ASHES OF SMYRNA

by Richard Reinhardt ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 1970

A Cinemascopic mounting of Greece and Turkey's battle for Cyprus following World War I. It's brother against brother and neighbor against neighbor, and not just figuratively speaking. Of the sons of Hilmi Pasha, Kenan -- whose patriotic forays have already left him half-crazed and horribly maimed -- joins the nationalist forces of Mustapha Kemal. Abdulla, trained to European university Marxism, chooses instead to lead his own raggedy band of peasant proteges to the class war. On the Greek side there's Christos Trigonis, a wealthy middle-aged merchant who supports Venizelos and dreams like Alexander; his son George, a big cowardly boy who hides his doubts with heroism; and Lieut. Dimitris Kalapothakis, all good looks and self-serving guile, in whose person evil stalks to another triumph. What he -- and everyone else -- stalks over is the long-suffering body of Eleni Trigonis, who turns, jilted and pregnant, from Kalapothakis to the enraptured Abdulla, thus stoking the ire of all parties. Christos disowns Eleni, Kenan swears death to his brother, and obviously things cannot end happily. Only after much complication and flamboyant carnage do they end at ail in a state of numbed exhaustion which readers will probably share.

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1970

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Harper & Row

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1970

Categories: FICTION