Reviews tagging 'War'

جزيرة الأشجار المفقودة by Elif Shafak

220 reviews

bobooks02's review against another edition

emotional funny informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Pregnancy, and War

staceyinthesticks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Mental illness, Abortion, and Pregnancy

itsradita's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Homophobia and Suicide attempt

juliamakena's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Hate crime

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Homophobia, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and War

griernotgruyere's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Addiction

kaitlanl's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Suicide, Grief, and War

siobhanward's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

 Reese's Book Club Pick 60/68


Maybe it's because I know nothing about the history of conflict in Cyprus (which is on me, I probably should know a bit about that), maybe it was the writing style, or maybe this book wasn't my style, because I just didn't get the hype.

I thought the book was fine. It wasn't terrible or anything but I didn't feel engaged and just felt like I was waiting for it to be over. I think there was context that Shafak needed to explain in more detail to get more reader buy-in, because it felt like I was missing something the whole time. The tree's POV was cool, although I felt that I could have used less of it and would have loved to see more from the characters themselves. More show, less tell. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Homophobia, Xenophobia, and War

rubyrosereads_'s review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

 This book tells the story of Kostas, a Greek Cypriot, and Defne, a Turkish Cypriot, as they fall in love in secret when their two ethnic groups begin to turn against each other in Nicosia, Cyprus, 1974. 

This story has the conflict at the centre of the plot but it is really about the interconnectedness of humans and nature. Both Kostas and the Fig Tree raise the question of why conflict is necessary among humans, and why we put ourselves above nature. 

The fig tree as a narrator was at times interesting, but other times a little over the top for me with the heavy handed metaphors. Overall a good read and I would recommend for anyone who loves books about nature. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, and War

wheeistful's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Homophobia, Violence, and War

natashaball's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, and War