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brekaboujie's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I found this a bit slow and tricky to get into but it was a very interesting and well written book. I knew absolutely nothing about the setting which made the whole thing super interesting and new to me, and made it all extra emotional too as it was quite unexpected. The perspectives were interesting, and I thought the different sections of time we followed were paced well and kept me engaged. It didn't swap around too much, so I didn't get that annoying feeling where you just want someone to get on with it so you can get back to the other perspective.
The tree was.... an interesting choice. I didn't not like it, but every so often the narrator voice the author used for the tree got a bit annoying. But it gave an interesting additional insight which we couldn't have had with the stylistic choice of writing 3rd person from specific peoples perspectives. So it worked in that sense.
Overall nicely written, really interesting context, great character writing and did make me tear up a few times, I got quite invested in everyone. Quite a different vibe for me, but I liked it!
The tree was.... an interesting choice. I didn't not like it, but every so often the narrator voice the author used for the tree got a bit annoying. But it gave an interesting additional insight which we couldn't have had with the stylistic choice of writing 3rd person from specific peoples perspectives. So it worked in that sense.
Overall nicely written, really interesting context, great character writing and did make me tear up a few times, I got quite invested in everyone. Quite a different vibe for me, but I liked it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion, War, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide and Alcoholism
kaanda's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.75
So descriptive that I can clearly see the tavern and every character in it. A very beautiful and painful story with seamless flow. Loved it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Abortion, Addiction, War, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Grief, Abandonment, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Hate crime, Homophobia, Murder, Animal death, Suicide, and Racism
Minor: Classism, Misogyny, Sexual content, Colonisation, and Gun violence
sas_lk's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Elif Shafak's writing is gorgeous, I underlined a lot of beautiful quotes. However, I just think this book was not necessarily for me, Ada frustrated me so much. She frustrated me so much that I ended up having barely any interest in the rest of the story and characters.
I think I will try atleast one more book from Shafak because I do think she is talented. This one simply wasn't for me I think.
I think I will try atleast one more book from Shafak because I do think she is talented. This one simply wasn't for me I think.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child death, Alcoholism, War, Violence, and Hate crime
Minor: Suicide and Homophobia
taytots24's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Child death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Alcoholism, Police brutality, Suicide, Alcohol, Ableism, and Gun violence
moomookachoo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- 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? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, War, Suicide, Racism, and Mental illness
segufta's review
emotional
reflective
slow-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
4.0
when i originally picked up this book it wasn't doing anything for me and i felt like i wasn't getting it especially in the fig tree sections. picking it up now though was definitely the right time, has beautiful quotes (ironically a lot from the fig tree) and a good story. i think what makes it land even more now is how the discussion of a divided cyprus and all the islanders feelings and emotions around it mirror the world right now, just added a lot of thought to that. ending made me smile
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
Minor: Suicide, Pregnancy, Abortion, Homophobia, Grief, and Death of parent
awilk23'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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Violence, War, and Homophobia
Moderate: Abortion, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Minor: Sexual content
miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
There were a lot of things that i really enjoyed about this book and i do think it is very good but i think because i liked it, it frustrated me more at times
Like the bits from the fig tree: super interesting idea, love that as a way to tell history! But should have been edited down way more, and sometimes it felt too non fictiony for a fiction book
Also there were several different quotes i really liked but if that because sometimes it feels like she just keeps saying the say thing until she can get it across perfectly? Idk felt like it should have been edited more
So yeah would recommend, and it was v good and with a really interesting topic that ive not read about before but also why would a bee be able to read? Y’know?
Like the bits from the fig tree: super interesting idea, love that as a way to tell history! But should have been edited down way more, and sometimes it felt too non fictiony for a fiction book
Also there were several different quotes i really liked but if that because sometimes it feels like she just keeps saying the say thing until she can get it across perfectly? Idk felt like it should have been edited more
So yeah would recommend, and it was v good and with a really interesting topic that ive not read about before but also why would a bee be able to read? Y’know?
‘People assume it's a matter of personality, the difference between optimists and pessimists. But I believe it all comes down to an inability to forget. The greater your powers of retention, the slimmer your chances at optimism.’
‘when you leave your home for unknown shores, you don't simply carry on as before; a part of you dies inside so that another part can start all over again.’
‘'Because the past is a dark, distorted mirror. You look at it, you only see your own pain. There is no room in there for someone else's pain.'’
‘sometimes what you called a perpetrator was just another name for an unacknowledged victim.’
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide, Violence, War, Abortion, Death of parent, Gore, Blood, Addiction, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Hate crime, and Mental illness
laceystairs's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.5
This was a book club book and it's not one I would have chosen for myself, but I am so glad that I experienced this this story this year. This book had the most interesting narrator. I had not expected that a tree would not only have a lot to say, but have a lot of interesting things to say. This story takes place in present time, a young girl comes to terms with her life now that she is missing her mother. Her father is grieving and together with a visiting relative, they start to try and ReDiscover family. The second part of the book is told in flashbacks of the mother and father during the 1970s when Cyprus was in the middle of a civil war. Heartbreaking and heartwarming, this book was so much better than even the hype had made me expect.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Homophobia, Mental illness, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, and War
sianh77'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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, War, and Suicide