Books like The Island by Victoria Hislop
The Petrakis family has lived in the small seaside village of Plaka, Greece, for decades. Their lives are intertwined with the haunting history of Spinalonga, the tiny island that once housed the nation’s leper colony. Eleni, removed from her husband and children in 1939 and sent to the island, becomes a central figure whose story reverberates through her daughters Maria, who finds contentment caring for her father, and Anna, a spirited young woman craving adventure beyond Plaka. In contemporary times, Eleni’s great‑granddaughter Alexis returns to modern Greece to unlock the family's past and confront the hidden truths tied to Spinalonga. Set against the Mediterranean backdrop of World War II, the novel explores themes of family, love, and the enduring impact of leprosy on a once‑close-knit community.
First publish date: June 6, 2005
Genre: Literary Fiction/Contemporary Literary Fiction
Authors: Victoria Hislop
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