THE IDOL VICTORIA HISLOP
Victoria Hislop's new book, The Idol, published by Psichogios Publications, was presented on Thursday, January 25, at the Dimitris Pantermalis Amphitheater at the Acropolis Museum.
The book was introduced by Nikos Stampoulidis, General Director of the Acropolis Museum, Alexis Papahelas, Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper "The Kathimerini," and the author Victoria Hislop, who captivated the audience with her passion for literature and for Greece.
Actors Giorgos Karamichos, Katerina Lehou, and Alexandros Logothetis read excerpts from the book. Among the distinguished guests were representatives from politics, television, and literature, such as Giorgos and Anna Dalara, Mireille Papaiokonomou, Bessy Argiraki, Antonis Chalkias, and others.
About the book
When Helena inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens, she is overcome by memories of the summers she spent with them in her childhood during the junta period. Her grandfather, a harsh and distant man, was a general in the dictatorship, and as Helena rummages through the dusty rooms, she discovers a multitude of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather manage to collect such a treasure? And what was the human cost?
Helena's determination to find the answers turns to excitement when her love for the enigmatic Nick leads her to volunteer with him on an excavation on a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. Their findings will only increase her desire to protect the ancient artifacts and understand the origins of her grandfather's collection.
Unwittingly, she becomes entangled in a dangerous network of antiquities trafficking and is faced with a betrayal that will shake her world and everything she believed and felt. Will she be able to find the courage to forgive and move on with her life?
The book's plot
The novel tells the story of Helena, a young woman who inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens. As she explores the apartment, she discovers a collection of valuable objects and antiquities that belonged to her grandfather, a general in the Greek military junta of the 1970s. Helena is determined to discover how her grandfather acquired the collection, and her search leads her to an excavation on a Greek island.
On the island, Helena meets Nick, a young man who is also interested in antiquities. The two of them fall in love, and their relationship helps Helena to come to terms with her grandfather's past. However, their investigation also leads them into danger, as they uncover a network of antiquities traffickers.
Ultimately, Helena must decide whether she can forgive her grandfather for his actions during the junta. She must also find the courage to move on with her life, even after the betrayal she has suffered.