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alexisgarcia's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
3.0
the story was good, and i really appreciated the afterword that explained the backstory to the author writing it. however, the plot didn’t feel fully developed. it was definitely still good though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual assault, Child death, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Rape, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, War, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcoholism
acatmother's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A beautifully written book that is heart wrenching and powerful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Drug use and Self harm
beaingleby's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Xenophobia, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Murder, Hate crime, and Sexual assault
breannasbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Murder, Child death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape
your_true_shelf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Don't read this book unless you're feeling strong enough. It is incredibly traumatic, with a lot of death, violence, children being abducted and killed. I feel that I learnt a lot from the story within and I believe that if everyone read this, those seeking asylum would be treated very differently. The story was beautifully written, but is a very hard read emotionally (& that's just reading it, never mind living it...)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Murder, Child death, and War
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual violence
mowenwood's review against another edition
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Murder, and War
jess_vitale's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
This novel is beautifully written, but with such darkness and despair. The harrowing experiences of the main characters makes this difficult to read. It is especially heartbreaking reading this alongside the backdrop of war in current global affairs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Murder and Rape
ree333's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Violence, War, and Murder
Minor: Rape
oftalone90's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.0
An increasingly relevant story, interestingly told. Each chapter is split into two times, joined by a single word. This book is well written and demonstrates the futility of war and the horrors of fleeing a homeland to seek asylum.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Child death, and Mental illness
amyvl93's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I definitely went into The Beekeeper of Aleppo with some unjustified snobbery, and I'm now eating some humble pie, as I found this book to be incredibly moving and an excellent portrayal of the refugee experience.
The Beekeeper of Aleppo follows the journey of Nuri and Afra as they attempt to journey from war-torn Aleppo in Syria, to join their family in relative safety in the North of England, where they have found comfort teaching beekeeping to fellow refugees. Lefteri draws a heartbreaking portrayal of Aleppo, as Afra in particular struggles to leave their home and the place they have experienced unimaginable loss - but this portrayal becomes all the more challenging as we begin to follow the couple through Turkey and into Greece. The novel shines a brutal light on the desperate refugee experience, on the constraints related to safe routes and those who benefit from the desperation of fellow humans to reach a place of safety. Lefteri also shows the reality of the asylum process for people when they arrive in England, which is far from the gold-plated, benefit-recieving experience that certain newspapers would have you believe.
Against this, it would be unsurprising if the characters within the novel became mere ciphers for Lefteri to get her points across - but this is not the case. All the people that Nuri and Afra meet are given human complexity - as do Nuri and Afra as they struggle to adapt to a life having seen and lived the things they have.
Some of the imagery and metaphor used in the novel was a little too on the nose for me, but overall I really enjoyed and appreciated The Beekeeper of Aleppo.
The Beekeeper of Aleppo follows the journey of Nuri and Afra as they attempt to journey from war-torn Aleppo in Syria, to join their family in relative safety in the North of England, where they have found comfort teaching beekeeping to fellow refugees. Lefteri draws a heartbreaking portrayal of Aleppo, as Afra in particular struggles to leave their home and the place they have experienced unimaginable loss - but this portrayal becomes all the more challenging as we begin to follow the couple through Turkey and into Greece. The novel shines a brutal light on the desperate refugee experience, on the constraints related to safe routes and those who benefit from the desperation of fellow humans to reach a place of safety. Lefteri also shows the reality of the asylum process for people when they arrive in England, which is far from the gold-plated, benefit-recieving experience that certain newspapers would have you believe.
Against this, it would be unsurprising if the characters within the novel became mere ciphers for Lefteri to get her points across - but this is not the case. All the people that Nuri and Afra meet are given human complexity - as do Nuri and Afra as they struggle to adapt to a life having seen and lived the things they have.
Some of the imagery and metaphor used in the novel was a little too on the nose for me, but overall I really enjoyed and appreciated The Beekeeper of Aleppo.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Murder, and War
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Self harm, Trafficking, and Xenophobia
Minor: Deportation