The story of Berlin in the 20th century
Romantic novel set in the Greek Islands (Cyclades)
17th July 2020
The Greek Holiday by Maeve Haran, romantic novel set in the Greek Islands (Cyclades).
Of course, with this novel we need to start with location! It is truly transportive. The author was inspired by Lindos on Rhodes and the tiny island of Milos, to create a stunning backdrop for her novel The Greek Holiday. Read our #TalkingLocationWith... piece here.
Four women of more mature years – Penny, Moira, Nell and Dora – decide to get together and plan to revisit the island of Zanthos, where they had a memorable trip in their youth. They arrive now and are dismayed to see the huge car park, the party town, the flashing lights and the mass tourism that has besieged the island. On a whim they decide to take their destiny in the their hands and they set off by boat. Fate brings them to the small island of Kyri. Here there is no tourism and a failing, agricultural/fishing economy. A little boost from the tourism sector would not go amiss.
So the women set about helping the locals to convert some rustic fishing huts into desirable AirBnB accommodation, tastefully decorated and low-key. The author is clearly keen to reflect both the positives and negatives of tourism.
I was delighted to learn a little more about Greek mythology, the author slides in information without it being didactic. It is clear that there is a missing statue of Venus, and young local Ariadne is adept at finding herbs to help with all sorts of ailments. She can smell the myrtle which indicates the mystical presence of Venus (the same as Aphrodite in Greek mythology). It seems the statue may have been hidden to be sold on to unscrupulous dealers, as there is a booming trade in valuable statues. And don’t forget, the Venus de Milo was discovered on Milos!
The food and wine all add to the setting. Did you know that Kleftiko literally means “stolen meat”? It apparently used to be illegal for poor people to own animals, so they would steal a sheep and cook it with beautiful herbs, well underground away from any prying eyes! The author shares her own experience (which ended in a bout of terrible food poisoning) of eating squid, cooked on hot car engines. Apparently that is/was a thing!
Each woman has a bit of a backstory and with the new found simplicity of life, they each have some thinking to do. How tempting is the story of Shirley Valentine! This is very much a story about Greece, women, friendship and family. With a tasty bit of romance thrown in! There is wit and wisdom too.
Enjoy your ‘trip’ to Greece!
Tina for the TripFiction Team
Our author interview ⬇️
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