Ioanna Karystiani transitioned from a career in law, cartooning, and screenwriting to become a celebrated prose author in the 1990s. Her narratives often delve into the lives, loves, and labors of families within maritime communities, particularly on the Greek island of Andros during the early twentieth century. Karystiani excels at evoking the distinct atmosphere and cultural textures of her homeland, offering readers a rich immersion into the past. Her skill in portraying intricate family dynamics against a historical backdrop establishes her as a significant voice in contemporary Greek literature.
Set in the Cyclades Islands, this novel recounts the tragic love story between Siros Maltabes and the stunningly beautiful Orsa, sentenced by her tyrannical mother and Greek tradition to marry a man she doesn't love and to watch from a distance while the man she loves marries her sister."