The Island is written by the author Victoria Hislop. It was published in 2005. Most of the story is set in the village Plaka on Crete, one of the largest island in Greece. And on the island Spinalonga outside of Plaka in the period between the late 1930’s and 2000’s.
The book is about Alexis Fielding, a girl from London going to Crete on vacation. While she is there she wants to find out more about her mother Sofia’s past. Sofia has never spoken much about her mysterious childhood. All Alexis know is that she grew up in the village Plaka before she moved to London with Alexis father, Marcus. However, Alexis is surprised when her mother agrees with her going back to Plaka to visit her mother’s hometown.
Alexis leaves her boyfriend to go on the long journey to Plaka. The first thing that takes her attention is that just out to sea from Plaka is Spinalonga- Greece’s former leper colony. Alexis goes to find Fontini, the women her mother has written a personal letter to. What Alexis still then doesn’t know is that her mother has chosen Fontini to tell her family story. Trough Fontini’s telling Alexis learns about her family, the passionately love, intense hate and terrible loss. Not only does she discover her deep connection to Plaka, but also her equal connection to Spinalonga.
I think the language in the book was difficult. There were a lot of new and unusual words. That made it hard to understand some of it. I did understand the totality, but since it was so many unfamiliar words it was hard to understand the little details and different sentences.
The book is divided into four parts. The different parts are in different time epochs. Part one is in the present. It is the introduction to the story where you are introduced to Alexis, her family, her boyfriend and their trip to Greece. Part two and three is set in the past. In these two parts you get to hear the real story about Sofia and her family. And part four is mostly about Alexis and her reactions about what Fontini has told her. In this part she also meets her mother again for the first time after hearing about her family’s past. I think it was a good choice by Victoria Hislop to divide it into four parts. That makes it easier to follow the story and know which time period it is.
All in all I think it was an ok book. I had very high expectations to it, because I had heard so much positive about it. I wasn’t disappointed when I was finish reading it, but it isn’t the best book I have read. I think it is because it was so many names to keep track of and so many unfamiliar words, that I didn’t get to enjoy the book as much as I could have.
