The Figurine

The enchanting Sunday Times bestseller from the much-loved author of The Island

By: Victoria Hislop

Narrated by: Rose Akroyd

Multi-million copy bestselling author Victoria Hislop returns with the captivating tale of one woman's quest to come to terms with her family's brutal past.

In her irresistible new novel, Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author Victoria Hislop shines a light on the questionable acquisition of cultural treasures and the price people - and countries - will pay to cling on to them.

Of all the ancient art that captures the imagination, none is more appealing than the Cycladic figurine. An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors - and looters - alike.

When Helena inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship. Her remote, cruel grandfather was one of the regime's generals and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them?

Helena's desire to find answers about her heritage dovetails with a growing curiosity for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island. Their finds fuel her determination to protect the precious fragments recovered from the baked earth - and to understand the origins of her grandfather's collection.

Helena's attempt to make amends for some of her grandfather's actions sees her wrestle with the meaning of 'home', both in relation to looted objects of antiquity ... and herself.

(P)2023 Headline Publishing Group Ltd©2023 Victoria Hislop

Story way too long. Narration perfect.

This story should have been edited - you could easily remove 30% and still tell the story. The story itself was interesting enough and Victoria Hislop is a good storyteller. But why so longwinded sometimes? For instance: The main character flies to and from Greece again again and again - and then again.
The narrator on the other hand did a sublime work. She was the reason I stayed until the end.