Kalavrita: A Greek Tragedy, A Strange Love

Kalavrita isthe story of Stavros Milionis, a boy sent from his native Greece to Toronto in the early days of World War II. His mother, sister and two brothers perished in the Nazi massacre of Kalavrita in1943 — a reprisal against Greek partisans which claimed 1360 lives. Stavros grows to manhood and becomes a successful lawyer in Toronto, but finds himself increasingly obsessed with his family’s past, and with revenge rather than justice. After the deaths of his fiancée and his father, Stavros returns to Greece, ostensibly to build a chapel to his father’s memory. In fact, he finds “the past is pulling me back with frightening speed,” and falls inlove with the mysterious I-Vuvi.

The novel’s denouement, and Stavros’ catastrophic solution of the mystery of I-Vuvi’s identity, provide a climax reminiscent of the best of Greek tragedy. Indeed, Lumière writes very well, with sensitivity and insight and humour, and his grasp of the psychology of revenge is deep and frightening. He exposes, with humanity and compassion, the dark places to be found even in the best of us; and has produced in Kalavrita a fine novel, which the reader will not soon — or easily — forget.