Publication date UK format 6/9/22 book 400 pages.
I was given the audiobook aswell to review however, it was archieved the next day and i didn't see the email until after it was archieved. i did contact someone at harpercollins but didn't get a reply, so this review is for both. you can always try an audio sample to see if you like the narrators first.
I would like to thank the author, publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to pick this to read and review all my reviews are honest.
Synopsis
Northern Corfu, 1947—In a community of poor families ten-year-old Marco’s is perhaps the poorest, but it wasn’t always that way. His grandmother once worked for the royal family in the grand villa of Mon Repos where Marco’s mother toddled her first steps beside her playmate, young Prince Phillip himself. Now Greece is on the brink of civil war, and his mother still clings to the desperate hope that somehow Princess Alice will save her family. As the war turns deadlier, Greece’s Queen Frederica takes a defiant stand against the communists, announcing that she will save the children of Greece by opening children’s villages. The communist partisans continue their campaign, countering the Queen’s villages with children’s camps of their own. Entire villages are emptied, thousands of children are taken by the truckload, ripped from their mothers’ arms and transported to communist countries across the border. Having suffered their own set of tragedies, Marco and his mother are desperate for help. Marco turns to his best friend, Katerina, for distraction and scraps from her family’s table. His mother knows there is only one way to save what remains of her family. When communists reach the village, loyalties are tested as devastating secrets threaten to emerge. Marco is sent to the queen’s village while Katerina and her family flee on foot. But before their final tearful goodbye, Marco and Katerina make a promise, vowing to find their way back home to their tiny village and to one another, setting into motion events that will take decades to unravel. Set among Corfu’s picturesque cobblestone lanes, villages, and villas, Where the Wandering Ends is layered with the history of the Greek royal family and Greek mythology and reminds us of the power and magic of a mother’s love. Peasant. Goddess. Queen. Whether she is born in a palace or in poverty, there is no sacrifice or sin a mother wouldn’t commit to save her child.
My Review
This was a great story. It was packed full of wonderful Greek culture and beautiful descriptions of the area. I thoroughly enjoyed reading a story that spans over 6 decades. It was a fascinating story line that was very cleverly wrote and this ment I had to finish the book in a day. This historical fiction book actually felt like a real life story meaning it flowed so well and definitely kept my interest peaked. It was a heartbreaking, shocking and heartwarming story. I love reading fiction books set in Greece but never anything about the civil War and just loved taking in the Greek history in this book. As this book is a work of fiction I have taken on the history with a pinch of salt as I am sure the author has taken her artistic licence slightly changing events to make for a more interesting story. I loved how it was based in a small village as you always get a sense of community that just makes you smile. It has a great medium pace book full of interesting and well developed characters that you really warm too or those you just love to hate. Like the mayor. The author really brought out a great sense of atmosphere and tension. This really made me feel the characters emotions and really heightened my own.
I definitely recommend reading this book as it will take you on a emotional roller coaster ride.
So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating such a wonderful well rounded story that was so well wrote you will definitely become entwined in.
Where you can buy this book
Amazon US K $13.98, AUDIBLE, HC $27.34, PB $18.60
Waterstones HC £19.99
Google Books ebook £11.99
B&N HC $27.99
Kobo audio £20.99, ebook £11.99
Amazon UK K £11.99, AUDIBLE, HC £19.99, PB £8.99
All prices are subject to change at any time. Please remember to review all books you finish reading so others can find these amazing books. All reviews help just remember not to tell people what the book is about as everyone has already read the synopsis. Just include what you liked and felt when reading the book.
HAPPY READING