Arrested Song is an absolutely enthralling novel and I loved every word of it. I can really see this becoming a book club favourite, a film or TV series, an instant bestseller, and beloved by many readers for years to come. And I don't often say that.

It brings to life several periods in Greek history that are probably not very familiar to many people. We see how people in the village of Molyvos on the island of Lesvos suffered in the German occupation during the second world war, the post-war Greek civil war, and beyond. It is however, a largely domestic drama, centred on Calliope and the people close to her.

Calliope is a schoolteacher and highly intelligent, independent woman. Karafilly writes very movingly about women's constrained lives, domestic abuse and 'ordinary' misogny, with a barely concealed anger that I share. I love how her feminist perspective fuels the novel. You can feel the burning energy within Calliope, and her wholehearted commitment to helping other women.

This is historical fiction and romance but it is a very feminist novel too. I loved it. As a frequent traveller to the Greek islands, it was also wonderful to get more insight into the national history, beyond the bare historical facts.

This historical fiction is set in Greece during World War II, moves forward through the Greek Civil War, and the tumultuous years following that. Calliope Adham is a school mistress, recently widowed and independent in her thoughts and ways - not the cultural and social norm for Greek women during that time. When the Germans invade Greece, she is recruited by the Germans as their liaison officer because of her language skills and meets Lieutenant Lorenz Umbreit. A strong bond forms between them. But Calliope is careful with her secret - she has joined the Greek resistance. This is Calliope’s story and the story of life in the village of Molyvos - its residents and their challenges under the Germans, during the Greek civil war, and the bitter years following the civil war. I liked the premise of the storyline and Calliope’s struggles with her inner self and her relationships. She chafed under the social norms of the day and it was refreshing to see her succeed in what she set out to accomplish on her own. I did feel the writing could have been tighter - it felt longer than 352 pages and I wasn’t blown away by the prose. And there were a lot of characters, which made it a bit difficult to keep track. Overall a solid three-star read. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The story of Calliope, a Greek woman working as a translator for the Nazis occupying her country during WWII. Well written historical fiction, well worth the read.

Arrested Song is an achingly beautiful and poignant story about German occupation in Greece, love and loss, tragedy and sorrow, hope and resilience. In 1941 the Germans arrived in Calliope's fishing village and hoisted their flags. Calliope, a school mistress and philosophical intellect, was chosen to liaise between the Greeks and Germans as well as translate as she knew the German language fairly well. In doing so, she met Lt. Lorenz Umbreit, an intelligent and thoughtful Nazi with whom she shared a passion for books and fell in love. Their interesting story slowly unfolds during the Occupation and after. Calliope's husband had been drafted and did not return but their marriage was not built on love. Author Irena Karafilly describes Calliope's evolution as a person, her flaws and relationships with those around her.

Karafilly writes about the glorious village scenery, daily life, and characters over the seasons spanning three decades with the main focus on the early 1940s. There is hunger, depravity, death, the Resistance and sacrifice. No one is impervious to the repercussions of war which affected trade, food availability, heat and book banning.

My favourite aspects are the original and raw writing, smart historical details, atmosphere and well-developed characters. While Calliope's choices are questionable, her depth of feeling translated so well onto the page. The array of village characters is fascinating, from Calliope and her mother Mirto to Umbreit to Hektor and Zenovia. Brilliant. The inclusion of the Greek history timeline is helpful.

Historical Fiction and/or Romance readers, you are in for an all-sensory treat. Sounds trite but the gorgeous writing took me to Greece in about two seconds flat. Lose yourself completely. Be aware there is domestic abuse.

My sincere thank you to Legend Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this extraordinary book. Opinions are entirely my own.

This book started out interesting. Set in Greece during the German Occupation of WWII, Arrested Song is the story of Calliope Adham. As a teacher at the village school, she is made a liaison officer by the Germans to help communications between the Germans and the villagers. Soon after she became a member of the Greek Resistance. This book tells of all the suffering, pain, and hardship the citizens of the Greek Islands were exposed to by the Germans. At this point, the book slows down and drags by. Not much happened to hold my interest and I finally just gave up trying to finish reading it. Thanks to author Irena Karafilly, Legend Press, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

'Arrested Song' is a great book; a saga even. What starts out as a Greek experience of German occupation during WW2, quickly evolves into an epic story. Calliope is a young woman when her husband is sent to war, never to return. His demise proves a re-birth of sorts for Calliope; severing the shackles which bound her to tradition.

When the Germans come to her village, Calliope is called upon to be their translator. Working closely with the Captain in charge, Lorenz Umbreit, she begins to understand the man, separate from the Occupation, 'through some random decision in Hitler's bureaucracy, she was made to cross paths with an exceptional German.' At the root of the dilemma is the fact that she's a member of the Greek Resistance, despite the villagers' believing her to be a German Collaborator.

This is only the beginning of Calliope's story; her journey of self-discovery and belief. The end of WW2 sees the onset of the Civil War in Greece. As times change, heralding modernity and forced choice of ideals, Calliope still has trouble, 'accepting the villagers' entrenched attitudes, which sometimes maim and kill through sheer ignorance.' Calliope may have broken the bonds of tradition years earlier, but she's still met by women who regularly experience domestic violence, and whose daughters are not allowed access to education beyond primary years, 'I believe in education as others believe in the Virgin powers.' Calliope sets out the redress these wrongs. However, although now the Civil War may have ended, an army coup plunges the country, once again, into civil unrest. Calliope has had enough, 'I'm going to live by my own rules.'

'Arrested Song' is everything: the mundanity of Greek village life, a WW2 story of occupation, resistance, espionage, and survival. It's a love story many times over and it is a journey of self-discovery and purpose in the face of change and encroaching modernity. It is a saga. Readers of historical fiction will love the breadth and depth Irena Karfilly has managed to articulate in this 400 page story.

Thank you NetGalley and Legend Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This story was amazing. It was easily one of the best books I’ve read this year. It was very well written and had a haunting story. I will definitely not forget for a long time. I will definitely be buying a copy of this book when it gets published

Well written with a haunting storyline that will stay with me for a while and well developed characters that I couldn't stopthinking about. I loved it.