The Island (Paperback)

A young Englishwoman discovers her family's secret links to a Cretan leper colony, in an unusually humane saga.A bestseller in the U.K., British author Hislop's debut pays affecting tribute to the victims of leprosy and those who helped them. Alexis's mother Sofia has never discussed her family background, but when Alexis plans a trip to Crete with her decreasingly appealing boyfriend Ed, Sofia gives her an introduction to old family friend, Fortini, in the village of Plaka, across from Spinalonga Island, for years a leper colony, but now deserted. Fortini, with Sofia's permission, begins to narrate the Petrakis family story, starting with Alexis's grandmother Eleni in 1939, a saintly, married schoolteacher who developed leprosy, moved to Spinalonga and died there, leaving behind her husband and two daughters, Anna and Maria. Willful Anna marries rich Andreas but flirts with his sexier cousin Manoli, who falls in love with good-natured Maria. Their wedding plans are shattered when Maria realizes she too is infected with leprosy and must go to the island. Under the treatment of kind Dr. Kyritsis, Maria is given drugs, and eventually she and the other sufferers are healed and the colony is closed. Anna, meanwhile, has had an affair with Manoli and given birth to Sofia. On the night of Maria's return to Plaka, Andreas discovers the affair and shoots Anna. Eventually, Maria marries Kyritsis and they bring up Sofia, not revealing until very late her true parentage. Sofia takes the news badly, moves away and lives a life of shame and guilt for the pain she caused. Now she and Alexis are reunited in Plaka and Ed is given his marching orders. Mediocre fiction is redeemed by considerable empathy in this serious but patchy summer read. (Kirkus Reviews)

***A beautiful 10th anniversary paperback edition that includes a new essay by Victoria Hislop on the impact of this million-copy bestseller.*** 'A moving and absorbing holiday read that pulls at the heartstrings' Evening Standard The acclaimed million-copy number one bestseller and winner of Richard & Judy's Summer Read 2006. Victoria Hislop tells a dramatic tale of four generations, illicit love, violence and leprosy, from the thirties, through the war, to the present day. 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 Fotini, 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... Praise for The Island. . . 'A vivid, moving and absorbing tale' Observer 'Victoria Hislop . . . brings dignity and tenderness to her novel about lives blighted by leprosy' Telegraph 'Wonderful descriptions, strong characters and an intimate portrait of island existence' Woman & Home 'War, tragedy and passion unfurl against a Mediterranean backdrop in this engrossing debut novel' You magazine 'Hislop's deep research, imagination and patent love of Crete creates a convincing portrait of times on the island' Evening Standard 'A page-turning tale that reminds us that love and life continue in even the most extraordinary of circumstances' Sunday Express 'A beautiful tale of enduring love and unthinking prejudice' Express In 2018, The Island was awarded a Nielsen Platinum Bestseller Award in recognition of selling over one million copies in the United Kingdom.

General

Imprint:	Headline Review
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Release date:	April 2006
First published:	2006
Authors:	Victoria Hislop
Dimensions:	196 x 128 x 29mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	473
ISBN-13:	978-0-7553-0951-1
Categories:	Books > Fiction > General & literary fiction > Modern fiction
LSN:	0-7553-0951-0
Barcode:	9780755309511

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