Review: "A Modern Day Greek Classic
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 9, 2014
This is an astounding, never to be forgotten story written by Author Neil Grimmett.  In today's world, Crete is a popular tourist attraction for the British Isles and Europe cultures.  Even before and during the Second World War it was also a place where many foreigners took up residence.  On May 17, 1942, in a high mountain village, Marianna, an English woman dwells with her infant daughter, Athena.  Her husband, Michaelis, is a member of the Cretan Freedom Fighters hiding out from the Germans in the higher mountains.  Michaelis can steal away occasionally into the village at night for a couple of hours to visit his wife and child. Marianna shows him the beautiful gift a woman has given her, which she believes reflected her acceptance in the village.  It was a beautiful red silk chiton (dress) with Gorgona, the two-tailed mermaid embroidered on it.  However, it was not given to her because the women accepted her; it branded her as a lose woman, who stole another woman's husband.  But it also holds much more meaning when the German's arrive, drag Marianna from her home, and hang her naked from a tree for all to see.  Now move on to the year 2004, in Chania where divorced Kirsty McIntyre, 36 years old, Scottish, has been owner of a cafe for four years.  There is one man who occasionally comes into the cafe and taunts her.  She detests him as he always tries to provoke her.  He's strong-willed, a true Cretan, heavily gray bearded, with a walking stick.  However, his body and carriage appears to be that of a much younger man.  If I were watching this story as a movie, I can envision Sean Connery playing the role of Barba Yiorgos, who has always attracted beautiful women. There arrives a young couple from Britain who one evening, invites Kirsty to dine with them.  While her husband Patrick is pouring the wine, Eleni brings out a box from the bedroom.  Inside the box is the red silk dress ... with the Gorgona embroidered upon it.  No one knows the story behind this dress, do they?  Someone must, because before long, the vehicle Patrick and Eleni have been driving is found in the bottom of a deep ravine, and nowhere can they be found.  This is an amazing story, one that I could not put down.  It is classically beautifully written with much great style and mystery.  The story is extraordinary and it will hook you from the start.  There is much trauma overhanging this story, vendettas, passion, and history with many, many secrets to be revealed.  Stay with it to the end.  I highly recommend this compelling story.