Last Days in Plaka

"Henriette Lazaridis weaves a deceiving and entrancing tale." 

 

“Secrets, lies, and the vibrant backdrop of life in present-day Athens compel this elegantly written tale of two women. Lazaridis’ moving story opens into a consideration of faith and forgiveness as each woman examines how to apply the essential notion of grace to their complicated relationships.”

“A gorgeously written new novel set against the backdrop of heat-baked modern Athens, unfolding the story of two mesmerizingly complex women: an aging widow who depends on the kindness of others, and the young Greek-American glued to her Scheherazade like tales of previous grandeur. A true stunner about the lies we tell, the truths we hide and the female connections that transform us.”

"A thoughtful and thought provoking encounter between two worlds, that of the elderly and that of the young. In this delicately drawn, unfurling narrative Henriette Lazaridis captures perfectly the contradictions of youth, the fine mix of equivocation, conviction, imprudence and self belief."

“A stunning novel about an unlikely friendship that had me utterly enthralled. In luminous prose, Last Days in Plaka lays bare the yearnings of a trio of heartbreakingly human characters in modern-day Athens as they navigate a hot, deserted city haunted by memories and their own obscured agendas. A poignant, surprising read that will make you look more closely, and with greater tenderness, at the world around you.” 

“This novel will find its audience of those who appreciate the subtlety of a gorgeous turn-of-phrase and expert tracking of an omniscient narrator who knows when to invoke the reader and when to extend their reach beyond the scene at hand. This book may not be able to call through the din of other more flashy tales in my head, but when it will call—and it will call—I look forward to hearing its voice again.”

“What Lazaridis calls her ‘strange little novel’ is a wonderful mix of coming of age, immigrant stories, and the pain that lurks behind crumbling facades.”

Praise for Henriette Lazaridis

"At first, it’s the forbidding ice sheets of Antarctica, a 'place that offers beauty with a fist,' that dominate Henriette Lazaridis’s ingenious new novel. When the two strands of the narrative unite and then combust, the 'terra nova' of the novel’s title turns out to be a 'new world' not of the land but of the mind."

"As if Jack London and Anita Shreve had a literary baby: an absolutely immersive story of Antarctic survival, suffrage, a love triangle, art, and betrayal. Engrossing from the first moment to the last page, when you’ll immediately return to the beginning to start again."

"What would you risk to fulfill a desperate ambition? Whom would you betray if you had to—and at what cost to you, the ones you love, the world? Set against the dazzling frozen backdrop of 1910 Antarctica, this is a mesmerizer about love, rivalry, and the indominable strength of one of the best, most complex female characters I’ve read in years."

"The novel's strength lies in its impressive marriage of art and exploration. Lazaridis relishes in long, gorgeous descriptions of scenes and explanations of shot-framing and darkroom photo processing as intimate as a love letter. This underlying stream of artistic enchantment hits the mark and keeps the pages turning."