Her love for Greece shines through and transports readers to a brilliantly drawn world’ Independent

The Figurine – Victoria Hislop The Figurine – Victoria Hislop

When Helena inherits her grandparents’ apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship. Her remote, cruel grandfather was one of the regime’s generals and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them? When I was asked, at first I hesitated. I was so low, I could barely get out of bed. I had scars from my operation. I ached all over. I felt nearer 90 than 60. But after giving myself a good talking to, I agreed — and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.Alcohol wasn’t allowed before performing, so I resorted to the calming Bach’s Natural Remedy with its flower extracts and grape spirit, spraying it discreetly into my mouth in the Green Room. There is no doubting Victoria Hislop is an incredible storyteller who has opened up the history of Greece to a wider contemporary world; her attention to detail and the creation of warm and sympathetic characters instantly grabs readers’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Figurine by Victoria Hislop Scala Radio Book Club: The Figurine by Victoria Hislop

I’ve loved every book I’ve read by Victoria Hislop and she manages to keep that record intact. Once again I can highly recommend a Victoria Hislop read. Only a few months later did I find myself sinking. During treatment there is a sense of purpose, activity — but when that period ends, there’s more time to reflect.And I was. Thanks to the timely mammogram, the cancer had been caught early. There had been no spread into my lymph nodes, nor to any other parts of my body. There follows a series of events that have an impact on Helena’s future. Upon the death of her grandparents and following a holiday in Greece with her parents- tragedy falls upon Helena and the story moves onto her university years where she becomes involved in ‘holiday time ‘ archaeological digs.Following an act of deception and violence the story takes a darker path and leads to Helena’s desire for revenge and the truth to be revealed.

The Figurine: Escape to Athens and breathe in the Aegean

The Figurine’ opens in 1968 and continues into the 1980s. It provides plenty information about Greek history and culture during this period while powerfully evoking its landscape and the lives of its peoples. One of the qualities that shines in her books, is Hislop's ability to weave incredible amounts of research into the story, and with such clear explanations that never alienates her readers. The field of archaeology in The Figurine is advanced, but Hislop just made me fascinated and wanting to learn more. I found this to be a fascinating read, full of historical and political facts. I remember this time well, I had friends who had married RAF personnel and were based in Akrotri, and the fear that Britain may be forced to enter into a war, turned the novelty about living abroad into fears about their safety. Helena’s desire to find answers dovetails with a growing fascination for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island. Their finds fuel her determination to protect the precious fragments recovered from the baked earth – and to understand the origins of her grandfather’s collection.This cookie is stored by WPML WordPress plugin. The purpose of the cookie is to store the redirected language.

The figurine - Victoria Hislop The figurine - Victoria Hislop

I discovered this myself when, in 2021, while in painful rehabilitation from breast cancer surgery, I was offered the chance to appear on the Greek version of Strictly, known there as Dancing With The Stars.Dancing brings everything to the surface. The combination of tiredness and stress is intense. And it’s emotion that makes a great performance, even if there are tears and tantrums, too. This was a wonderful read . . . a vivid picture of Greece and the people who live there’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ When Helena inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship. Her remote, cruel grandfather was one of the regime's generals and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them?Helena's desire to find answers about her heritage dovetails with a growing curiosity for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island. In her irresistible new novel, Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author Victoria Hislop shines a light on the questionable acquisition of cultural treasures and the price people - and countries - will pay to cling on to them. Of all the ancient art that captures the imagination, none is more appealing than the Cycladic figurine. An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors - and looters - alike.