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amyvl93's review
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I went to Athens earlier this year and it left me very intrigued as to the more recent history of the city, and Those Who Are Loved provided me with that insight, focusing largely on the occupation of the city and the ensuing Greek civil war which I'll admit to knowing very little about.
The novel follows the life of Themis, a teenager growing up with her three older siblings in Athens. Following the (literal) collapse of their family home, they move in with her Grandmother, their mother is admitted to a mental hospital and their father abandons the family. The siblings find themselves split on political lines with the coming war and occupation, a split which continues after the conflict. Inspired by what she witnessed during the occupation, Themis joins the Communists, fighting with them and then being arrested by the government.
This is a sprawling novel, and Hislop has clearly spent a long time researching the history of this period. At times, this meant the novel's pace took a bit of a nosedive and at times it felt like a bit of a slog. It also sometimes turned characters into slight ciphers as they exist to represent specific experiences, rather than being nuanced characters in themselves.
That being said, I found the content in this undeniably moving and interesting, and Hislop does a very even handed job of portraying a conflict whose aftermath can still be seen in the city and Greek politics today. I certainly left this novel ready to read more about this period.
The novel follows the life of Themis, a teenager growing up with her three older siblings in Athens. Following the (literal) collapse of their family home, they move in with her Grandmother, their mother is admitted to a mental hospital and their father abandons the family. The siblings find themselves split on political lines with the coming war and occupation, a split which continues after the conflict. Inspired by what she witnessed during the occupation, Themis joins the Communists, fighting with them and then being arrested by the government.
This is a sprawling novel, and Hislop has clearly spent a long time researching the history of this period. At times, this meant the novel's pace took a bit of a nosedive and at times it felt like a bit of a slog. It also sometimes turned characters into slight ciphers as they exist to represent specific experiences, rather than being nuanced characters in themselves.
That being said, I found the content in this undeniably moving and interesting, and Hislop does a very even handed job of portraying a conflict whose aftermath can still be seen in the city and Greek politics today. I certainly left this novel ready to read more about this period.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Grief, Mass/school shootings, Xenophobia, and Torture
Minor: Death of parent
tmidge22's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Physical abuse, Torture, War, Pregnancy, and Rape
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