I have awaited this sequel to The Island for a very long time - it's been 15 years! Having supported the Leprosy Mission charity for 40 years, The Island gave me a visualisation of the colony on Spinalonga, off the greek island of Crete. Victoria Hislop is a favourite author of both myself and my husband - he has read all the books in between The Island and this one, so, newly published I felt it an ideal Christmas present - we don't read many hardback books, preferring paperbacks and receiving this newly published edition was a temptation too far. I secretly read it first handling it with great care. Shhh don't tell him....
Anna, having gone into depression after the birth of her baby girl, Sofia, began to recover when her husband arranges the christening and asks his cousin to be the Godfather. She puts on a red dress and her affair with her sister's fiance continues. The reader suspects he, Manolis, may be the child's father. Her sister, Maria, has been away on Spinalonga in the Leprosy colony. News is increasing that there is now a cure and people are being sent home. Anna fears for her relationship with Manolis, she doesn't want to lose her lover.
A tragedy befalls the family whereby Anna's husband is imprisoned and her lover flees to mainland Greece. Maria marries her doctor and they take Sophia in, raising the child as their own. Manolis and Maria then become the main characters and the story unfolds with thrilling and graphically told events.
It is so exquisitly written, plain and simple to understand and follow; it's gripping. The intermingled, intriguing relationships leads the reader to rush to the end. I think it's the best book I have read all year.
Sometimes hubby reads the last page before he gets to the end. I KNOW! Sacriledge. However, if anyone else has this habit it will NOT give you an idea of what goes on between the beginning and end. The end, however, does leave you wanting more. Will a grown up Sofia trace her roots? Will Manolis marry? Will he ever return to Crete or mainland Greece? What becomes of Maria?
Perhaps readers will not have much knowledge of Leprosy and think it is assigned only to biblical times. Or perhaps they have some recollection of Princess Diana visiting such patients in the 1990's. A cure for this dreadful, disfiguring disease was found in 1957 but it is still contracted in third world countries today. It has been around since early 1900's. Imagine 50+ years of Covid19!! How fortunate we are that a vaccine has been made against the world-wide disease. It doesn't mean Covid19 will disappear and neither has Leprosy. I hope one day both will be irradicated.
The island of Spinalonga would be a place to visit now as an historic site, much like the war museums and underground hospital on Jersey. Perhaps I should visit it when we are out of this pandemic; when flights and holidaying become safe again. I know that this precious book will grace our bookshelves and be a favourite of both mine and my husband's (I will tell him I have read it when the time is right!) There are not many books we would both read and Victoria Hislop is the only author that has inspired us both.
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