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dubious_little_creature's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia, Violence, and War
reading_srsly's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
* Nature
* Heritage
* Forbidden Love
* Grief
* War
The Island of Missing Trees follows two generations of Kazantzakis, with the fig tree that lived through it all to fill in the missing gaps. The story spans several decades, covering everything from the forbidden young love between Kostas and Defne, to the modern struggles of a girl who feels like she doesn’t quite fit in, to the harsh and often violent realities of a culturally divided island.
The book is written in an unconventional style, with different timelines and alternate perspectives revealing the past along with the current timeline. There’s a touch of magic in this story primarily through the narration by the fig tree, but it remained firmly in the realm of magical realism. This complexity did make the impact of the stories difficult to track at times, and to me, despite starting the novel off in her perspective, Ada’s storyline never really came together in a satisfying way.
What stands out the most is the prose. The author has a captivating way of writing, and fully immersive and distinct environments that are a character unto themselves, and add to the weight and symbolism of the book. While the story was more of a slow reveal of a family’s heritage where the intrigue comes from learning how things played out, there were definitely a few unexpected twists. Heritage and understanding your past was also a huge theme, and the story was rich with insights into the history of Cyprus and what it means to grieve and feel like an outcast.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: War
nadie's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It took me a bit to get into the book, but I ended up really enjoying it. I learned a lot about Cyprus, trees and nature. It’s a beautiful but heartbreaking story.
My favourite characters were Y+Y, would’ve loved to read more about them. ❤️🌳
My favourite characters were Y+Y, would’ve loved to read more about them. ❤️🌳
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia
pamc_1996's review against another edition
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Homophobia, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Genocide and Suicidal thoughts
_brooke___'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism and War
Minor: Abortion
leic01's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Violence, and War
Minor: Torture, Abortion, and Abandonment
awilk23's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide, Violence, and War
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Abortion
Minor: Sexual content
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: Addiction, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War
cassielaj's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.75
I finished this book with tears in my eyes, and that wasn’t the first time it brought me to tears. This story is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. The characters go through so much and their stories are told with such reverence. I loved the multi-timeline, multi-narrator style of storytelling, and the writing itself was stunning — I highlighted so many passages! The unique perspective of the tree and the attention paid to the natural world throughout made this book absolutely fascinating to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Mental illness, Abortion, and Pregnancy
crazytourists_books's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.5
Something quite interesting happened while I was reading this book. My feelings about it completely changed; I didn't particularly enjoy the narration parts by the fig tree (how much I love figs, is beyond words; fig trees are my second favorite tree after the olive trees). Let's get back to my feelings about these parts of the narration: I started feeling annoyed, then tired, then indifferent until the end that part of what Shafak tried to do, fell in place. Part of it, because I still think that pages in the book were unnecessarily and overly didactic.
When I started this book, I left aside all the biases that, inevitably as a Greek have towards the history of Cyprus, the events, the people, the british colonisation and then the island's dichotomy. I think that Shafak also did her best to leave her biases on the side, and overall, she did a very good job, but in places, it did feel kind of forcibly balanced.
Having said that, once again, I was lulled by the author's wonderful talent in storytelling; her words have a great power of pulling you in the story. A story of grief and loss and love.
And here I am, loving a love story!
My only regret is that I read in November, in England instead of August, in Greece, overlooking at the see, eating the most amazing fruit in the world! Fresh figs!
When I started this book, I left aside all the biases that, inevitably as a Greek have towards the history of Cyprus, the events, the people, the british colonisation and then the island's dichotomy. I think that Shafak also did her best to leave her biases on the side, and overall, she did a very good job, but in places, it did feel kind of forcibly balanced.
Having said that, once again, I was lulled by the author's wonderful talent in storytelling; her words have a great power of pulling you in the story. A story of grief and loss and love.
And here I am, loving a love story!
My only regret is that I read in November, in England instead of August, in Greece, overlooking at the see, eating the most amazing fruit in the world! Fresh figs!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Alcohol, and War