The Island (Victoria Hislop)

Has anyone read this book originally released in 2005? Apparently it is a best-seller. Mega Channel in Greece is turning it into a TV series to air in October. Apparently it has a huge budget as well. The trailers for it on TV look great so far. See on it here: http://www.megatv.com/tonisi/

More on the book:
Synopsis:
The Petrakis family lives in the small Greek seaside village of Plaka. Just off the coast is the tiny island of Spinalonga, where the nation's leper colony once was located—a place that has haunted four generations of Petrakis women. There's Eleni, ripped from her husband and two young daughters and sent to Spinalonga in 1939, and her daughters Maria, finding joy in the everyday as she dutifully cares for her father, and Anna, a wild child hungry for passion and a life anywhere but Plaka. And finally there's Alexis, Eleni's great-granddaughter, visiting modern-day Greece to unlock her family's past.

A richly enchanting novel of lives and loves unfolding against the backdrop of the Mediterranean during World War II, The Island is an enthralling story of dreams and desires, of secrets desperately hidden, and of leprosy's touch on an unforgettable family.

Publishers Weekly:
Travel writer Hislop's unwieldy debut novel opens with 25-year-old Alexis leaving Britain for Crete, her mother Sofia's homeland, hoping to ferret out the secrets of Sofia's past and thereby get a handle on her own turbulent life. Sofia's friend Fortini tells Alexis of her grandmother Anna, and great-aunt Maria. Their mother (Alexis's great-grandmother) contracted leprosy in 1939 and went off to a leper colony on the nearby island of Spinalonga, leaving them with their father. Anna snags a wealthy husband, Andreas, but smolders for his renegade cousin, Manoli. When philanderer Manoli chooses Maria, Anna is furious. Conveniently, Maria also contracts leprosy and is exiled, allowing Anna to conduct an affair with Manoli. Meanwhile, Maria feels an attraction to her doctor, who may have similar feelings. Though the plot is satisfyingly twisty, the characters play one note apiece (Anna is prone to dramatic outrages, Maria is humble and kind, and their love interests are jealous and aggressive). Hislop's portrayal of leprosy-those afflicted and the evolving treatment-during the 1940s and 1950s is convincing, but readers may find the narrative's preoccupation with chronicling the minutiae of daily life tedious. (July)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

That's the only show I am looking forward to watch on TV this season (other than the X factor)!

Sounds interesting

I heard it was only $2.99 from Barnes and Noble if you order online.

Stephen wrote:I heard it was only $2.99 from Barnes and Noble if you order online.

Maybe because I told you.

Did anyone watch the premier of the TV adaption last night on Mega channel?

I see EVERYONE liking it on facebook and I didn't know it was even airing last night.

I bought the book today.

WOW. "To Nisi" KILLED in ratings last night for it's premier. Record ratings. Crazy.

http://www.star.gr/media/63940/

"Ξέπερασε κάθε προηγούμενο σε τηλεθέαση «Το Νησί»!
Δεν υπάρχει προηγούμενο στην χθεσινοβραδινή επιτυχία του «Νησιού»!

Η σειρά καθήλωσε 3.555. 524 τηλεθεατές, συγκεντρώνοντας μέσο όρο για το σύνολο 61,7% και για τα νεανικά κοινά 68,9%, ενώ έφτασε μέχρι και 72,8%.

Η συγκίνηση για την Σπιναλόγκα παραμένει ζωντανή μετά από τόσα χρόνια και το γεγονός ότι έριξε πάαααρα πολύ τα ποσοστά των realityδίνει μια ελπίδα ότι… δεν έχει πιάσει πάτο το γούστο μας, ως τηλεοπτικό κοινό βεβαίως - βεβαίως!"

lol @ Star saying that.

Amazing ratings and hopefully they can keep up, We need such productions.

I'd also like to see this sold to foreign countries

The episodes after every episode can be viewed here:
http://www.megatv.com/tonisi/default.asp?catid=20557&subid=2&pubid=15672752#toppage

Se Vrizw wrote:I'd also like to see this sold to foreign countries

If this trend continues, I can see it being picked up. There was a report that after a press screening last week there were interested international broadcasters.

TinaCZ wrote:I bought the book today.

I am tempted to buy the book to see the differences with the TV version.

it is a great book!!!!

I read the book more than 2 years ago in about 6-7 days. I enjoyed reading it. It was a strange feeling reading so many things that I know from experience/visiting since I'm coming from Crete, and my city is mentioned quite a lot in the book.
The same is with the series. I'm happy that quite a few people I know personally are playing. It's a very good efford from Mega channel. I know that about 10 countires wanted to buy/ bought the series already (including BBC).

Tomorrow in Greece is the last episode.!

Although the production was excellent and almost flawless, I enjoyed reading the book more than watching the TV Show.

Plus I think they have already sold it to U.K. and it is now in the translation process...

Perfect! Can't wati to watch it:) then read it if I will like it:)

It's one of the most emotional books I've ever read. It decorates my shelve in both Greek and English releases. Victoria has an innate talent in writting, and I admire the way she managed to build such a beautiful story. And she's not even from Greece!