The Village tells a story in World War II of a British and German soldier, and the Cretan inhabitants of Ayios Stefanos. The English and the Germans invade the island in order to fight, and the Cretans get caught in the crossfire. The English to the Greek are viewed as relatively neutral – they aren’t there to hurt the Cretans, but the islanders know that by the English just coming over, there is bound to be death.

After a terrible event, some of the Cretans form a rogue group to take matters into their own hands. I thought the overall story was very informative and interesting, and covered a piece of history I did not know much about. My one criticism is that some of the characters felt underdeveloped. In particular, sometimes it was hard to discern between the two male soldiers. I would have liked to have known more about the character’s motives and emotions in the first half of the novel.

Thank you Netgalley and John Hunt Publishing for an advanced copy. 3.5 stars.

I enjoy reading about WW2 and this came from a different area of the world than the usual. I really felt for the characters, which led to me being in tears in places! It is hard to comprehend how people can be so cruel to each other. I admired the Cretans strength and wondered if i would have been so brave in such a dangerous situation. This was a page turner from about a quarter of the way in, but I felt the ending was a little rushed and I would have preferred to stay in WW2 a little longer.I would highly recommend this book to enable people to see how the island of Crete suffered during WW2.

Duke's story is an amazing tale of WWII Crete. The story spanned nearly fifty years as it told the story that connected Yianni and Dieter in ways they never wanted. Life in the little village was filled with love, song, and life until the war brought death, suffering, and loss. Duke's story grips you on page one and doesn't let up until the closing act. Perfect for anyone interested in social history and life during WWII.

Thank you NetGalley and Top Hat Books for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy.

Historical fiction is one of my all time favourite genres and was so pleased to have received an advanced copy of 'The Village' via Netgalley and the Publishers. I was engrossed in this story from start to finish. Well written. I have never been to Crete, but do hope to do so in the near future. I shall remember this story when i do! A story that i do recommend, especially if you enjoy wartime novels.

An excellent and we'll written book about WWII. This takes place on the island of Crete.
I have read extensively about Europe in WWII, but this is the first novel set in Crete. The characters are well developed and you find yourself quickly turning the pages to find out what occurs next.
I recommend this to anyone having an interest in historical fiction.