Leopard Behind the Glass

In 1936, the king in Greece abdicates, and a military dictatorship is established in the country. Two sisters, eight-year-old Melissa and ten-year-old Mirto, live on one of the Greek islands under the protection of a large prosperous family. Niko, their older cousin, tells the best stories about the leopard, whose stuffed figure stands behind a glass case in the family living room. But suddenly, the adults become gloomy, talk about democracy and dictatorship, and quarrel among themselves. Niko is forced to hide, while Mirto joins a paramilitary organization of Greek youth. Alki Zei (1925-2020) is a Greek writer. She wrote her first and famous novel "Leopard Behind the Glass" (1963) while living in Moscow as a political refugee. This book became her way of telling about her childhood experiences and life during the establishment of the dictatorship.