Since wedding planning is currently in limbo until we decide where we are having our reception, I have turned my attention to honeymoon planning. By planning, I mean looking at ideas for things to do while we are gone, but not putting us on any real schedule other than flight times. Three weeks in Greece is already proving to be not enough time to see and do everything we might possibly enjoy, and I haven't even started looking anywhere other than the area of Crete.
One place I would absolutely love to explore is the Island of Spinalonga. It was one of the last leper colonies in Europe and abandoned in the late 1950s. Archaeologists are trying to maintain and restore the colony building along with other structures from previous settlements. Tourists are able to explore the island and imagine what it might have been like to be relocated there.
The history of Spinalonga is part of the premis to the book, The Island by Victoria Hislop. The novel follows the lives of four generations of Petrakis women, some of whom lived on the island. Through them, the reader realizes that the leper colony was more than a place to go and die. It was a place of strength, love and hope.
If you are looking for something that will tear at your heart strings and allow you to vicariously live a little bit of history, then I highly recommend this novel. I read this book in four days and hated when I had to put it down in order to be a productive human. The characters are well written and easy to get attached to. In the first generation, I was introduced to Eleni Petrakis and her quiet strength and resolve. This is followed by the recklessness of her daughter Anna, and the sensibility of her daughter Maria. These women kept a piece of my heart when I closed the book.
I hope you enjoy The Island as much as I did. I am also always looking for something new to read, so your recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for stopping by,
Kristie
One place I would absolutely love to explore is the Island of Spinalonga. It was one of the last leper colonies in Europe and abandoned in the late 1950s. Archaeologists are trying to maintain and restore the colony building along with other structures from previous settlements. Tourists are able to explore the island and imagine what it might have been like to be relocated there.
The history of Spinalonga is part of the premis to the book, The Island by Victoria Hislop. The novel follows the lives of four generations of Petrakis women, some of whom lived on the island. Through them, the reader realizes that the leper colony was more than a place to go and die. It was a place of strength, love and hope.
If you are looking for something that will tear at your heart strings and allow you to vicariously live a little bit of history, then I highly recommend this novel. I read this book in four days and hated when I had to put it down in order to be a productive human. The characters are well written and easy to get attached to. In the first generation, I was introduced to Eleni Petrakis and her quiet strength and resolve. This is followed by the recklessness of her daughter Anna, and the sensibility of her daughter Maria. These women kept a piece of my heart when I closed the book.
I hope you enjoy The Island as much as I did. I am also always looking for something new to read, so your recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for stopping by,
Kristie
No comments:
Post a Comment