Where to Start with Victoria Hislop: The Best First Book
Not sure which Victoria Hislop to read first? This guide matches every reader to the right starting point — The Island, The Thread, Those Who Are Loved, or her Spain novel.
Victoria Hislop writes historical family sagas set in the Mediterranean — almost always with a present-day British character discovering a story from the past. The method is consistent across her novels, but the settings and historical periods vary considerably.
For almost all readers, the answer is straightforward.
Start here: The Island
The Island is where almost everyone should begin. It is her most famous novel, her most emotionally powerful, and the best statement of her characteristic method. Alexis Fielding travels to Crete to discover the story her mother has never told — a story connected to Spinalonga, the island off the Cretan coast that was Europe’s last leper colony.
The novel moves between the present and the past with confidence; the Cretan setting is rendered with deep knowledge; and the family story at its centre is genuinely moving. If you read it and want more, the complete reading order is here.
By reader interest
If your primary interest is Greece and Greek history: Start with The Island, then The Thread (Thessaloniki), then Those Who Are Loved (Athens, WWII).
If you’re visiting Crete specifically: The Island first, then One August Night (its sequel) as a companion.
If you’re interested in WWII: Those Who Are Loved — the Athens occupation and famine — or The Thread for the Thessaloniki Jewish community’s fate.
If you’re visiting Spain: The Return — set in Granada during the Spanish Civil War, with flamenco as its emotional spine.
If you’re visiting Cyprus: The Sunrise — Famagusta and the 1974 Turkish invasion.
By reader type
| If you like… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Family sagas (Rosamunde Pilcher, Joanna Trollope) | The Island |
| WWII historical fiction (Kristin Hannah) | Those Who Are Loved |
| Multigenerational epics | The Thread |
| Spanish history and culture | The Return |
What to avoid first
Don’t start with One August Night. It is a sequel to The Island and requires the first novel’s foundation to work. Read The Island first.
For the full Victoria Hislop bibliography, reviews, and biography, visit the Victoria Hislop author page on Editors Reads.
Affiliate disclosure: Links to Amazon on this page are affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Island the best Victoria Hislop?
The Island is her most famous and most widely loved novel, and it is the best starting point for almost all readers. The Thread is her most historically ambitious and is the right starting point for readers primarily interested in Greek Jewish history or Thessaloniki.
Do I need to visit Greece to enjoy Victoria Hislop?
No — though readers planning a trip to Greece, Crete, or Thessaloniki will find her novels excellent preparation. The sense of place is very strong, but the family stories work for readers who have never visited.
