Winner of Newcomer of the Year at the Galaxy British Book Awards 2007. Something a bit different, a bit special. A well-researched family history which takes the present day characters back to Crete and the horrors of leprosy. From 1939 to today we follow a tragic and eventful story with believable characters and a believable storyline. I really enjoyed it. Incidentally she is Ian Hislop’s wife.
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...
Victoria Hislop was our Guest Editor in November 2011 - click here - to see the books that inspired her writing.
Victoria Hislop read English at Oxford, and worked in publishing, PR and as a journalist before becoming a novelist. She is married with two children. Her first novel, The Island, held the Number One slot in the Sunday Times paperback chart for eight consecutive weeks and has sold over two million copies worldwide. Victoria acted as script consultant on a 26-part TV adaptation in Greece, which achieved record ratings for Greek television. Victoria was the Newcomer of the Year at the Galaxy British Book Awards 2007, and her second novel, The Return, was also a Number One bestseller. The Thread spent nine weeks in the Sunday Times hardback chart, and was widely acclaimed. Her books have been translated into more than 25 languages. Victoria also writes short stories and her first collection, One Cretan Evening, is available as an ebook.
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