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A review by vaylinn_levore
The Island by Victoria Hislop
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Parts of this book I absolutely loved, the parts on Spinalonga were really interesting and similarly life in Crete during WW2.
The rest was middling at best and annoying at worst
. HATED. Maria, she was almost cartoonish in that there was nothing likeable or redeemable about her, even as a child. I so badly wanted to see her get her comeuppance but her storyline was so completely unsatisfyinglike yeah she dies so she pays for it but she was laughing like a comic book villain and not paying attention so didn’t even see it coming. I didn’t want her to die, I wanted her to get kicked out and lose all the money she loved so dearly but no she gets a fate that was too much for her crime which takes away any pleasure in it
I also really didn’t like the Sophia mystery storyline. Sophia also wasn’t really likeable but it still would have been better if the story was just her finding out her parents story. The plot following Alex finding out about it is a step too removed from it and the secrecy with which Sophia had treated her families past and going to extremes to hide it when it wasn’t related to anything she had done seemed over the top. I understand Sophia not reacting well to finding out her family history especially it being dropped on her the way it did. But never getting over it was so stupid, there was nothing for her to be so ashamed of like her daughter tells her at the end.
Also the tiny plot line with Alex’s boyfriend was unnecessary and he like Maria was a two dimensional cartoon villain like what was the need to have him in the book? the At least he was only briefly there at the start and the end of the book unlike Maria who had too much page time. Did I mention that I really hated Maria?
The rest was middling at best and annoying at worst
. HATED. Maria, she was almost cartoonish in that there was nothing likeable or redeemable about her, even as a child. I so badly wanted to see her get her comeuppance but her storyline was so completely unsatisfying
I also really didn’t like the Sophia mystery storyline. Sophia also wasn’t really likeable but it still would have been better if the story was just her finding out her parents story. The plot following Alex finding out about it is a step too removed from it and the secrecy with which Sophia had treated her families past and going to extremes to hide it when it wasn’t related to anything she had done seemed over the top. I understand Sophia not reacting well to finding out her family history especially it being dropped on her the way it did. But never getting over it was so stupid, there was nothing for her to be so ashamed of like her daughter tells her at the end.
Also the tiny plot line with Alex’s boyfriend was unnecessary and he like Maria was a two dimensional cartoon villain like what was the need to have him in the book? the At least he was only briefly there at the start and the end of the book unlike Maria who had too much page time. Did I mention that I really hated Maria?