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waybeyondblue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Hate crime and Homophobia
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Death of parent, and War
lucyselim's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
- 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
The Island of Missing Trees is the story of Kostas and Defne and their daughter Ada. It unfolds in two main timelines - one in London in 2010 and one in Cyprus in the 1970s. One of the main narrators is a very special and wise fig tree, which I’ll admit sounds a little odd. It really worked for me but I imagine it won’t for all readers. It is a book that covers a lot of meaty topics - the legacy of colonialism, religious and ethnic conflict in Cyprus, guilt, migration, mental health, forbidden love, inter-generational trauma, the toll secrets take, grief, the pain of not knowing your past - and yet never feels unbearably heavy. While there is certainly heaviness there is also hope. The novel also includes a strong environmental theme woven throughout which I really appreciated. I loved the way factual information was integrated, the way the relationship between humans and the natural world was highlighted, and the way aspects of the natural world were used as allegories and metaphors for what the characters were experiencing. Shafak’s writing was lyrical and vivid, as beautiful and absorbing as I’ve come to expect. The food descriptions left me drooling and lamenting the lack of a local Cypriot restaurant. This book had lots of elements that I love - an exploration of meaty issues, characters that will stick with me, an interesting structure with alternating perspectives and a non-linear timeline, and gorgeous writing. Not to mention a strong environmental element which is always a bonus. So it’s no surprise that I loved it and gave it five stars.
“Because that is what migrations and relocations do to us: when you leave your home for unknown shores, you don’t simply carry on as before; a part of you does inside so that another part can start all over again.”
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Homophobia, Violence, and War
bookswithmybulldog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Homophobia, Suicide, Abortion, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Abandonment, and War
gee_l_reads's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and War
lollyreads's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Child death, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Animal death and Suicide
internationalreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and War
becca_thegrimreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book is set between Cyprus during the 1970s, and London in the late 2010s. Going back in time we meet two teenagers madly in love but have to keep their romance a secret due to being Greek and Turkish. Reading of the conflict between both sides during this period is incredibly difficult. Then to later read during the acknowledgments that many were based on true stories are utterly heartbreaking. Shafak writes these with honesty and powerfully compassionate prose.
To have a fig tree as a narrator was an interesting choice, and at times can work very well. Some strange choices, such as the fig tree professing its unrequited love for Kostas, took away from the novel for me. It felt like a sort of gimmick that didn’t sit well with the tone of the book. The fig tree brings a sense of connection to the past, but also to the future and the environment. Many times we are reminded of nature being linked, through trees conversing with one another, etc.
This book is sculpted through love and details the harsh cruelties of mankind. It is told in such a magical and lyrical way that this will be a book that will stay with me for a long time.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for the copy of this book. My review is unbiased and honest.
Graphic: Death and Violence