The Island (Paperback)

by Victoria Hislop (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Travel writer Hislop's unwieldy debut novel opens with 25-year-old Alexis leaving Britain for Crete, her mother Sofia's homeland, hoping to ferret out the secrets of Sofia's past and thereby get a handle on her own turbulent life. Sofia's friend Fortini tells Alexis of her grandmother Anna, and great-aunt Maria. Their mother (Alexis's great-grandmother) contracted leprosy in 1939 and went off to a leper colony on the nearby island of Spinalonga, leaving them with their father. Anna snags a wealthy husband, Andreas, but smolders for his renegade cousin, Manoli. When philanderer Manoli chooses Maria, Anna is furious. Conveniently, Maria also contracts leprosy and is exiled, allowing Anna to conduct an affair with Manoli. Meanwhile, Maria feels an attraction to her doctor, who may have similar feelings. Though the plot is satisfyingly twisty, the characters play one note apiece (Anna is prone to dramatic outrages, Maria is humble and kind, and their love interests are jealous and aggressive). Hislop's portrayal of leprosy—those afflicted and the evolving treatment—during the 1940s and 1950s is convincing, but readers may find the narrative's preoccupation with chronicling the minutiae of daily life tedious. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
When beloved schoolteacher Eleni is diagnosed with leprosy, she is exiled to the Greek island of Spinalonga. Left behind on Crete are her husband and two beautiful daughters, headstrong Anna and dutiful Maria. Years later, Eleni's great-granddaughter Alexis returns to Crete to find answers to her family's mysteries. Conveniently, a witness to her family history is still alive to tell her—and us—the dark story. The novel is a romantic page-turner, but a little shallow. For example, the Nazi occupation of Crete becomes a plot device to turn the boy next door into a hunk, and, after much tribulation, the good are rewarded and the bad punished. The novel, successful in Britain, will probably be a popular beach read and book club selection this summer. There's little to object to in this historical romp. Block, Marta Segal
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (July 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061340324
• ISBN-13: 978-0061340321
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #251,716 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Very disappointing, March 5, 2008

By	Carol Reilly (san diego, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I found "The Island" to be predictable, lacking in character development and passion, and trite. We are told that Maria is the good, dutiful daughter, while Anna is the rebel, but to me these characterizations were one dimensional and stereotypical. I thought it defied logic that Andreas for years didn't catch on to what was going on between his wife and Manolis, when even Maria, her sister banished to Spinalonga, knew. Also, I would imagine that in such a small area everyone would know when someone contracts leprosy and is sent to Spinalonga. Yet Andreas'parents didn't know. Wouldn't you think that they might ask how Anna's mother died before she married Andreas? Inconsistencies such as these irritated me.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Island - a must read for a visit to Crete, July 9, 2006

By	T. Last (A Canadian Expat living in Surrey England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Island (Hardcover)

With a trip to Crete planned for this summer I chanced upon this book and bought it. Victoria Hislop has researched her subject very well and written a wonderful story. The life of the Cretans and the plight of the lepers was brought home with a tour to the Island of Spinalonga where the lepers lived. Having read the book and listened to our guide, you could get a keen sense of the small world the lepers lived in and even though they lived a very tough life they did find hope in the small things that made them a community. I was throughly touched by the story and my visit.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I was not impressed, March 13, 2008

By	Vesuvius At Home (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

I bought this book based on all the glowing reviews here on amazon and ended up being really disappointed. Obviously a lot of people really loved this book, but I thought I'd add my opinion anyway. I didn't think the writing was very good. I felt that it kept you distant from the characters instead of drawing you in to their lives and story. Much of the story was told in summary, so instead of being with the characters as the important events happen, the narrator describes the events to you after the fact. I didn't make it past the first 70 pages or so and ended up returning it to amazon. I just couldn't force myself to keep reading. None of the characters seemed well drawn to me; they seemed more cliches, stock characters, character types instead of real people. The dialogue was stiff and unrealistic. Sorry! I just wasn't a fan. However, again, based on all the fabulous reviews, maybe I just missed the point.