A Novel Life: When the Cypress Whispers by Yvette Manessis Corporon

On a beautiful Greek island, myths, magic, and a colorful cast of characters come together in a lushly atmospheric story about past and present, family and fate, love and dreams that poignantly captures the deep bond between an American woman and her Greek grandmother

The daughter of Greek immigrants, Daphne aspires to the American Dream, yet feels as if she's been sleepwalking through life. Caught between her family's old-world traditions and the demands of a modern career, she cannot seem to fin
d her place.

Only her beloved grandmother on Erikousa, a magical island off the coast of Greece, knows her heart. Daphne's fondest memories are of times spent in the kitchen with Yia-yia, cooking and learning about the ancient myths. It was the thought of Yia-yia that consoled Daphne in the wake of her husband's unexpected death.

After years of struggling to raise her child and pay the bills, Daphne now has a successful restaurant, a growing reputation as a chef, and a wealthy fianc?-everything she's ever wanted. But across the ocean, Yia-yia can see through the storybook perfection of Daphne's new life- and now she is calling her back to Erikousa. She has secrets about the past to share with her granddaughter- stories from the war, of loyalty and bravery in the face of death. She also has one last lesson to teach her: that security is not love, and that her life can be filled with meaning again.

My Thoughts:

When The Cypress Whispers is a beautifully written story of the love between a young woman and her Yia-yia. I really enjoyed the flashbacks into Daphne's childhood summers spent with her grandmother. The warm feelings Daphne easily recalled of the time spent watching her grandmother cook, made me recall my summers with my grandma (nothing like beautiful exotic Greece!). Ms. Corporon's descriptions were so perfectly written I almost felt the breeze and tasted the food.

The novel is filled with love, memories and ancient myths. After Daphne has lost her parents and her husband she works hard to make a future for her daughter and herself. She seemed to have ignored most of the world around her. In those years after her husband's death, she doesn't return to her safe place, to Yia-yia. She didn't want to feel alive. When she does finally return to Erikousa years later it is for her wedding. She returns to her grandmothers world, where she still has much to learn.

I felt the story started off a little slow, but it really shines with descriptions. I really have never given thought to visiting Greece, but after reading When The Cypress Whispers I would love to visit. To see the people and customs that came alive in the novel! The story isn't just about Daphne or Yia-yia but what family means and why legends and history are so important. I very much enjoyed the story, I would say I wasn't very pleased with the ending. It was a bit unexpected and I was disappointed. I won't say more than that! I will say it is worth the read, especially for a warm weekend (if we ever see those again!)

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