"A modern epic about six pivotal months on the Greek island of Crete during WWII, and one woman's experience of them."

– TODAY.com

"A delightful tale of magical realism filled with unforgettable characters."

– Woman's World

"This gripping novel brings history to life through strong, well-written characters, a compelling plot, and meticulous attention to detail. The gifted author’s masterful prose draws the reader in from the very first page of this must read book."

– The National Herald

"Fans of WWII historical fiction will find much to savor in this novel. It offers a unique setting, unforgettable characters, and an action-filled plot, all written in a style that is both compelling and thought-provoking. As a window into the culture of Crete past and present, this novel is highly recommended."

– Historical Novel Society

"In 1941, on the island of Crete, Maria finds a British soldier, nearly dead, and brings him to the home she shares with her husband’s family. Meanwhile, as she awaits her husband’s return from his own battles against the Germans, the war reaches Crete's shores. Stark details about the violence and heartbreak of war are interwoven with tender moments of love. At its heart, this is a story of Crete’s cycle of overcoming oppression, as Maria’s grief makes way for those who come after her to rebuild and flourish."

– Booklist

“Cosmos revisits WWII Greece in his riveting latest. Island of Ghosts and Dreams shines a light on the lesser-told story of Greece’s role in WWII, evoking the tremendous stamina and courage of its people and showing how their lives are changed under the constant threat of death. It’s a stirring drama.”

– Publishers Weekly

"As in his earlier novel, Once We Were Here, Cosmos blends intimate storytelling with sweeping history. Crete is a character all its own, both intensely alive and ancient with history — from Minoan myths to Venetian walls and Ottoman legacies. There is a fierce local pride that pulses through the novel, and that made the Battle of Crete one of the most remarkable civilian resistance movements of the war... but what lingers most is the novel’s insistence on memory: how history lives on in families, landscapes, and stories passed hand to hand."

– Michigan Alumnus Magazine

“Island of Ghosts and Dreams is a sweeping story of love and resistance, spanning two generations and capturing the fierce spirit of Crete during the German occupation. History, passion and sacrifice are bound together by the unbreakable will to be free. From the ashes of this war rises a love as timeless as the island itself. A beautiful and poignant must read."

– Liv Constantine, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish

“Wonderful book. Echoes of ancient times: the love of Greece, the love of love, it all shines against the backdrop of war. Beautiful and savage. I loved it."

– Conn Iggulden, New York Times bestselling author of the Emperor and Conqueror series

“Set in Crete during WWII and beyond, Island of Ghosts and Dreams is a compelling story of occupation, resistance, and the inescapability of history, exploring the links between beauty and despair, loyalty and betrayal, and loss and reclamation. Christopher Cosmos has a keen, tender eye for the way memory and trauma mark a landscape, for the dramatic complications of refusal and revenge, and for the deep emotional complexity of a life and the quiet power of the stories we tell. Island of Ghosts and Dreams will surprise you at every turn."

– Natalie Bakopoulos, author of The Green Shore, Scorpionfish, and Archipelago

"Rich in historical detail and finely nuanced characters, Island of Ghosts and Dreams is a beautifully written and magnificent novel. Once again, Christopher Cosmos brings to light an important and mostly forgotten moment in history by crafting an evocative and transportive story that you won't want to put down and won't want to end. Highly recommended."

– Yvette Manessis Corporon, international bestselling author of Daughter of Ruins

"An epic tale of resilience, passion, and promise, Island of Ghosts and Dreams transports readers to a small Cretan village in the 1940’s and deftly weaves together threads of hope, inspiration, and unflinching love into a stunning illustration of how tragedy can transform us into our best and bravest self.”

– Lori Nelson Spielman, New York Times bestselling author of The Life Lis

 Praise for Christopher Cosmos

"A modern epic, surging with the lifeblood of Greece and her proud history. Beautiful, tragic, and achingly lovely, this story of heroism, survival, and homeland captured my heart.”

– Victoria Aveyard, #1 bestselling author of the Red Queen series

"Christopher Cosmos gives the reader a front-row seat to six pivotal months in the history of Greece, and the world. Full of both heroics and disasters, Cosmos shines a vivid light on the human costs of war, and how we inherit fmaily legacies of love, sacrifice, and secrets."

– Caitlin Horrocks, author of The Vexations 

"This stirring debut by Christopher Cosmos examines the enduring costs of love and war, and the way family stories—even buried ones—set the course for generations to come. Cosmos is deeply committed not only to his characters and their harrowing experiences, but also to sharing, with insight and empathy, Greece’s powerful and often heartbreaking history."

–  Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife and Love and Ruin

“Winston Churchill said that Greeks don't fight like heroes, but heroes fight like Greeks, and this story proves it; a stunning literary debut about legacy and history, war and peace, fate and destiny, the power of family and stories, and how young love can still shine and endure, even in the face of the greatest evils and long after we're gone."

– Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of Gates of Fire and The Legend of

"A gut-wrenching story with cinematic quality. Christopher Cosmos vividly portrays the human side of war, from the untrained Resistance fighters to the villagers and survivors. He reminds us why Greeks are so fiercely proud of their country and defend their legacy."

– Maria A. Karamitsos, “The Windy City Greek”