Star-crossed lovers and talking trees... 2 stars

This is the tale of star-crossed lovers in Cyprus at the time of the short but brutal civil war in 1974, which left the island partitioned under the supervision of UN peacekeepers. Defne is Turkish, Kostas is Greek. When the book begins, sometime in the late 2010s in London, we learn that they came to London, married and had a daughter, Ada, who is now sixteen. Defne is recently dead and Kostas and Ada are trying to come to terms with their loss. Meantime (I kid you not) the fig tree in their garden tells us the story of Kostas’ and Defne’s youthful love affair and how it led to this point, along with lots of Cypriot history and tales of the birds and insects that inhabit the island. The tree also treats us to some deep philosophical thinking and recounts conversations it has had with various creatures that have visited it over the years.

I loved Shafak’s last book, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World, and so was highly anticipating this one. Unfortunately I found it hard to believe this was written by the same person. The lightness of touch and beauty of language is all gone – in its place is a potted history of the Cypriot civil war and the atrocities carried out by both sides, told in such a banal fashion that it is about as emotional as reading the entry on the war in wikipedia. The device of having talking trees, birds and insects adds nothing – there’s no sense of magic or mysticism about it. Shafak merely uses them to dump information on the reader, mostly with the clear intent of inducing tears. If the atrocities aren’t enough to do it, throw in some cruelty to songbirds, sad stories about dead children, homophobic persecution, maybe an abortion, or how about a suicide. It’s all so obviously manipulative it entirely failed to produce the intended effect on this hard-hearted reader.

What can I say about the central story? Well, I suppose I can say that we’ve all read the star-crossed lovers story so often that an author would have to do it exceptionally well to make it feel anything other than trite and stale. Sadly Shafak brings nothing new to the table – again, the hackneyed story is merely a vehicle for her to talk about the war. I’m not in any way trying to minimise the horror of civil war in general or the Cypriot experience in particular. But if one wants to write a history book then one should write a history book. If, however, one wants to write fiction set in a war, then something more is needed than an overused trope for a plot and a bunch of talking insects. There is a ton of stuff too about the natural world – mosquitoes and malaria, bird migrations, and endless tree lore, or maybe folklore would be a more accurate word – which all seemed utterly extraneous. I began to skip all the parts narrated by the tree about halfway through and missed nothing relevant to the plot. And then in the end Shafak gives us a pseudo-mystical conclusion right up there in the Harold Fry class of saccharin sickliness.

I’m trying hard to think of any positives to put against all these negatives, but I’m failing, I’m afraid. The best I can say is that plenty of people seem to be loving this – however, I’m not one of them. One of the most disappointing reads of the year for me.

My first Elif Shafak and it didn’t disappoint! I loved the multigenerational aspect and how the author weaves nature into the conflict in 1970s Cyprus. I especially loved the characters of Yiorgos and Yusuf, but I wish there had been a bit more depth to Defne and Ada! I didn’t love the fig tree perspectives but I appreciate what they did for the novel. Super excited to read more of her work :)

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for my gifted e-ARC of this book!

Review coming to @rosies.book.shelf bookstagram page soon xx

Elif Shafak is one of my favourite authors, such an inspiring voice in fiction and her non fiction work.
The Island of Missing Trees is beautiful and sweeping, a magical tale of love and grief.

This novel is headed “to immigrants and exiles everywhere and the trees we left behind rooted in our memories”. While the reader can expect another wonderful and quietly challenging Shafak tale from this extraordinary writer, this time it is not rooted in her country of birth –Turkey, but instead in Cyprus; but a deeply considered Cyprus through the lens of an immigrant family mostly settled in London for decades. Perspectives of “home” are therefore different. But this exploration of family history in Cyprus has been bedded in the civil war of the island. It is a history that has been edited and hidden the losses and pain but which is now being re-examined through the next generation, not always a welcome process to older survivors.
The main narrator of this tale is Ada Kantzakis a Londoner coping with being a sixteen year old in a multicultural City and school. She has never visited Cyprus and lives alone with her father – an environmentalist – as her mother is now dead after some painful years. Into this time of stress her Cypriot aunt Meryem will come as a teller of previously hidden tales and deeper Cypriot culture. She needs finally to carry out rituals to her dead sister - in the garden. This will take place under a fig tree taken as a cutting from Cyprus some years ago by Ada’s parents. The main tree was damaged in the civil war when Ada’s parents were just teenagers themselves. It came from their secret meeting place as one was from the Greek community and the other from the Turkish. Split by the troubles they had only met again twenty years later, before marrying and starting a new family in London.
But Shafak’s tales always carry a depth of history and culture and often added complexity. Another key narrator will be the olive tree, which has a considerably deeper history than even Ada’s father. Furthermore through a longer life span it will have seen many of the torrid happenings of a country heading to civil war, as communities with both a deep history together and parallel cultures resorted to genocide. Thus it will have a completely different perspective on time passing, life and what is important. Trees are part of a wider natural world of value, but with deep links with each other, birds and beasties, and the land itself. Although humans might have lived in close community with fig (and other) trees and found them essential to the welfare of their families. In reality at a deeper level they might have been careless to the point of complete disrespect for the welfare or survival of the trees – this even before the ultimate “climate change” so much discussed now added another deeper and more urgent parameter.
So this tale talks of the past, present and future in a changing world. It also quietly skews one’s view of the passing of time and the issue of what is important or not. It lays a magnifying glass on the behaviour of every person and questions their deeper responsibilities and therefore their daily morality (or lack). Yes, we are shown the overt violence and sometimes destruction of civil war, but wrapped around that is our almost casual destruction of the environment on which so many people and plants and other life forms depend. It is very much a novel of our times and is a challenge to all readers as to what do they do daily and how. Bedding it in a very haunting tale of personal loss and grief just adds to the depth of that message.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this eARC, all opinions are my own.

Elif Shafak writing is so beautiful, magical even if this book can be classified as such. She dragged me into this story, pulled until my heart was all into it until all I could think about is this book. The storytelling, the characters, are simply amazing!
With the alternating stories in two time periods, we get to explore the history of conflict on the island of Cyprus, the divide, the motivation, the violence and the pain. My heart can still feel it, this book has left a deep mark on me and I will not be one I forget any time soon!
The only thing I struggled with was the pacing of it, but It takes away very little from this impactful book.

Absolutely beautiful. Everything about the book drew me in, and I felt almost bereft when it was finished. I can't recommend The Island of Missing Trees more highly.

A fascinating novel that blends history with romance, traverses across generations and location, and covers grief, memory and loss with tenderness and lyricism. The prose is hugely evocative and rich, deeply embodying the scents, sights and feelings of its settings, and representing its characters with a relentless, affirming sense of empathy.

This is a tender and powerful novel about immigration, familial trauma, remembrance and fig trees (the last may sound like a strange addition but it works). I read this book about Cyprus, an island I visited three years ago and loved, on another island where the quiet gave room to the contemplation this beautiful story deserved. ⁣
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In 1970s Nicosia, Defne and Kostas are falling in love as ethnic tensions intensify, their love growing amidst the secrecy, fear and violence of an impending civil war. In 2010s London, their daughter Ada is grieving her mother as Kostas withdraws into his fascination with trees to cope with the loss of his wife. ⁣
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Ada’s story is one about the persistent tendrils of generational trauma. Her parents avoid talking about Cyprus believing that this may free her and give her the chance to have a new, unencumbered heritage. Yet the pain and trauma they carry within them, even if unspoken, is inherited despite the best of intentions - ‘If families resemble trees, as they say, arborescent structures with entangled roots and individual branches jutting out at awkward angles, family traumas are like thick, translucent resin dripping from a cut in the bark. They trickle down generations. They ooze down slowly,⁣ a flow so slight as to be imperceptible, moving across time and space, until they find a crack in which to settle and coagulate. The path of an inherited trauma is random; you never know who might get it, but someone will.’⁣
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Defne and Kostas in different ways fumble to build a new life in London, the past at once too close and too far - ‘Because that is what migrations and relocations do to us: 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.‘

You know, books like these are difficult to talk about. Difficult to explain. Difficult to write about. The emotions they evoke are deep, especially if they have something to hold on to within a person, such as a distant memory, a feeling lost or a piece of family history.

This is a love story. A beautiful and epic love story. But not only between a boy and a girl. Its a love letter to the nature. To one island. To neighbours. To family. To life. I am amazed how Shafak managed to blend it all so neatly, to connect all the lines together so well, that in the end all that is left is to be in awe of her virtue.

Its a story about falling in love in times of a civil war in the island of Cyprus. I also grew up in a time of a civil war. Not a Greek/Turkish one, but a Croatian/Serbian one. Ive witnessed friends becoming enemies. Neighbours turning their back on each other only for being born the wrong ethnicity. I was too young to understand a lot of stuff back then. Too young to experience romantic love. But I remember the fear my mom had of receiving a letter that would say my dad had to go to war. I remember the stories our friends told about stuff that was happening somewhere out there. I remember the news. The times spent in the shelter. The sound of bombs. The people staying without everything. Starting from a scratch somewhere else if they were lucky enough. So yeah, this book evoke something. Something deep and painful.

But also, it gave out the feeling of hope. That even with all the difficulties in life things can turn out good. Some scars will change the people we become, but we will always try to grow, to evolve, to change. For the future generations. And it sends the message that, even broken, love will always survive everything. Cause its a force that will never die. A force of nature.

Shafak never ceases to amaze me. This one especially seems so intimate and it came through in her writing. Loved every sentence and loved every page. Thank you fo the opportunity to read this book.

A beautiful and poetic exploration of identity - with a great sense of place and lovely cultural touches. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This is the first book I’ve read by Elif Shafak and I adored this compelling and poignant story. Bit slow to start but my goodness, it’s beautifully and poetically written
Set over different timelines, Cyprus in the 1970’s at the time of partition and present day London and like the branches of a fig tree, many lives are tangled within the narrative. We hear of the forbidden love affair between Greek and Turkish teenagers, whose tale progresses to cover many themes: love, trauma, family, migration and grief. The narrative is rich in detail, with very well defined characters and believable dialogue. Elif Shafak also brings nature into the story in the form of the ‘voice’ of a fig tree, which took a little time to get used to but it’s so integral to the story, I ended up thinking it was brilliant!
This is an emotional and moving read and I adored it. Highly recommended.
I would like to thank the publisher, Penguin General UK and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The story starts with teenage Ada who has a breakdown and screams in her class until she runs out of breath. Her mother recently died and Ada has only her dad left. They live in London while the rest of their family lives in Cyprus. Ada has never met any of her relatives from Cyprus until now when Ada's aunt comes to visit. The narrative switches from present-day to 1974 when Ada's parents started secretly dating, knowing only too well their love will be condemned by their families because Greek and Turkish Cypriots should not mix.

I was drawn to this book because I like the author, but mainly because of the location where the story takes place. This is a captivating, alluring and thoroughly moving work of magical realism about the breadth and depth of trauma, the yearning to belong, the need for love and the importance of self-acceptance.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

A wake up call from Shafak.....

In a world where Homo Sapiens has made himself the centre of the universe, where we make everything else that exsist kow tow to our needs, wishes and whims, it is a breath of fresh air when we get other perspectives. Perspectives from beings that have been here long before us, which hopefully we will not end up eradicating. I think it is more than about time that we set aside our preoccupation with ourselves and consider other things.

"For her, human suffering was paramount and justice the ultimate aim, whereas for him, human existence, though no doubt precious beyond words, had no special priority in the ecological chain."

Shafak chooses a painful bit of Cyprus's recent history and then lays out before us what this meant to the people but also to the land itself and to the other beings living on it. She shows a natural world in total flux, without borders, moving as need be. After all borders are a man made creation to bolster our grabbing notions.

"Cartography is another name for stories told by winners."

​But then human problems erupted and borders came up and the butterflies got caught in the middle.

An ARC gently given by author/publisher in return for a review.

If you only read the first sentence of this post, may it be this one: this book is exquisite and deserves all the praise it is getting. Grab your copy whichever way you can and let yourself be instantly immersed by these printed leaves.

Set in Cyprus (and the UK), the forbidden love story between Kostas and Defne unfold before our very eyes…and that of a fig tree too.

Yes, this book will make you want to travel, eat all the mouth-watering delicacies mentioned and hug a fig tree before you know it. But it was about so much more. Did I mention tears?😢

I was rooting for all the characters and found the chapters told in the point of view of the fig tree absolutely stunning. A pinch of magical realism which works seamlessly and turn this book into an unforgettable lyrical tale of love (and a love for nature), trauma and identity.

It made me research about Cyprus with a thirst to learn more and to try and understand how its history shaped the island it is today.

Not doing it justice so I’ll stop and leave you with this quote while I go and see which one of Shafak’s books I’ll read next:

« 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. » - Fig tree

5🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳

What a good writer this lady is. I loved her style of writing and was immediately involved with the characters. Set in Cyprus in the 50's when the island was divided. The story of a young boy and girl and the development of their love for each other. The Fig Tree is an added twist to this book and has its own story to tell.
Fabulous. Of course love does not always run smoothly but read this book and uncover the secrets within.
Excellent.

This was a beautifully told story that connects the love of nature with the troubled history of Cyprus. We follow two timelines, one of Kostas and Dafne in the 70s, when there was a lot of tension between the Greeks and Turkish living in the island. Then, the more present timeline (2010s) in London, where the family had to emigrate for safety, and their daughter Ada learns about the troubles and the history of her roots. There are also sections narrated from a fig tree that was born from a cutting that kostas brought to London.

I loved the delicate love for nature and recognizing the importance that nature has in culture. I also loved learning more about the history of Cyprus, a very divided society that was immersed in a lot of violence. I must say that it felt a bit dramatic at times, especially the storyline with the mother, but other than that it is a powerful beautiful story.

This was my first book by this author and I was very excited…Two chapters in I was out of my comfort zone and wondering how I would get to the end..The book features a tree as a character, a tree with thoughts and emotions and magic realism is something I am not always comfortable with. But I held fast and suddenly something just clicked, my heart filled up and I was totally overwhelmed by the beauty of this story.
Ada and her Dad live in London. Ada’s Mum has died and Ada has few friends at school and feels remote from her father. Kostas is an expert on trees. In his garden he has planted a fig tree which he brought back from Cyprus. The fig tree has witnessed many things including the meetings of Kostas and Defne in Cyprus. The relationship of the young lovers, one Greek and Christian, the other Turkish and Muslim must take place in secret..The fig tree narrates their story, a story which the couple have determined never to tell their daughter…
I don’t know how to do this book justice, to capture the beauty of the language, the sense of place, the portrayal of a desperate history of civil conflict on a beautiful island most of us only know for beaches and sunshine, the crafting of characters who walk off the pages and into your heart and the wondrous creation of the fig tree as a character at the heart of the novel.
This is a story with so many themes which encompass our humanity, our belief structures, the social, political and religious frameworks we have built to frame our existence which are too fragile, too notional, too weak. I wanted to unpick every word, every sentence and devour for every last bit of meaning that it might yield to me. I feel that this book is talking and talking and I need to listen again and again. If you choose this book, and I absolutely urge you to.. bear with those first few chapters, open your mind and your heart and prepare for an incredible journey.

With huge thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK Books for a digital copy of this book.

Such a lovely book!
It tells the story of Ada, a teenage girl coming to terms with her mother’s death. She realised that she knows nothing of the history between her Greek and Turkish Cypriot parents. With the help of her Aunt she starts to learn more.
I was slightly concerned initially as ever other chapter is told from the perspective of a fig tree but that’s part of its charm and it totally works!
Loved it!

'And then they were silent once again, drifting back to the painful place they both shared but could only occupy separately.'

I have stopped and restarted writing this review a few times since I finished it last month and I am still struggling to articulate how much I loved it. Do you ever feel like no matter how much you write or praise a book you loved, you just know it won’t do it enough justice?⁣
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The Island of Missing Trees was another book that took me back to Cyprus. After reading this and Songbirds, I have been thinking a lot about the beautiful island I called home for a year and how much I need to go back. I remember locals saying that Cypriots and Irish people were very similar; we are island folk with an incredibly dark and violent past. It is sad to say it is only after reading this book that I truly understand how connected we are and how dark Cyprus’ history is. The fact that so few people know about it is just insane and with everything happening in Afghanistan at the moment, it makes you wonder how these atrocities continue to happen. ⁣
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This book is emotional, dark, atmospheric and will completely captivate you. It opens your eyes to the importance of family, friends and loyalty and how grief and loss can either tear these things apart or make them stronger. ⁣
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Shafak’s writing is just fantastic. It is so poetic and flows in a way that makes the reader completely lose themselves in the story. I couldn’t tell you how many quotes I highlighted, I just found the way she summarised and captured certain things so beautiful. ⁣The different narratives with the fig tree and our protagonists were so well done and I loved how the tree’s narrative was so routed in story telling.
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If you are a fan of historical fiction and books that really get under your skin snd make you think, then you need to read this. It stuck with me the same way The Nightingale did and I would love to read it again for the first time. ⁣

A big thank you to NetGalley for letting me read it before it was published.