facoffee1984 's review for:

Bitter Lemons of Cyprus by Lawrence Durrell

5.0

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A fabulous book. The ending is bitter and sad, much like the lemons and the current situation in Cyprus. At some point the focus of the story shifts from daily life (the house, the villagers, the Tree of Idleness) to graver matters, and it becomes political although in a clever way. I didn't like it when Durrell tried to defend the role of the British on the island (as well as his Britishness?). However, he also acknowledged the lack of proactivity and tact of the Foreign Office when it was clear that a certain situation was brewing up. This book made me want to go to Cyprus. My next book on the subject is "A Journey to Cyprus" by Colin Thubron, who visited the island before 1974.