Here we are, in the last month of the summer where the sun is shining brighter and the days are either filled with the hot rays or drowning in the puddles that scatter across the world. And what is the best book to finish off the summer and welcome the coming autumn? The House by the River by Lena Manta that originated in the cosmopolitan country of Greece.
The House by the River follows a dysfunctional yet vivacious family, where each member is confronted by his or her past before, during, and after World War II. We start out with Theodora and Gerasimos who live at the base of Mount Olympus, yes the same amount Olympus from the Greek mythological stories, and their five adorable and unique daughters: Melissanthi, Julia, Aspasia, Polyxeni, and Magdalini. We follow each daughter into their respective paths that initially lead them away from their small corner of the world - to deal with love, death, childbirth, the mafia, lust, travels to Africa, and murder. As we look at the world through their eyes we can only imagine and hope that they will one day return home where their mom, Theodora, and grandmother await them.