Historical fiction book · Curated
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Louis de Bernières · historical fiction
In 1941, Italian captain Antonio Corelli is posted to occupied Cephalonia with his mandolin, and is billeted on Dr Iannis and his daughter Pelagia, who is waiting for a fisherman fiancé gone to war. Louis de Bernières’s novel is WWII historical romance of an Ionian island: occupation, music, and a love tested when the war’s savagery finally arrives.
Why read it: A widely searched WWII historical novel (and 2001 film)—occupation-era romance beyond France and Britain, and a Greek-island counterpart to Western Front and Bletchley stories already on the shelf.
About this historical novel
Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernières is historical fiction set around 1940–1943 in the World War II era period with key settings including Cephalonia, Greece, Argostoli, Ionian Islands. In 1941, Italian captain Antonio Corelli is posted to occupied Cephalonia with his mandolin, and is billeted on Dr Iannis and his daughter Pelagia, who is waiting for a fisherman fiancé gone to war. Louis de Bernières’s novel is WWII historical romance of an Ionian island: occupation, music, and a love tested when the war’s savagery finally arrives.
On HisFic we tag it under 2. Historical romance and 1. Literary historical fiction so you can pair it with similar story types. Recurring themes include occupation, love, music, war, and island. A widely searched WWII historical novel (and 2001 film)—occupation-era romance beyond France and Britain, and a Greek-island counterpart to Western Front and Bletchley stories already on the shelf.
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Plot summary
In 1941, Italian captain Antonio Corelli is posted to occupied Cephalonia with his mandolin, and is billeted on Dr Iannis and his daughter Pelagia, who is waiting for a fisherman fiancé gone to war. Louis de Bernières’s novel is WWII historical romance of an Ionian island: occupation, music, and a love tested when the war’s savagery finally arrives. A widely searched WWII historical novel (and 2001 film)—occupation-era romance beyond France and Britain, and a Greek-island counterpart to Western Front and Bletchley stories already on the shelf.
Subgenres
Eras
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Regions & places
Europe
Cephalonia · Greece · Argostoli · Ionian Islands
Themes
- occupation
- love
- music
- war
- island
Tags
bestseller · romance · literary