Chris Cosmos has a way of making history feel personal. His latest novel draws readers into a world shaped by olive trees, hilltop caves, shared meals, and a quiet longing for what might have been. Readers of Grand Rapids Magazine may recall our earlier conversation, “Greeking Out,” which explored his novel Young Conquerors.
Cosmos’ newest work, Island of Ghosts and Dreams, continues the story he began in his 2020 novel Once We Were Here. Together, the books tell a World War II–era tale that lingers long after the final page. Published by Simon & Schuster and hailed as “riveting” by Publishers Weekly, with a nod from Read With Jenna, Island of Ghosts and Dreams follows Maria, a woman in her early 30s who joins a ragtag band of resistance fighters on Crete during the Nazi occupation. The premise promises drama, but Cosmos’ real accomplishment is how completely he inhabits Maria’s perspective and the world she fights to protect.
Written in the first person, her voice is so convincing that readers may forget the careful imaginative work required to bring it to life.
The character’s emotional journey unfolds after her village is ransacked by Nazis and everything she has known is taken from her. Tragedy threads through the story—because, as Cosmos notes with wry inevitability, “This is a story about Greece. What would it be without tragedy?” Yet the darkness is tempered by Maria’s resilience and determination as she undertakes a mission that feels unlikely, yet is entirely possible, given the history of the island. Crete’s resistance during World War II endured longer than almost any other occupied region, and Cosmos channels that history into a story that captures both the horrors of war and the persistence of hope.
With a background in screenwriting and producing, Cosmos brings a cinematic sweep to the novel, grounded in meticulous boots-on-the-ground research that gives it a tangible sense of place. Sunbaked beaches and rugged mountain trails are rendered with such care that the island feels lived-in by the reader, while historical figures woven into the narrative anchor the story in reality.
For Cosmos, who still calls West Michigan home while splitting his time between Greece and Los Angeles, Island of Ghosts and Dreams represents a culmination—of history deeply researched, of stories shared and of a lifelong love affair with Greece itself.
Editor’s Note: Since we went to print with this story, there’s been an update. Author Chris Cosmos told us yesterday (May, 20, 2026): “In book news, I sold the Greek translation rights to Island of Ghosts and Dreams last week…today is actually the 85th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete and when the novel begins!”
Order your copy of “Island of Ghosts and Dreams” here or buy it at your favorite local book retailer.
