Two teenagers, a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot, meet at a taverna on the island they both call home. The taverna is the only place that Kostas and Defne can meet in secret, hidden beneath the blackened beams from which hang garlands of garlic and chilli peppers, creeping honeysuckle, and in the centre, growing through a cavity in the roof, a fig tree. The fig tree witnesses their hushed, happy meetings; their silent, surreptitious departures. The fig tree is there, too, when war breaks out, when the capital is reduced to ashes and rubble, when the teenagers vanish. Decades later, Kostas returns - a botanist, looking for native species - looking, really, for Defne. The two lovers return to the taverna to take a clipping from the fig tree and smuggle it into their suitcase, bound for London. Years later, the fig tree in the garden is their daughter …
Two teenagers, a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot, meet at a taverna on the island they both call home. The taverna is the only place that Kostas and Defne can meet in secret, hidden beneath the blackened beams from which hang garlands of garlic and chilli peppers, creeping honeysuckle, and in the centre, growing through a cavity in the roof, a fig tree. The fig tree witnesses their hushed, happy meetings; their silent, surreptitious departures. The fig tree is there, too, when war breaks out, when the capital is reduced to ashes and rubble, when the teenagers vanish. Decades later, Kostas returns - a botanist, looking for native species - looking, really, for Defne. The two lovers return to the taverna to take a clipping from the fig tree and smuggle it into their suitcase, bound for London. Years later, the fig tree in the garden is their daughter Ada's only knowledge of a home she has never visited, as she seeks to untangle years of secrets and silence, and find her place in the world.
The Island of Missing Trees is a rich, magical tale of belonging and identity, love and trauma, nature and renewal, from the Booker-shortlisted author of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World.
Great read all round. Got a great history lesson.
But I could have done without the tree being the narrator.
Great read all round. Got a great history lesson.
But I could have done without the tree being the narrator.
The subject matter in this book is very heavy. It takes place in both the present and the past and follows the generation of the main characters. I really enjoyed the perspectives that came from the fig tree. It threw me off a bit, but the narration for her was lovely and really gave a connection to how humans can affect nature.
Defne and Kostas are in a hidden relationship due to being on opposing sides of the Cyprus conflict. I really appreciated that Shafak wrote about this topic (even if it was a background force that affected the characters and sent them on their paths). I wanted to learn a little more about the actual conflict and found out that it's an ongoing conflict that has not been resolved to this day, so I definitely appreciate that it was brought to light for the readers.
There is …
The subject matter in this book is very heavy. It takes place in both the present and the past and follows the generation of the main characters. I really enjoyed the perspectives that came from the fig tree. It threw me off a bit, but the narration for her was lovely and really gave a connection to how humans can affect nature.
Defne and Kostas are in a hidden relationship due to being on opposing sides of the Cyprus conflict. I really appreciated that Shafak wrote about this topic (even if it was a background force that affected the characters and sent them on their paths). I wanted to learn a little more about the actual conflict and found out that it's an ongoing conflict that has not been resolved to this day, so I definitely appreciate that it was brought to light for the readers.
There is a lot of death, both in nature and humans, and a character succumbs to suicide after a long fight with depression. It's not a favorite for me, and that was because the ending twist was a little odd for me and I just didn't care for it. I can see why some would like it, but I am not one of them haha. I'm glad that I read it, though, and if you're up for a book that has very little humor through a heavy subject, then I would recommend this one.
