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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
jenlovesbooksandcoffee's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
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
5.0
Sometimes, what you call the perpetrator was just another name for an unacknowledged victim.
The audio is so good!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Genocide, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, War, Abortion, Animal death, Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Xenophobia
nicolaparty's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Murder, Child death, Death, Grief, Homophobia, War, and Death of parent
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, and Pregnancy
Minor: Kidnapping
mlkai's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
3.0
i read it for the trees 🌳✨
writing to floral & detailed for my taste. the love story didn’t grab me. learning about the civil war felt heavy, timely, real. learned a lot about trees tho which i’m happy about
writing to floral & detailed for my taste. the love story didn’t grab me. learning about the civil war felt heavy, timely, real. learned a lot about trees tho which i’m happy about
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Homophobia, Death of parent, Hate crime, Alcoholism, Violence, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Death, and Murder
Minor: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Child death, Suicide, Animal death, and Mental illness
anwenanwenanwen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
4.5
Beautiful emotional book. I learnt so much and I'm so sad to finish it. Beautiful ending too!! Didn't see it coming but made perfect sense. Ugh!!
Only thing I didn't love was the authors voice felt very inconsistent, went from overly forced poetic prose to very very casual dialogue that didn't feel realistic, to then pages of info about bugs and trees. I also wish she had gone more into depth about the classroom incident, felt like she forgot to finish that sub plot?
But I'd still recommend this to anyone who feels a deep connection to nature and is interested in Greek politics! I'm from a very Greek/ Turkish neighbourhood in North London so this story holds a special place in my heart <3
Only thing I didn't love was the authors voice felt very inconsistent, went from overly forced poetic prose to very very casual dialogue that didn't feel realistic, to then pages of info about bugs and trees. I also wish she had gone more into depth about the classroom incident, felt like she forgot to finish that sub plot?
But I'd still recommend this to anyone who feels a deep connection to nature and is interested in Greek politics! I'm from a very Greek/ Turkish neighbourhood in North London so this story holds a special place in my heart <3
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Homophobia, and Death
ncaldeir's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Alcohol, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and War
yolanda_h's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy, Homophobia, and Alcoholism
Minor: Suicide
sari_lyr's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Homophobia, and War
Moderate: Pregnancy and Abortion
eloise_reads's review against another edition
emotional
informative
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
5.0
Step back we may have a new book to add to the all time favourites list!
The Island of Missing Trees is a book I've had on my shelf for several months now. It was one I was a little apprehensive about because I wasn't sure if it was something I would like.
How bloomin wrong was I?!
Readers, this book is simply stunning. I've already read some of Elif Shafak's previous work and knew her writing style was beautifully description and detailed without being overly fluffy which is something I struggle with.
We follow two timelines in this book, Ada in the 2010s who has recently lost her mother and since then her relationship with her father has become slightly strained. In the other timeline, we follow her mother and father as they meet and fall in love living in Cyprus in the mid 70s, one of them is a Greek Cypriot, the other a Turkish Cypriot. Because of this, the two have to meet up in secret.
Ashamedly I knew absolutely nothing of the conflict in Cyprus, so although this book is fiction I've learned and taken so much from it and it has led me to do some further research. For me this is the sign of a great book, when you finish and cannot stop thinking about it.
The love story is so beautifully written and was definitely my favourite part of the book, despite how heartbroken I was at many points.
I will also never look at a tree the same way again - the chapters based on trees are so so good, interesting and very thought provoking. Genuinely, I truly mean it when I say I will never look at a tree the same way again.
Deeply moving, The Island Of Missing Trees is simply a book that you must read. Despite the sadness it is one which also shows how powerful love can be.
The Island of Missing Trees is a book I've had on my shelf for several months now. It was one I was a little apprehensive about because I wasn't sure if it was something I would like.
How bloomin wrong was I?!
Readers, this book is simply stunning. I've already read some of Elif Shafak's previous work and knew her writing style was beautifully description and detailed without being overly fluffy which is something I struggle with.
We follow two timelines in this book, Ada in the 2010s who has recently lost her mother and since then her relationship with her father has become slightly strained. In the other timeline, we follow her mother and father as they meet and fall in love living in Cyprus in the mid 70s, one of them is a Greek Cypriot, the other a Turkish Cypriot. Because of this, the two have to meet up in secret.
Ashamedly I knew absolutely nothing of the conflict in Cyprus, so although this book is fiction I've learned and taken so much from it and it has led me to do some further research. For me this is the sign of a great book, when you finish and cannot stop thinking about it.
The love story is so beautifully written and was definitely my favourite part of the book, despite how heartbroken I was at many points.
I will also never look at a tree the same way again - the chapters based on trees are so so good, interesting and very thought provoking. Genuinely, I truly mean it when I say I will never look at a tree the same way again.
Deeply moving, The Island Of Missing Trees is simply a book that you must read. Despite the sadness it is one which also shows how powerful love can be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Child death, and Racism