, for it's picturesque scenery and day to day living. Loved the simplicity of the Christmas. I felt a bit sorry for Kitty at the start and could understand her reasons, but not so much at the end. Found myself thinking about book days after I had it read, so for all that a big fat deserving 3stars, well done Ms Thomas

[Carinya Kappler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel has an eerie ethereal quality about it. I found myself comparing it to the movie Sliding Doors. Is it possible that seeds of self doubt or physical illness can actually manifest into a real person who is both benign and sinister? Cary Stafford does appear to be a real person with an unenviable history. She has been jilted by her once loving husband for a younger woman and has been jettisoned into the quiet happy life of an unsuspecting Olivia on a remote Greek island. Cary has introduced herself to Olivia as Kitty, which is a story in itself.
As usual this novel by Rosie Thomas is compelling and well written. The ending however does present unanswered questions.

[Judy Beyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved this book, but found the ending let it down a little; all that fire ended with a damp squib. Great characterisation and setting though.
Not as good as the excellent Iris and Ruby.

[Caroline Southgate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up after 30 pages. Don't normally like to do that but just couldn't get into it.

[Rachel Rice · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't begin to tell you how bored I was reading this, I made it to page 60 something before I decided to DNF it.

[livros100fim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gostei, mas à medida que o fim se aproximava, fiquei um pouco desmotivada.
Achei o livro estranho, interessante mas estranho. Gostei das descrições da vida em Halemni, costumes e valores, do tradicionalismo da Meroula e do amor incondicional, simples e sincero de Xan.
Desmotivaram-me as "guerras" entre a Olivia e a Kitty, as extensas auto-reflexões da Kitty e os radicalismos da Olivia. O final também podia ter sido muito melhor. Achei o final da Kitty muito exotérico e descabido.

[Cath Hughes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started badly, like other modern books, with the first sentence telling the reader what was about to happen in the first part of the book.
Then the story moves to Greece, a sexy Greek man appears and I think this is better.
But then the story fades away. Carry's stay in Greece brought me subshine, beaches and a glimpse into tradirltional Greek life.
But then the author seems to run out of inspiration and such a wierd ending.

So disappointing as The Kasmir Shawl was AMAZING.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the style of writing of this book, i thought it painted a clear picture of what halemni would be like and it started off really promising. I really liked the characters and character descriptions but I found the end to be a bit of an anti climax and felt like I had missed something along the way. I didn't really get the point of the story in the end.

[Hilary Mak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started well but went downhill for me about 3/4 way through. Too much weirdness and unexplained things happening and at the end , I felt, as another reader has said, "what was the point of that? " read this for book group and I do think we will have lots to talk about, so perhaps it will redeem itself then!

[Christine Parkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was unsure how to rate this book. I enjoyed it as it is well written and draws you into the characters, however, it was a bit strange at the end and I finished the book wondering what had happened...I really didn't understand it at all and that is why I gave it 3 stars.

[Mónica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Que livro tão mau e confuso. A páginas tantas só tinha vontade de o terminar. Fiquei sem vontade de ler mais livros desta autora que me tinha encantado com Íris e Ruby.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok but I found the whole story a bit long winded and weird. Too much descriptions of everything really.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book hard to get into - strange as it gets good reviews

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Rose Thomas novel that I have read, and this one whet my appetite for trying more of her work. The story of two women and their younger brothers, both English but with different lives. Cary/Kitty leaves England for a trip to Greece after her husband leaves her for another woman. The atmospheric nature of this novel is apparent very early - the air changes as Peter and Lisa meet and converse. The safety of the solid apartment in which they live becomes less enclosing, lighter and open to change. Cary is aware but does not know what to do until forced into accepting the meaning of the change in atmosphere: something more than being left by her husband, something possibly mystical.

Octavia, leading a very different life on a Greek Island, personifies an alternative life Cary might have lived. Although Octavia's life is seemingly practical, with her commitment to husband and children and a life far removed from England, her relationship with Kitty (no longer Cary as the tsunami takes her belongings and past identity) alerts her to possibilities. Kitty responds to her own possibility of an alternative experience. In some ways this can be read as the women having parallel lives. However, the key point is the ability to be happy, rather than the actual experiences each has. At the same time as the mystical elements embrace both women, the practicalities are an essential part of their lives. The mystical elements never encroach too heavily upon the relationships that are easily understand: love, envy, jealousy are all realistic.

At times, it seemed to me that Octavia's fear and jealousy were overworked, after all, she lived in an environment where children seemed to be an essential part of the village rather than possessions of a nuclear family. Kitty's relationship with the children, loving rather than possessing, surely could have been accommodated? It is the lack of accommodation that suggests that there is more to the story than is immediately understood; like Cary when Petr meets Lisa, perhaps for Octavia the air changed and she was alerted to danger.

The mystical elements are really well realised so they do not undermine the essential story which is 'what might have been', the effect of childhood trauma and the need for some sort of 'magic' to escape.

[Meilla Morin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Durant ma lecture, j’ai été perdue plus d’une fois, mais j’ai tout compris à la fin. Voici donc ma perception de l’histoire:

Cary serait morte dans le tremblement de terre. Andreas, qui serait son ange gardien, serait apparu un peu avant sa mort, lors de la promenade en bateau. Ensuite, il emmène Cary sur Halemni où elle rencontre Olivia et, un peu plus tard, Max. Olivia ressemble énormément à Cary, car il s’agit d’elle et de la vie qu’elle aurait eu si son jeune frère Marcus ne serait pas mort. C’est pourquoi Max et Olivia lui semblent si familiers et pourquoi elle est tant attachée à Georgi et Theo.

Deux autre point qui m’ont dirigé vers cette conclusion:

Lorsqu’Olivia délirait en raison de la fièvre, elle a vu un homme assis sur la chaise dans un coin de la chambre, mais celui-ci disparût mystérieusement peu après. Je crois qu’il s’agissait d’Andreas, puisqu’elle crût d’abord qu’il s’agissait de Max. La ressemblance entre les deux hommes avait également été remarquée par Cary lorsque Max est arrivé sur l’île. Il a été présent pour Olivia comme il l’a été pour Cary lorsqu’elle était aux portes de la mort. Il s’agit de l’ange gardien des deux, car il s’agit de la même personne, mais dans des vies différentes.

De plus, à la toute fin du roman, alors qu’Olivia et ses parents regardent des films des moments heureux de sa jeunesse avec Max, l’un d’eux est d’écrit et capte mon attention. Il s’agit d’une vidéo de Max et d’Olivia qui courent dans un jardin décoré de statues. C’était le point culminant de leur histoire. Dans une version, le jeune frère se fait écraser par une statue dans ce jardin alors que dans l’autre, la catastrophe n’a pas lieu et il ne s’agit que d’un simple bin souvenir parmi tant d’autres.

C’est la première fois que je fais une critique aussi longue 😅, mais je trouvais important de partager mon point de vue, puisque chaque lecteur semble voir l’histoire différemment. Au final, j’ai adoré ma lecture et chaque fois que j’ouvrais le livre, je me retrouvais happé par l’histoire et ses personnages. Seul point qui m’empêche de donner cinq étoile: le manque de plot twist, mis à part la réalisation de la fin. Toutefois, je recommande!

[Rachelle Seymore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia Giorgiadis lives on a small Greek island and she has totally submerged herself in the Greek way of life after she married her Greek man and they have a family. She is happy - truly happy, but the rhythm, patterns and love around her are threatened...

Rosie Thomas writes absolutely beautifully. Her use of language is excellent and the way she told this story gripped me from the start. At first it seemed like just a novel...but as the story unfolds I started feeling there was something else. A much deeper meaning, and she touched me. At times I have felt as Olivia did when people threaten my security (real or imagined) and I had to fight back to keep my balance and rhythm. But, I am sure many have felt that way. I however read on and Cary changed to Kitty and then the plot slowly started to dawn on me. I have also lost someone dear to me in a tragic accident at a very young age and although there were no guilt feelings, it was a loss that spiraled me totally out of control for many years and it had left its marks. I have often wondered that if my life was 'normal' like so many around me at the time, how would it have been different? How would I have been different?

This book truly spoke to me and I enjoyed every single word.

[Siobhán♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

**TW**
death, blood, after affects of a tsunami/earthquake, obsession, details of a birth, miscarriages

I'm not entirely sure what to make of this book. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong. I'm a sucker for drama. If you got tea, spill it.

I just felt that Olivia and Kitty were a bit TOO obsessed. Kitty wanted Olivia's life, Olivia wanted Kitty's life but at the same time she absolutely despised Kitty. It was just very weird to me.

I did like the story in a way and it was certainly interesting to learn more about the Greek culture as the book went on. I loved Maroula. She does seem like a character who'd be very hit and miss for some people. You'd either like her or you don't. I personally did like her. She had her ups and downs but she still ploughed through.

I did like Kitty aside from the whole obsession with Olivia's life. From a difficult childhood, she certainly remained strong. I do pity her in ways. She went through a lot and wasn't always treated as an equal.

I do like Rosie Thomas's writing style. I found it so easy to read this book despite its length. It was fast paced and I certainly wanted to keep reading. I wanted to know exactly what was to come.

3.5/5 🌟 (rounded up to 4)

[Tim Corke · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a novel set in the blinding light and refreshing Greek Islands of the Mediterranean, it has a darkness and bleakness about it that confuses and mystifies yet underlying is a deep rooted love of the surroundings and it’s people.

There’s a mysticism around Kitty, or Cary, built on tragic events in her childhood and the connection to past relationships and inability to have children, yet a brutal honesty at the same time. Has she found peace at the beset of others?

Life is complicated, always changing, with new people come new relationships and with it equal measure of risk as to whether they become a positive addition to life, or an unwelcome interjection that disrupt the status quo. Do these ‘negative’ events though force reflection to force you to reevaluate what is important and therefore creating a positive?

There’s lots going on here but it’s immaculately researched and written to create a novel of the highest quality.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The atmosphere and scenery of the book are beautiful but I did find it quite a strange tale.
An earthquake causes an unusual set of circumstances which disrupts a number of peoples lives. This chaos takes Kitty to the small island of Halemni & she is taken in by the Giorgiadis family. While things seem to be working out okay not everything is at seems and what seemed to be a happy situation starts to take on a sinister feel, with the tension between Kitty & Olivia building well.

That all sounds straightforward enough but I didn't really get the whole Kitty/Olivia merger thing & when you bring in the mysterious Andreas & the non-existent village children there seems to be a slightly "supernatural" vein that for me left too many questions unanswered. Maybe it's a story that would benefit from a second read, although I doubt I'll get to it again.


 

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably any half-well written novel set on a Greek island with some attractive characters would be enough to earn two or three stars for sheer escapism.

I liked the Greek family and their set-up. The character of Cary was always a bit uncomfortable - you could see why she didn't keep her aquaintances , husbands and casual lovers.

I am cheered by the number of other posters who got confused by the last third. It was'nt eerie enough for a gothic novel, wasn't consistently magical realism... To be fair there was a hint of the paranormal in Andreas earlier but even so. Actually I think it would have sufficed to have opted for Cary leaving with her tail between her legs and joining a yoga community or something.

[Cath · Rating 2 out of 5]

This read was very interesting; however, upon reflection the idea of a parallel "universe" or the notion of Kitty being a ghost doesn't truly fit. If this was a parallel universe and the author meant for both women to see what their lives would have been like in different circumstances, it makes zero sense for Kitty to be in a relationship with Max - this is almost as though she was in a relationship with her brother, if he hadn't died.

The story also made no sense based on how many people interacted with Kitty while she was on the island.

An interesting concept, but even reading with a suspension of disbelief did not make the ending fit.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this an interesting read.

I loved the island setting and the different characters who live on the island.

I am however a bit confused about Kitty - is she real or a ghost? Are Olivia and Kitty actually the same person in a parallel universe and if so how do they come together as they do in this book.

I found the ending unsatisfactory - what is the relevance of Kitty's ex-husband and his lover/wife driving past Olivia and her mother and living close to Olivia's parents?

So many questions and nowhere to find any answers so a bit unsatisfying really.

I did enjoy the story but would like to know the answers to these mysteries.