The Thread: A Novel

This is a captivating read. It's one I couldn't put down, like her other books. Well, researched and full of Greek life during WW2 and the Civil war.

I don't even know what attracted me to this book in the first place except that it was an historical fiction. I think I was looking for a light read after completing a trilogy. The writing is solid though not inspiring. The story and pace was very good. Here are the two things I appreciated most: 1) I don't usually read anything about German atrocities during the war. When this novel got into that part, I was relieved that the author did not dwell upon the horrific details, but rather wrote of them as part of the story without graphic details. Had she done otherwise, I would not have completed the book. 2) The author didn't use the formulaic tactic of "disappearing" characters that you know will show up later. It was so refreshing and I appreciated it so much. As far as historical fiction, this was a winner.

First and fore-most the way Victoria Hislop writes is light, engaging and eloquent. This historical novel took me back to my father's land describing the lives of jews in Greece post I World War war and shortly after the II World War. I as a second generation Holocaust survivor did not know much about this period since our parents omitted to transmit their suffering during this time. There was a complete silence about their lives, the exchange between Greece and Turkey, the adjustment in Veria, the move to Saloniki, and the transportation to Poland. Their was a silence about the ones that have not made it, and the sufferings in Auschwitz, Buna, Bergen Belzen or other camps. Yet most of the women that survived, which were not many, were all seamstresses and the first thing that a girl learned in a Jewish greek home of survivors was to embroider and sew. This tradition went on. It touched me very much to read about the relationships between the Orthodox greek and the Jews which can be seen up till this day between the two people. I cannot thank enough Victoria for writing this book which I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Like 'THE ISLAND', this is another riveting book by Victoria Hislop. Spanning many decades and disasters, she describes the lives of her characters who resided in Thessaloniki during the great fire, the invasion of the Asia Minor refugees, the second world war, the heartbreaking Jewish cleansing and the civil war in Greece.Her characters are well drawn, as usual, sympathetic and totally fit into the Greek psych. Political convolutions are well researched and mainly, lightly described. If any criticism is made, then perhaps one can say that the communists received an excessive sugar coating. And, though probably the intention was not to delve too deep into the political implications for the final falling of the junta, the truth is that the student uprising only started the unravelling and had it not been for the Cyprus invasion, the junta would not have fallen then.Most definitely, however, a book to read.

I found this novel to be very compelling and thought is was well researched. It was apart of history that I knew little about. I was encouraged to look at maps of the area. I am doing this book for my Book Club in February so I have printed maps of the area so the members can gain a broad outlook of the history.Reading the book the characters became real and for the time we are now living. It was heart warming to read how Christian, Muslims and Jews lived together in harmony. Policy makers have a lot to answer for the decisions they make without first living among the people involved.I haven't prepared my notes for book club but would relish the chance to write another review and to include the thoughts and opinions of the book club members.I would recommend this book for readers who are interest in past events and at least have a discussion of how we as a group of people can have more patience & tolerance to others. I read the novel in a week.,

This book fails as a love story, but succeeds as a history of a fascinating city (Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city) from 1917 to the modern era. That, of course, embodies a lot of Greek history -- the aftermath of the Great War, the destruction of Smyrna in Turkey, mass emigration to Thessaloniki, the onset of World War (in which the Nazis captured Greece, but had to confront a vicious resistance), the post-war recriminations and then civil war, and so on. The history was compelling. The love story of Katerina and Dmitri wasn't. Furthermore, Hislop could have done a better writing job. The book is pretty much a recitative narration of what is happening and, alas, the author comes up short in creating living, breathing characters. The love story was eminently predictable and pedestrian at that. However, I liked the book because of the history Hislop lays out. I look forward to reading her other books, but mainly for the history. I have no great expectations for the story. Perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised.

The book is set in Greece and spans the period from World War ! to post-World War 2. The central character is a small child at the start of the book. Her life is intrinsically interwoven with that of the woman who fosters her when she is separated from her mother in the chaos of war. Her bond to her foster mother, the Jewish neighbours and the mother of her future husband is the essence of the book. This is a tale of compassion, love and respect across cultures,. There is also a background of greed and opportunism. The reader gets a broad view of the impact of war and how different people respond to the situation. Some respond to survive others respond to profit and benefit. I will look for more books from this author.

Having lived in Crete I wish I had known this history - an absorbing and terrible story. The city is one of the characters and the other characters leap of the page - vividly drawn.

The author outlines the history of Greece from the 1900s onwards through the eyes of a little girl who arrives in Thessaloniki after the Christians were expelled from Ottoman Turkey.She eventually becomes a seamstress and lives through turbulent times of fascism, comminist uprisings , dicatatorships that was the history of Greece before eventual peaceful modern times.

Was a great read and highly recommend it. Lots of true information in it also,made it very interesting. Her books are always well written and enjoy them.

This was a very readable novel. Beautifully written as all Victoria Hislops books are.I learned so much about what happened during WW2 in Greek Mainland and it was pretty horrifying. The effect on people’s lives was shattering.

I have just returned from Thessaloniki and I have re read the thread. The fist time was a few years ago and I enjoyed then but this time it was even more relevant as I could relate to the city and its people.