Those Who Are Loved: The compelling Number One Sunday Times bestseller, 'A Must Read'

Description

Two women. Two sons. Two islands Themis and Aliki grew up under the German occupation of Greece and subsequent Civil War that tore the country in two. The polarised ideologies of left and right ushered in violent and bloody struggle. The two women meet while imprisoned on the exile island of Makronisos, having been members of the communist army. Themis has given birth to a son, Angelos, but is too malnourished to feed him so Aliki offers to wet nurse the boy. When Aliki is condemned to death, Themis promises to find and raise Aliki's son, Nikos, for the two boys share the same father - army captain, Fotis. Themis raises Angelos and Nikos as brothers but they are caught in the tensions between left and right. Angelos flees to America while Nikos, the more rebellious spirit, is killed when army tanks attack students demonstrating against the Junta. Themis is heartbroken, but the slaughter of the innocent students restores democracy to Greece, Nikos has not died in vain. The new captivating novel from the author of THE ISLAND, THE RETURN, THE THREAD, THE SUNRISE and CARTES POSTALES FROM GREECE 'Hislop's passionate love of the country breathes from every page' Daily Mail on CARTES POSTALES FROM GREECE 'Fascinating and moving . . . Hislop writes unforgettably about Cyprus and its people' The Times on THE SUNRISE 'Intricate, beautifully observed and with a painter's eye for imagery, in these stories Hislop evokes Greece, its people, its customs and traditions with a sensitivity that reveals her deep knowledge of not just the place but also the human condition' Express on THE LAST DANCE AND OTHER STORIES 'Sweeping, magnificently detailed and ambitious' The Sunday Times on THE THREAD 'Meticulously researched historical narrative and imaginative storytelling' Telegraph on THE RETURN 'This is a vivid, moving and absorbing tale . . . Her message seems as relevant today as it would have been a century ago' Observer

Inspired by a visit to Spinalonga, the abandoned Greek leprosy colony, Victoria Hislop wrote The Island in 2005. It became an international bestseller, has sold more than six million copies and was turned into a 26-part Greek TV series. She was named Newcomer of the Year at the British Book Awards and is now an ambassador for Lepra. Her affection for the Mediterranean then took her to Spain, and in the number one bestseller The Return she wrote about the painful secrets of its civil war. In The Thread, Victoria returned to Greece to tell the turbulent tale of Thessaloniki and its people across the twentieth century. Shortlisted for a British Book Award, it confirmed her reputation as an inspirational storyteller. Her fourth novel, The Sunrise, about the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the enduring ghost town of Famagusta, was a Sunday Times number one bestseller. Cartes Postales from Greece, fiction illustrated with photographs, followed and was one of the biggest selling books of 2016. The poignant and powerful Those Who Are Loved was a Sunday Times number one hardback bestseller in 2019 and explores a tempestuous period of modern Greek history through the eyes of a complex and compelling heroine. Victoria's most recent novel, One August Night, returns to Crete in the long-anticipated sequel to The Island. The novel spent twelve weeks in the Top 10 hardback fiction charts. Her books have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. Victoria divides her time between England and Greece and in 2020, Victoria was granted honorary citizenship by the President of Greece. She was recently appointed patron of Knossos 2025, which is raising funds for a new research centre at one of Greece's most significant archaeological sites. She is also on the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.

A beautiful tale of love, struggle and redemption - Prima on Cartes Postales from Greece Hislop brings history to life in this compelling tale - Tatler on The Sunrise Fast-paced narrative and utterly convincing sense of placec - Guardian on The Thread Like a literary Nigella, [Victoria Hislop] whips up a cracking historical romance with a dash of family secrets and a splash of female self-discovery - Time Out on The Return Wonderful descriptions, strong characters and an intimate portrait of island existence - Woman & Home on The Island