Helena's attempt to make amends for some of her grandfather's actions sees her wrestle with the meaning of 'home', both in relation to looted objects of antiquity ... and herself. This cookie is stored by WPML WordPress plugin. The purpose of the cookie is to store the redirected language.

The absorbing story of the Cretan village of Plaka and the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga – Greece’s former leprosy colony – is told to us by Maria Petrakis, one of the children in the original version of The Island. She tells us of the ancient and misunderstood disease of leprosy, exploring the themes of stigma, shame and the treatment of those who are different, which are as relevant for children as adults. Gill Smith’s rich, full-colour illustrations will transport the reader to the timeless and beautiful Greek landscape and Mediterranean seascape. Along the way, she falls in love with the narrow streets of Athens and the city's big-hearted residents, who show her the murky underbelly of the antiques world - and help her understand the meaning of home. But can she finally make amends for her grandfather's actions? And what price should be paid for the return of such ancient and beautiful artefacts? The other professionals and their plus-ones, all Greek, were much younger than me: Olympic athletes (one a gymnast), a recent Eurovision entrant, Greece’s Top Model, a recent winner of Master Chef, a famous actor, popular musicians, gorgeous TV presenters, a well-known rapper, a blogger and an influencer among them. The Letrozole drug I was taking had started to have side-effects, too. My body ached. My concentration was poor. Even if I looked similar on the outside, I had lost my sparkle.

An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors – and looters – alike. When Helena inherits her grandparents’ apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship.

WARNING THIS BOOK SHOULD ONLY BE READ WHIST ON HOLIDAY IN GREECE- You will crave all the food, sun, sounds and smells the writer brings Greece alive in your mind so well that if you are not there in real life you will be gutted no matter where else you are in the world. When Helena inherits her grandparents’ apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship. Her remote, cruel grandfather was one of the regime’s generals and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them?There is no doubting Victoria Hislop is an incredible storyteller who has opened up the history of Greece to a wider contemporary world; her attention to detail and the creation of warm and sympathetic characters instantly grabs readers’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ As well as studying the Greek language (it is her ultimate ambition to read everything and anything without the presence of a dictionary by her side), she spends her spare time reading, swimming, playing tennis and, these days, dancing (having been a contestant in Greece’s version of “Strictly” in 2021).

After my first novel, The Island — about a leper colony off the coast of Crete — was published in Greece, it was adapted for Greek television. Over 26 weeks, the streets went silent every Monday night when an episode was aired. The characters were so real. I researched a few of them as I wasn't sure if they were genuine or invented by Hislop for the purposes of the story. You can see the talent in Hislop's writing in that element alone. I miss the characters now I have finished it.Victoria Hislop has done it again! A truly captivating story . . . I wish I could give it more than 5*’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Every week one of my many friends in Athens would come to the live recording, or a friend or family member would fly out from London, but apart from that my only companions were the other dancers. But the isolation allowed me to focus.

In her irresistible new novel, Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author Victoria Hislop shines a light on the questionable acquisition of cultural treasures and the price people - and countries - will pay to cling on to them. Of all the ancient art that captures the imagination, none is more appealing than the Cycladic figurine. The theme of the smuggling of antiquities was an interesting one to explore especially in the recent publicity about countries wanting some of their looted treasures returned. They are not just stolen objects but an important part of that country’s history which has been taken. The route of the stolen treasure to auction houses and collectors was well described. When Helena inherits her grandparents’ apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child in the 1960s. Her remote, cruel grandfather was a general in the brutal military dictatorship and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them? Ladies and gentleman, we have a new rival. The Figurine is up there with it. Like with all Hislop's books, they are set in Greece, and you can see the love Hislop has for the country. The way she describes the richly detailed scenes, the language she uses and the Greek words she inserts into the dialogue (but always followed with the English so you can understand easily), gives the book real authenticity and readers will feel like they are there.Of all the ancient art that captures the imagination, none is more appealing than the Cycladic figurine. An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors - and looters - alike. This novel’s central figure is Helena a young girl who has striking red hair from her Scottish father and is about to learn more about her Greek mother’s homeland by spending her Summer holiday with her Greek grandparents. We gradually learn more about why her mother fled from Greece which is now under a military dictatorship. These yearly holidays take up the first part of the novel and describe foods, customs and the people of Athens.