There are a variety of different themes which coexist throughout The Refugee Summer. These range from the difference in attitudes and ideas between cultures, to the futility of war, to children's perceptions of "grownups" and their world. Along with the superbly portrayed characters resting comfortably in the safety of the novel's setting, these three elements intertwine and weave together into a flying carpet traveling through time to reveal the diachronic issues which have always provoked children and adults.

The first theme that the reader encounters is the difference in attitudes and ideas between different cultures. These are glimpsed through interaction between Nikolas and the "foreigners." The image that one creates in one's mind when being described the commuter train between Athens and Kifissia and being told its name "The Wild Beast," is that of a very noisy, steadfast train groaning against the weight of...