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The House on Paradise Street
| Title | The House on Paradise Street |
| Writer | |
| Date | 2025-02-18 19:31:05 |
| Type | |
| Link | Listen Read |
Desciption
This “fiercely absorbing, passionate novel” (The Guardian), a bestseller in the UK, tells the epic tale of two sisters in the war-torn streets of Nazi-occupied Athens.In 2008 Antigone Perifanis returns to her old family home in Athens after 60 years in exile. She has come to attend the funeral of her only son, Nikitas, who was born in prison, and whom she has not seen since she left him as a baby. At the same time, Nikitas’s English widow Maud – disturbed by her husband’s strange behaviour in the days before his death – starts to investigate his complicated past. She soon finds herself reigniting a bitter family feud, and discovers a heartbreaking story of a young mother caught up in the political tides of the Greek Civil War, forced to make a terrible decision that will blight not only her life but that of future generations... Read more
Review
The House on Paradise Street is an incredibly moving book of historical fiction. The story takes place in Greece during the German occupation & the civil war, as well as present day (2008). As a Greek-American, I found the details in this well-researched book profoundly meaningful. In fact, many aspects of the story may haunt me forever. I cried no less than three times. I often had to take a breather in between the chapters to process the suffering many of my ancestors lived through.When I return to Greece one day soon, I will see the country through a different lens & with even greater pride. Athens will no longer be defined by the Acropolis on the hill. I will hear the shouting & protesting in the square. I will imagine the blood on the street & the bodies that once lay in the National Garden. As a child, I often heard about the German occupation. I didn't understand the sacrifice behind the indelible reference. I didn’t grasp what it truly meant to have the enemy live among you.The book opens with Maud starting her day in their house on Paradise Street. Throughout the story, she reflects on her marriage with courage & trepidation. I found her to be raw & engaging in the most banal ways. I also connected with Maud on the push/pull of her desire to belong. Antigone shares the narration of the story, alternating chapters with Maud. Like so many who have lived through war & trauma, she is more reserved. However, a patient reader will receive a big payoff. Ultimately, it was Antigone who was still on my mind days after finishing the book.Even if you're not Greek, the characters & the plot will carry you away. The writing in this fine novel is very strong. Descriptions are vivid, concise & unique. The end of the book has some surprising conclusions. Of course, reading about the atrocities & cruelty of war is never easy. The author, Sofka Zinovieff, finds creative ways to soothe the reader. In fact, she did such a fine job that I'm not even sure the last chapter is needed. The final comforting images have remained with me as I continue to process the experience of reading such a remarkable work of fiction.I once heard Dr. Maya Angelou speak when I was young. She said to the massive crowd of college students, "You've already been paid for." Indeed, I have already been paid for. This book has shown me the price & I will always be grateful to Sofka Zinovieff for writing it.
