The Island by Victoria Hislop

Today I'm reviewing a book that is among Voodoo Bride's favourites:

The Island by Victoria Hislop.

What is it about:

The story starts in the present as a young english/greek woman named Alexis tries to learn more about her Greek heritage and then the story goes back to tell the tale of her great grand parents and their daughters who live in a small village on Crete across from an island that holds a leper colony. They are a loving family, but when Alexis' great grandmother Eleni is diagnosed with lepracy and send to the island their lives are forever changed.

Why Voodoo Bride thinks it's good:

The story is dramatic and yet also filled with happiness and hope. You can't help but love some and loathe other characters. While following the lives of the characters in this story you learn a lot about lepracy and the fight to find a cure for this disease. One thing that Voodoo Bride particularly loved in this story is that it turned out mostly ok for her favourite characters. (She usually has the bad luck to like the ones who die a horrible death.)

What did I think:

This is definately a book for women. Too much drama and love and that sort of stuff to appeal to me. When my owner and Voodoo Bride cry when reading a book it usually means it has too little zombies in it.

Why should you read this book:

If you love a tragic story about family, friendship and love this might appeal to you. It also gives an interesting view on how lepers were treated even in the 20th century.

If you liked this book you might also try 'The Return' by Victoria Hislop which is a family history set in the Spanish Civil War. I must warn you though that 'The Return' is much more a history lesson then a novel. Although interesting to read it isn't as alive as 'The Island'.