A review by jiji17
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

I was a bit underwhelmed by this book. Although I was interested in the historical background of the civil war in Cyprus and thought that the premise of a story of love, grief, and conflict told through multiple generations was intriguing, I feel Shafak failed to really execute her ideas. The character of Ada was unlikeable and I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if we had just heard the parents’ story. Though the descriptions of the island and its nature were beautiful, I found the rest of the writing to be overly simplistic, with the author explaining everything rather than letting the reader interpret for themselves. 
However, I am still glad I read it.