Greece World Party Reading Challenge – Books set in Greece

Well, the holiday season has definitely got the better of me, and I am extremely late bringing you this introduction to our “Greece World Party Challenge” in which we plan to explore books set in Greece.

Given that this winter is proving to be a pretty tough one in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, you would think I’d be jumping on any opportunity to read books that conjure up images of sandy white beaches and glasses of retsina in the sunshine. But actually, when I look at the books I’m considering for this challenge, I notice there’s not a lot of lazing about in the sand going on. In fact, as is common with so many of the books I seem to attract – there is a fair bit of war and misery. I am trying not to spend too much time thinking about what that says about me!

I have read several novels over the years that are set in Greece, and I thought I might re-read one of them for this challenge, given that I seem to have a complete ability to forget the content of books about a year after I’ve read them, no matter how enjoyable they are.

But which one should I choose?

Corellis Mandolin World Party Reading Challenge – Books set in Greece

There is Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières, which I remember loving when it first came out many moons ago, but I wonder whether a more grown up me will still enjoy it. The book is set on the island of Cephallonia during the Italian occupation of World War Two and the ensuing Civil War. While the circumstances were fairly dire, I remember there being a great deal of humor, and a fair bit of romance in the novel, so there is some laughter amongst the pain.

Looking at the reviews De Bernières is sometimes criticized for using words with too many syllables just for the sake of it, for making factual errors, and for writing what some believe is a clichéd romance. But the majority of readers seem to fall in love with his characters, finding the novel both funny and charming. It might indeed be worth a second look.

I didn’t mind Victoria Hislop’s The Island which, while not a taxing read, did

The Island by Victoria Hislop World Party Reading Challenge – Books set in Greece

open my eyes to an historical circumstance I wasn’t aware of – the use of the island of Spinalonga (off Crete) as a leper colony in the first half of the 20th century.

If you are looking for an easy read and some fascinating history, then this might be for you – just don’t expect a literary masterpiece.

And while I could branch out into something I have never read, like The Magus by John Fowles or the works of Irini Spanidou – there’s a book I read 20 years ago that I have always wanted to re-visit, and this seems the ideal opportunity.

Eleni by Nicholas Gage World Party Reading Challenge – Books set in Greece

Eleni is a terrifying story of Greece’s civil war and one woman’s attempt to keep her family safe.

The fact I remember it after all this time shows what a profound impact it had on me, and I long to see if it is as good as I remember. And it has the added interest of being written by Eleni’s son – a work of “faction” by a character in the book, something which intrigues me.

Yep – I think this might be the one.

But as I take it down off the shelf I realize it is quite a lengthy book – and with us already in mid-December it is obvious I must now abandon all attempts at Christmas shopping and preparations. Instead it is time to light the fire and settle down to the task at hand. What a chore!

What will you share with us in December? Leave us a note in the comments. We’d love some other ideas of books set in Greece to get our teeth into! And if you are looking for some more suggestions from me try these Greece-inspired novels.

τα λέμε αργότερα

Suzi.

PS. Couldn’t resist sharing this review of Eleni from Amazon below:

“It was no Con Air” , July 31, 2008

By Andrew Carr

This review is from: Eleni (Paperback)

I’m generally not into reading, but I decided that I would give this one a shot, expecting it to be as good as Face/Off. Boy was I mistaken. Cage should stick to acting. Do you remember in Snake Eyes when he punched that guy in the face? Do you remember in Boy in Blue when he punched that guy in the face? I enjoyed those moments more than I enjoyed reading Cage’s book, or reading anything for that matter.

PPS: Here’s the full list of World Party Reading Challenge countries for the year
October 2010 – Afghanistan
November 2010 – Turkey
December 2010 – Greece
January 2011 – Iran
February 2011 – England
March 2011 – Ireland
April 2011 – Jamaica
May 2011– Pakistan
June 2011 – Russia
July 2011 – Spain
August 2011 – Thailand
September 2011 – India

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Disclosure Policy If you click on the links in the posts to buy books, then I will receive a tiny commission for referring you. This does not affect the price you pay for the books, and I am grateful for your support. Every little bit helps! Thank you.

10 Comments • Posted in Books set in Greece, World Party Reading Challenge

Comments

beastmomma - March 11, 2011 at 3:32 am

I am really late to the party, but I am here at last. I read Corelli’s Mandolin and really enjoyed it. My review is here: http://beastmomma.squarespace.com/from-shelf-to-hand/2011/2/27/corellis-mandolin.html
beastmomma´s last [type] ..The Start of a New Age

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packabook Reply:
March 13th, 2011 at 3:43 pm
Never to late to leave a comment or review….we take a pretty relaxed view to these things at Packabook. Thanks beastmomma – glad you enjoyed the book!
Suzi

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Halley - January 1, 2011 at 6:46 pm

I live in Greece (I am British) so I have a very good collection of books about Greece.
I loved Captain Corelli’s Mandolin when I first read it. I already knew the island and I now live here so I am used to seeing people walking around clutching the book. Actually I am convinced that he stole the idea of the book from The White Flag by Marcello Venturi (long out of print) which I read at a later date.

As for The Island, I thought it was awful. Badly written, badly researched, and completely unconvincing. At a talk Hislop did at the British Council in Athens, a Cretan pointed out (very politely) the the book did not reflect the mores of the time and as such was offensive to some of the locals – this confirmed my gut feeling about many of the events in the book. Sadly the person chairing the talk allowed Ms Hislop to slip out of answering this question. At one point in the talk she insisted it was supposed to be a work of the imagination which is why she didn’t do any local research . . . not sure why she therefore didn’t invent names for the locations in the book but I am sure it helps sales to set a book in an existing location.
I did learn a lot about leprosy – which she insists she did research properly – but how the book became a bestseller I’ll never understand.

I’d add to this list by recommending
Dinner with Persephone by Patricia Storace which evokes the Athens of the late 80s.
Eurydice Street by Sofka Zinovieff in which she tries to “become Greek”.

[Reply]
packabook Reply:
January 2nd, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Thank you Halley for your input. I think that after reading Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, many of us will be hugely jealous you are living on the island itself! Very interesting comments indeed about Hislop – and such a shame. I think when most of us read a novel set in a specific location or time period, we expect the ‘facts’ in the story to be accurate, and believe them to be so when we read them. And yours is the second recommendation we have had for Eurydice Street, so definitely one worth trying I think!

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Crystal - December 29, 2010 at 2:45 pm

I missed November’s Turkey (ba dum), but I’m back on it for December with Logicomix by Apostolos Doxiadis.

Graphic novels have to count, right? Especially if they’re as beastly as this one.

The writers are from Greece and insert themselves (and some great drawn landscape “shots” of Greece) into the narrative fairly often. It’s also an amazing read! Looking forward to Iran AND Turkey for January!

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packabook Reply:
December 29th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Wow – I am impressed with the eclectic mix of work being explored with Greece this month – graphic novels and plays alongside the usual books. And some pretty lofty themes! ‘An Epic Search for Truth’ no less with Logicomix…congratulations Crystal for really stretching the boundaries! I am still working my way through Eleni!

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beastmomma - December 19, 2010 at 6:00 pm

I am excited to dive into books set in Greece. Unfortunately, the link in the post to other books set in Greece is not working.
beastmomma´s last [type] ..Friday On a Tuesday Fill-In 203

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packabook Reply:
December 19th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Thanks beastmomma – should be fixed now!
Suzi

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Erin - December 16, 2010 at 11:55 pm

I almost chose Eleni! Instead, I think I’m going with The Burial at Thebes, which is Seamus Heaney’s version of Sophocles’ Antigone. It’s waiting for me at the library…I’m behind this month too!
Erin´s last [type] ..Thoughts on “Dash &amp Lily’s Book of Dares” by Rachel Cohn &amp David Levithan

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packabook Reply:
December 19th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Wow – this sounds like a real challenge. I have seen the play Antigone, but haven’t tried reading it. I look forward to your review….
Suzi

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