Victoria Hislop is back and on form! She sets such a delightful background that you can't help but root for our heroine, Helen. You want her to ditch the weasely guy, you need her to fall into the arms of the good guy and above all else, you need her to make right the wrongs of her grandfather. In the last few chapters, you will be cheering her on to the finish line!

Rose Akroyd is the most perfect narrator for this book.

I admit that Victoria Hislop is not a writer whose books I seek out particularly but she does write well and she knows her stuff. She certainly doesn't disappoint. I was lucky enough to receive an audio advance review copy which was exceptionally well read by Rose Akroyd. She has a very clear voice, didn't put on any strange accents and didn't do any of it melodramatically - just how I like it.

In The Figurine the story follows Helena whose mother is Greek and father Scottish. As a child Helena is sent each summer to spend time with her maternal grandparents in their exclusive apartment in Athens. As time goes on Helena becomes more aware of why there is such a rift between her mother and grandparents. She herself loves Greece and is usually happy there.

When grown Helena inherits her grandparents flat and discovers a love of archaeology (admittedly because of a boyfriend). She becomes aware of the Cycladic figures but when she finally comes into contact with one of these rare artefacts her whole world is affected. It leads Helena into a different world of dishonesty, theft and the smuggling of the country's rarest archaeology.

As usual Victoria Hislop has done her homework and along with the (at times soppy) love story we get a healthy slice of Greek archaeology and the trouble that smuggling has caused over the centuries. There's quite a lot of references to the most famous smuggler- Lord Elgin and if this book doesn't make an excellent case for the return of any country's treasures then I don't know what does.

A thoroughly enjoyable story. Well written and beautifully narrated. Thankyou to Netgalley and Headline Audio for the advance review copy.

The Figurine by Victoria Hislop
Audiobook
Narrated by Rose Akroyd
Initially we are transported to Athens in the early 1970s, seen through the eyes of Helena, grand daughter of a wealthy Greek couple. Helena's perspective of Athens changes as she grows up and becomes aware of the repressive, brutal and corrupt political regime in which her Grandfather is implicated. Victoria Hislop's meticulous historical research and vibrant descriptions bring Greece alive. A significant part of the story concerns the fate of Greek antiquities, be they excavated by archaeologists for their historical significance or by criminals for the vast sums of money they can generate.
While the novel covers a number of serious and controversial themes, I felt that much of the potential for the depiction of conflict and drama in the story was missed.
The criminal acts and human rights violations are described at second hand. Rather than involving the reader in the action of, say, a person being incarcerated on one of the island prison camps, we hear of this happening through conversations amongst the characters. Helena seems to easily attract a protective ring of friends and acquaintances, which seems a little contrived and
The novel is an easy and very interesting read and, with the above caveats, I would happily recommend it.
I found the tone of Rose Akroyd's narration rather flat and muted and her pace a little slow. Her characterisations were good with distinctive voices.

4.5* The Figurine (audiobook). Stunning story and audio.

As a child Helena is sent from the UK to visit her Greek grandparents in Athens to get to know them and to learn about her mother's homeland. Her relationships with her Greek family are a mixed affair, while she adores her grandmother, her grandfather was a general overseeing a brutal regime and is a cold man. After a couple of summers volunteering on archaeological digs on Greek islands, Helena is enamoured with ancient Greece, the history, the artefacts and the heritage. Little does she know that when she inherits her grandparent's apartment she will uncover long held secrets that have wide ramifications.

This was my first Victoria Hislop and I have added her back catalogue to my TBR. This is a fabulous book. I was a little sceptical about how much effort was put into building the back story at the start of the book but Hislop is a superb story teller and it turns out that no word was wasted. The characters and dialogue are superb, the information on Greece is interesting but not too detailed and the plot zips along. The book/audiobook are long but I hugely looked forward to going out with my headphones on to listen to the next few chapters (my dogs were less keen in the rain).

Rose Akroyd does a brilliant job as audio narrator, reading the prose and making the characters come to life (without acting out the novel).

Thanks to Headline Review and Netgalley for a copy of the audiobook. Whole heartedly recommended.

Ditching the sunny beaches, Victoria Hislop's "The Figurine" takes us on a poignant journey through war-torn Greece. We meet Helena, a ten-year-old half-Greek, half-Scottish girl, shipped off to her grandparents for a language lesson that turns into a life-changing experience. As Helena blossoms from a wide-eyed child to a heartbroken young woman, Greece grapples with the harsh realities of civil war. The looting of archaeological sites becomes a constant reminder of the beauty being lost amidst the chaos. Hislop weaves a captivating narrative, effortlessly blending Helena's personal growth with the larger historical context. I found myself completely engrossed in Helena's story, thanks in part to the well-delivered narration. If you're looking for a coming-of-age tale set against a backdrop of historical upheaval, "The Figurine" is a must-listen.

A really interesting historical novel that shines a light on Greece's military regime past, and archeological smuggling. Richly descriptive and well written. Enjoyed listening to this audiobook on my commute to work. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced audio copy.

In The Figurine, we 1st meet Helena, who is half Greek and half Scottish at the age of 10. She is travelling to spend the Summer with her Greek grandparents, so she can become more fluent in the language. She is travelling alon, her Mother Marie, hasn’t been back since she left Greece has a19 year old.
Over the course of the book, we see Helena as she grows from a young Naive child, to a young adult, whose world is suddenly changed by death. And continue through as she graduates from University, falls in love, has her heart broken and learns to heal.

The suffering and struggles of civil war in Greece as well as looting of archaeological sites is also prevalent throughout this book

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it and growing with Helena, I found the narrative well read and highly recommend

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this title