A review by abeth_parker
The Island by Victoria Hislop

3.0

After a bit of a slow start, I almost gave up. (I'll say it again. 54 pages is too much to get through before the actual story) But, I knew that what must surely be the better part of the story was in there somewhere, so I persevered. It was fascinating to read about leprosy and a leper colony in more modern times. I'm not sure how much of the book is based in fact, but the idea of a true community with shops, homes, a library, and a hospital makes you realize how industrious and (mostly) healthy the people in a leper colony would have been. I liked the story of the main family as their lives unfolded just a couple of miles from the island. There were several unexpected twists and turns along the way. Overall, a really good read.