Published by Headline on 25 September 2014
In the summer of 1972, Famagusta in Cyprus is the most desirable resort in the Mediterranean, a city bathed in the glow of good fortune. An ambitious couple open the island's most spectacular hotel, where Greek and Turkish Cypriots work in harmony. Two neighbouring families, the Georgious and the Özkans, are among many who moved to Famagusta to escape the years of unrest and ethnic violence elsewhere on the island. But beneath the city's façade of glamour and success, tension is building.
When a Greek coup plunges the island into chaos, Cyprus faces a disastrous conflict. Turkey invades to protect the Turkish Cypriot minority, and Famagusta is shelled. Forty thousand people seize their most precious possessions and flee from the advancing soldiers. In the deserted city, just two families remain. This is their story.
Blending fact with fiction The Sunrise tells the story of three families who are caught up in the unrest in 1974. Two of the families have their own reasons for staying while the rest of the people of Famagusta have all fled from their homes as the soldiers advanced and started to build barbed wires around the whole of the city.
Though the two families had opposite views, they had to survive together, foraging for food, terrified that the soldiers would discover them.
Before I began the book I knew very little about the tensions, military coup and Turkish invasion during the 1970's.
The Sunrise is one of those books that 'enjoyable' is the wrong word to say about it as much of what happened was very sad, but I did enjoy reading the story and finding out more about the history of this beautiful island.
There were many characters that I struggled to connect with, there were only one or two that I could care about. A good read overall if not exactly a page turner for me.
 |
| FAMAGUSTA - NOW A GHOST TOWN |
Available to buy from -- Amazon UK -- Amazon US -- Book Depository
No comments:
Post a Comment