The Last Dance and Other Stories by Victoria Hislop

It is no secret that I love Greece!   I love visiting the Greek islands, I love the food and the people and I love reading anything about Greece.  

Victoria Hislop's first novel The Island is one of my all-time favourite books and tells the story of the tiny island of Spinalonga, off the coast of Crete, that became a leper colony.  I was lucky enough to visit Spinalonga just after reading The Island.  It was a wonderful visit, that I will remember for ever.

The Last Dance and Other Stories was published by Headline Review in November last year and the paperback edition was released in May 2013.    This is a collection of ten short stories, all inspired by Greece.

I loved every one of these stories, populated as they are by colourful Greek characters.  Victoria Hislop creates a wonderful sense of place, be it big and bustling Athens city, or a quiet, dusty small village.  Each story transports the reader straight into the heart of the story and those who have visited any Greek island will recognise the village kafenion populated by the men drinking ouzo and strong black coffee and the tobacco kiosk, usually situated in the centre of the village or town square.  

This really is the perfect collection of short, sweet stories of Greece and it's people.  I enjoyed every page and it left me longing for my next Greek holiday!