Output details

To the Island

This novel, set in Greece, involves an Australian woman's journey to the island of Naxos to find her birth-father. The father suffered during the Junta in Greece 1967-74. The novel required research into contemporary Greek history, politics, literature and language. Many visits to Greece and a long stay on Naxos were required for this novel. Island history, language and culture were also studied. An intermediate level of Modern Greek was required. The poetry of Giannis Ritsos is important to this novel and trips to the archives at the Benaki Museum in Athens were undertaken. Research into the effects of torture and post-traumatic stress informed the novel as did research into anatomy, human movement and various dance techniques - both contemporary and classical.