When the Cypress Whispers

Summary (from the publisher): 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 find 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.

Review: I received an uncorrected proof copy of this book from HarperCollins.

This novel is about Daphne, the daughter of Greek immigrants, who is returning to the Greek island of Erikousa to be married. Daphne's parents moved to America with hopes of improving the chances for their daughter's life and spent decades working in a diner. Although Daphne's first husband died, she is now a successful chef and marrying a wealthy New Yorker. However, her fondest memories are of her childhood summers spent on the island with her Yia-yia. Returning makes Daphne question the path her life has taken.

This novel is decidedly of the chic lit variety. However, it's obvious that Corporon has personal ties to Erikousa, and the narrative captures the culture of the island life. "The young girl watched Yia-yia coat another pan with olive oil and add the freshly chopped tomatoes she had picked from the garden that morning. The bright red mixture sizzled, simmered, and popped until the tomatoes reached the perfect consistency, losing their firm texture and giving way to a sweet, thick paste. With her slightly burned and battle-scarred wooden spoon, Yia-yia cleared four little round holes in the simmering sauce" (37). The vivid descriptions of island life made it seem real and grounded in true traditions.

The plot of this novel is not action packed. Little happens other than Daphne's slow realization that the goals she'd worked so hard to achieve may not actually be helping her to follow her dreams. Additionally, Daphne realizes that in trying to earn money for her family, she's actually neglected those she loves the most: "She put her hands in the box and lifted out the result of all those hours spent on her feet, fighting with suppliers, arguing with her stuff, and crying from bone-aching exhaustion. She fanned out the bills, the result of the awards, accolades, and full reservation book that she had fought so hard to earn" (91). 

Additionally, although the novel does include a few flashbacks to Daphne's life in America, I was unable to get a full sense of her life and who she is as a character when off of the island. In addition, her husband's and her parents' deaths are glossed over with few details given, making their deaths seem like convenient ways to dispose of unnecessary characters.  However, I did appreciate the flashbacks that give a sense of why Daphne loves her grandmother and the island so much, since she is seen from a young age happy in that environment.

My greatest disappointment of all, however, was the ending (although I won't give away any spoilers). Although I suspect that Corporon was attempting to not be stereotypical in her ending, the ending instead seems random and out of keeping with the message of the book, which is to follow your dreams and make time for those most important to you. There's no real resolution to Daphne's close attachment and love to her island roots either.

Stars: 3