The Figurine: Escape to Athens and breathe in the Aegean-scented air in the engrossing novel from the much-loved author

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Penny wanted to know about Hislop’s musical experience: ‘Am I right in thinking you play the violin?’ Sometimes poignant but never upsetting, this book highlights the strength of love, friendship and resilience over adversity. Complemented wonderfully by Gill Smith’s beautiful illustrations, this is an ideal book for older early readers who are ready explore more complex themes associated such as coping with adversity and having respect for others who may be different from themselves. Beyond being a pleasant and very well written book, it is also one that brings a lot of food for thought. The absorbing story of the Cretan village of Plaka and the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga – Greece’s former leprosy colony – is told to us by Maria Petrakis, one of the children in the original version of The Island. She tells us of the ancient and misunderstood disease of leprosy, exploring the themes of stigma, shame and the treatment of those who are different, which are as relevant for children as adults. Gill Smith’s rich, full-colour illustrations will transport the reader to the timeless and beautiful Greek landscape and Mediterranean seascape. Just before the start of her final year Helena falls under the spell of the charming Nicholas Hayes-Jones. He is leaving to volunteer at an archaeological dig on an Aegean island. He invites Helena to join him. She agrees. However, while there she becomes concerned about suspicious activities.

Victoria Hislop Books | Waterstones Victoria Hislop Books | Waterstones

I found the novel very long for what it was, throughout you are teased something bad is going to happen but it never really does. At the writing is flat and the characters did not come to life for me, in the same way Greece does, with clear ‘baddies’ and ‘goodies’ and not much in between which left the writing feel quite childish. Which was a shame given the important point I believe the author was trying to make. I loved the story of Helena, how she grows to love her Greek heritage, her life at University in the 1980s which truth be told actually reminded me a bit of my time studying in the same time frame! When Helena inherits her grandparents’ apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child in the 1960s. Her remote, cruel grandfather was a general in the brutal military dictatorship and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them? Registered office: Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing, Company number: LP003328; I loved The island but unfortunately I think this is where the author reached her peak. So far anyway.After university she travels to Athens to try and find out more about her mother’s culture and her grandfather’s legacy. One month on from #thefigurine coming out, here� Victoria Hislopislop with a reading from the novel. Victoria Hislop's books are classics. Well written, and which take you to other places and times and bring them vividly to life. This book is no exception and again shows why Ms Hislop is a master of her craft.

The Figurine: Escape to Athens and breathe in the Aegean

Helena’s desire to find answers about her heritage dovetails with a growing curiosity for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island. Their finds fuel her determination to protect the precious fragments recovered from the baked earth – and to understand the origins of her grandfather’s collection.

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Along the way, she falls in love with the narrow streets of Athens and the city's big-hearted residents, who show her the murky underbelly of the antiques world - and help her understand the meaning of home. But can she finally make amends for her grandfather's actions? And what price should be paid for the return of such ancient and beautiful artefacts? The plot moves to 1980 and Helena is now a young chemistry student at Oxford who takes the chance to return to Greece as a boy she has met is volunteering as an archaeological dig there and persuades her to join him. The plot speeds up in the last half as there is some dastardly business going on with ancients items being illegally removed from the dig. A decade later, much has changed, and power has swung away from the old general who was her grandfather. Wi The Figurine shares the story of Helena, who is part Greek and part Scottish. As a young child, she spends her holidays with her mother’s parents in Athens. Her annual visits continue until the political turmoil of Greece in the 1970s and her grandparents passing. When emptying their lavish apartment, she finds evidence of her grandfather’s nefarious past. A past that’s shrouded in violence, corruption, looting, theft and illegal acquisition of Greek treasures. Helena’s attempt to make amends for some of her grandfather’s actions will take her on a journey that will captivate the reader. In 2019, Victoria was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Sheffield, and in 2020 she was given Honorary Citizenship by the Greek President for her promotion of Greece.After my first novel, The Island — about a leper colony off the coast of Crete — was published in Greece, it was adapted for Greek television. Over 26 weeks, the streets went silent every Monday night when an episode was aired. In her third novel, The Thread, Victoria returned to Greece to tell the extraordinary and turbulent tale of Thessaloniki and its people across the 20 th century. Published in 2011 to widespread acclaim, it confirmed her reputation as an inspirational storyteller and was shortlisted for a British Book Award. The Thread is currently in development with a British TV production company. An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors - and looters - alike. When Helena inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship. Her remote, cruel grandfather was one of the regime's generals and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities.

The Figurine by Victoria Hislop Scala Radio Book Club: The Figurine by Victoria Hislop

It is the wanton destruction of Greece's history, the looting of incredibly important artefacts to satisfy the whims of the wealthy are really brought home and Helena's bravery and courage in facing up to the sins of her own family, and her determination to bring justice is perfectly portrayed. The beginning was slow to build up, but was careful in all details and took time to introduce the characters. Her grief was all too apparent. ‘It’s been a terrible, terrible time,’ said Annabel Croft recently, reflecting on the five months that have passed since the death of her beloved husband, Mel Coleman, aged 60, just weeks after being diagnosed with stomach cancer. Victoria Hislop is a born storyteller and her love and passion for Greece comes through loud and clear with every word she writes.” ★★★★★ reader review for THE FIGURINE. As I started reading I was a bit like 'is this going to be for me' however, I was soon engrossed in the storyline. I found that I couldn't put it down. They way it was written was just beautiful and I loved that although on the surface it may appear simply about getting 'revenge' almost there was much more to the book.So I will be watching dear Annabel and rooting for her. And also for Strictly professional dancer Amy Dowden, who will not be performing this year because she has breast cancer. No doubt she will be missing the intoxication of the dance floor. Indeed, I do myself.