Thursday, December 04, 2014

The Girl Under the Olive Tree - Leah Fleming

In this novel, we get to meet Penelope the spinster old aunty who is returning to Crete with her family sixty years after the war to find out what happened to her friends.  For Penny had been the rich ddébutantedaughter who was happier doing her own thing rather than husband hunting in rich London society.
 Given the opportunity to escape to Athens to assist her sister, she finds herself meeting new people and training as a red cross nurse.  Stranded in Crete, she then is able to assist the wounded soldiers and locals as the Germans invade.

I love the premise of this story, but somehow for me the story seemed to jump about too much and the characters were some what faded or not quite as rounded out as I expected.  Also for all of the stress and horror that Penny experiences, I senses a lack of emotion from her, it didn't move me as I might have expected the story to, and I do cry easily.  Still a pleasant enough read and it did make me want to go to Greece and Crete to explore.   Ahh a lotto win would be ideal, for having a little Greek island vacation. 3/5

No comments: