ONCE WE WERE HERE

A grandfather reveals his past as a resistance fighter for Greece.

A framing prologue sets up the story: A grandson has discovered an old photograph in his grandparents' attic, leading his Papou, a Greek American, to confess a long-held secret. The first half is an episodic slog of military campaigns as the protagonist, 18-year-old Alexei, leaves his small fishing village of Agria to fight invading Italians. Along with his childhood friend Costa and the outnumbered and ill-equipped Greek army, he draws first blood in skirmishes in the hills before defeating Mussolini’s forces in Pogradec, an Albanian town. The boys return home to short-lived triumph. Costa, a lady’s man, settles down with Thalia, an older woman, and becomes a father to her son, Nico. Alexei marries Philia after winning the grudging respect of her wealthy father, Giorgios. This brief idyll is interrupted as the Greeks must again defend their borders, now against Hitler’s Wehrmacht. Many more battle scenes and skirmishes ensue. The women left behind as the Germans occupy Agria are treated predictably and stereotypically, as victims whom only men can protect—a role 11-year-old Nico prematurely assumes. The combat narrative takes on more urgency and interest as the two friends join a band of resistance fighters led by Koukidis, a fellow veteran of the Albanian campaign (a character based on a legendary Greek fighter). The battle scenes often veer into comic-book territory, however: No shot of any caliber can be fired without accompanying sound effects such as “bang,” “rat-a-tat-tat,” or “kaboom.” According to the book's epigraphs, Hitler admired the Greeks’ tenacity and Stalin thanked Greece for delaying the German invasion of Russia until winter. Even without such dubious testimonials, this debut novel's primary message is clear: Without Greece’s sacrifice of 10% of its population in resisting German occupation for 219 days, the Allied victory might have been seriously compromised.

If Hitler and Stalin recognized the Greeks’ courage, it’s about time the world did, too.