Kritsotopoula: Girl of Kritsa Paperback – 23 December 2018

A prodigious amount of work must have gone into this work of historical fiction. I notice from other reviewers that some have read the work more than once and I am not surprised. I suspect that this might be because the geographical detail and beautiful scenery create a 'real' world that cannot be absorbed on a first reading unless you know Eastern Crete very well or that the historical background which is both so graphic and so overwhelming a single read would not do the author justice. So this is not a criticism rather it is admiration for the huge amount of research which must have gone into the excellent writing of this book. The story, based on truth, begins with the life of a young girl Rodanthe, in Ottoman occupied Eastern Crete, in the early 19th century. Loved by her mother, in awe of her father the Priest, her tale enfolds as she is forced, badly injured to take refuge in a cave occupied by another fugitive, a disfigured shepherdess, Thea. Brought back to health by Thea, Rodanthe must leave the cave and finds herself with nowhere to hide except in the world of young warriors, intent on taking Crete back from the Turks and with no option but to fight as a young lad. Until the last page, the reader will not find the last piece of the complex jigsaw that is Kritsotopoula. A huge number of realistic battle scenes may not be to everyone's liking but the scenes of family life and stunning scenery will soften it!

I really enjoyed this the first time round and absolutely loved it the second time round. I had planned on reading it for the second time whilst on a recent trip to Crete but my plan went out of the window when I started it reading it on the plane. The pages kept on turning and I just couldn't put it down and by the end of our first full day in Crete I finished it off whilst watching the sunset.It is a superbly written, truly capturing the spirit of Crete as well as the spirit of Rodanthe and her fellow freedom fighters. I have visited Kritsa including the house where Rodanthe once lived with her father and without question Yvonne manages to bring the area and story to life.I can't praise this book highly enough and would class it as a must read for anyone visiting Crete or for anyone who enjoys historic novels.

Interesting read especially for anyone who knows the Kritsa area of Crete

Kritsotopoula is a masterpiece. I couldn’t put it down. It’s a fantastic, engaging, and informative book. I loved it! I definitely recommend this book and would give it a 6 star review if I could.

I have just read Kritsotopoula for the second time.Yvonne creates a sensitive and accurate portrayal of village life in the 1850's under the repressive and brutal Turkish occupation. The battle scenes are depicted with plenty of blood and gore, but show the determination, courage and bravery of the ordinary Cretan people to regain their independence.The book brings history to life as it relates the true story of a young girl who lived in Kritsa and joined the revolutionaries, working as both a spy for the Cretans and a fighter against the Turks.I am certainly looking forward to a sequel.