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Sheila Deeth
, July 03, 2018
(view all comments by Sheila Deeth)
A novel in vignettes perhaps, or in photographs, or in short stories that reveal small pictures of a country not so far away, Victoria Hislop’s Cartes Postales evokes a modern Greece of financial implosion, together with its background of symbol, myth and legend, its people of overwhelming invitation, and its visitors, seeking, losing, and maybe finding life and purpose. It’s curiously different and constantly fascinating, weaving stories of fact or fiction in between the steps of two separate journeys, a man’s and a woman’s as they flee unpromising pasts and unwelcoming futures. Images throughout both illustrate and deepen the stories, inviting the reader to recognize and maybe imagine more. Meanwhile an element of mystery prevails—how will the characters meet; even will they meet? And how will their different tales combine into one?
The short stories are a delight in themselves; the photographs entice from page after page; and the overarching story arc is pleasingly consistent, never feeling false or intrusive, and well-timed as separate endings draw closer together. Highly recommended.
Disclosure: I borrowed it from Mum, but I think I might buy a copy for myself to reread one day.
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