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joanna_banana's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed the story told by the fig tree that witnessed it all though overall I felt that some of the ways the tree felt or witnessed things was a little unbelievable…but I suppose that’s the magical realism part of the book! I liked Ada and Meryem’s relationship and how it changed, I liked learning more about Kosta and Defne’s love story. I was surprised the climax came a little soon and was somewhat overshadowed by other significant events. Glad I read it, learned much more about the history and current state of affairs in Cyprus, and enjoyed the details about trees and the natural world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicide, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Minor: Hate crime and Homophobia
now_booking's review against another edition
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
4.5
I never thought I would enjoy a story of how trees view humanity with our foibles, squabbles, quarrels, wars, hatreds, loves…. But this was amazing. Part historical novel about the partition of Cyprus and the violence around that, part coming of age story in a time of grief, part nature study about trees and fauna and how intertwined they are with our culture and existence, this book was an exploration of what it means to be a survivor that bears the marks of past trauma and what it means to keep moving forward.
This novel focuses on the love story of Kostas and Defne, star-crossed Greek and Turkish Cypriot lovers whose devotion to each other is tested by the violent conflict that emerges in 1974. Despite their commitment to putting the past behind them and moving forward, years later, their teen daughter Ada’s breakdown in the middle of a history class brings past traumas once again to the fore.
This is my first book by this author and I’m not sure how she accomplished a book that was simultaneously heartbreaking and healing, how she managed to make the reader feel part of the story even though we were jumping timelines and perspectives between the tree, the characters, the plot versus the tree’s commentary…. It was brilliant and incredibly well-executed. I think the thing that makes this a little less than 4 stars for me is the inevitable fact that I could have done with a little more character development and a little more connective plot… I wanted more Ada, more Meryem, more Kostas… even more Defne… this was a very introspective sort of book where the characters often felt very isolated and the story mainly existed in their thoughts and reflections. For a book such as this that speaks to the interconnectedness and community of Cypriot people and more broadly of the interconnectedness of humanity and nature, the characters had little dialogue with each other and for me that would have been an opportunity to get to know them better. I recognize and the author points out (through the omniscient fig tree) that in reality unlike in fiction, we rarely know everything about characters or have the complete tale with all plot holes filled, rather we have bits and pieces of story, hints and allusions, gaps we have to fill in ourselves and information we have to content ourselves with never knowing, and this book feels very much like that. And I can accept this argument, but that left so much unsaid in the book (as it often is in life, but in a book you want to see it said- tangent: I also find it difficult to accept that Meryem came to stay in Kostas’ house and they never have a proper conversation that we can observe).
That said this is so beautifully written. The proverbs and aphorisms are so apt, the reflections on human experiences of conflict, survival, migration, trauma, healing and what it means to be far from home spoke for anyone who has ever experienced the out-of-body feeling of trying to feel at home and at peace in a situation which is far from that. I found myself highlighting swathes of this book and I know it’s one I won’t forget soon. I plan to check out more books by this author.
This novel focuses on the love story of Kostas and Defne, star-crossed Greek and Turkish Cypriot lovers whose devotion to each other is tested by the violent conflict that emerges in 1974. Despite their commitment to putting the past behind them and moving forward, years later, their teen daughter Ada’s breakdown in the middle of a history class brings past traumas once again to the fore.
This is my first book by this author and I’m not sure how she accomplished a book that was simultaneously heartbreaking and healing, how she managed to make the reader feel part of the story even though we were jumping timelines and perspectives between the tree, the characters, the plot versus the tree’s commentary…. It was brilliant and incredibly well-executed. I think the thing that makes this a little less than 4 stars for me is the inevitable fact that I could have done with a little more character development and a little more connective plot… I wanted more Ada, more Meryem, more Kostas… even more Defne… this was a very introspective sort of book where the characters often felt very isolated and the story mainly existed in their thoughts and reflections. For a book such as this that speaks to the interconnectedness and community of Cypriot people and more broadly of the interconnectedness of humanity and nature, the characters had little dialogue with each other and for me that would have been an opportunity to get to know them better. I recognize and the author points out (through the omniscient fig tree) that in reality unlike in fiction, we rarely know everything about characters or have the complete tale with all plot holes filled, rather we have bits and pieces of story, hints and allusions, gaps we have to fill in ourselves and information we have to content ourselves with never knowing, and this book feels very much like that. And I can accept this argument, but that left so much unsaid in the book (as it often is in life, but in a book you want to see it said- tangent: I also find it difficult to accept that Meryem came to stay in Kostas’ house and they never have a proper conversation that we can observe).
That said this is so beautifully written. The proverbs and aphorisms are so apt, the reflections on human experiences of conflict, survival, migration, trauma, healing and what it means to be far from home spoke for anyone who has ever experienced the out-of-body feeling of trying to feel at home and at peace in a situation which is far from that. I found myself highlighting swathes of this book and I know it’s one I won’t forget soon. I plan to check out more books by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Abandonment, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Abortion
Minor: Sexism and Suicide
jenlovesbooksandcoffee's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
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
Sometimes, what you call the perpetrator was just another name for an unacknowledged victim.
The audio is so good!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War
jayvdw's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the different perspectives whilst reading, especially the fig tree. The different perspectives really teach that everyone has their own struggles, past and emotions that shape that person. Furthermore, I loved reading the perspective of the fig tree, this really gave me a better appreciation of nature and all the intertwining forms of life. The book is also full of small life lessons, about how to deal with trauma, loss and love. One thing I was very happy to find out whilst reading, is the way Shafak talks about Cyprus, the fact that she speaks of the island and of it's inhabitants as islanders. I also learned more about the personal effects the civil war had on the residents of the island. A good friend of mine is from Cyprus and warned me that a lot of books about Cyprus get lost in the politics of the island and are almost always biased for one side, I was very happy to learn that this was not the case for this book.
Concerning the ending, I always had a suspicion that the fig tree might be more than it let on, but to find out that it was the spirit of Defne was a very nice ending. It really ties together the different themes of the book, about spiritualism from Meryem and the love for trees from Kostas. I also liked that some things in the book were left open-ended, such as the question Ada asks Meryem and the exact way that Defne dies.
Overall, I really enjoyed my reading of this book, sometimes it made me sad whilst at other moments it was very joyful. I loved learning about the different perspectives and about the island of Cyprus. Writing-wise, I really enjoyed the small chapters, it made the book way more accessible. Overall I give it a 4.75. For me, it's just barely not a full 5, the book just missed a certain spark that would keep me hooked to read it nonstop, but overall it's an amazing book.
Concerning the ending,
Overall, I really enjoyed my reading of this book, sometimes it made me sad whilst at other moments it was very joyful. I loved learning about the different perspectives and about the island of Cyprus. Writing-wise, I really enjoyed the small chapters, it made the book way more accessible. Overall I give it a 4.75. For me, it's just barely not a full 5, the book just missed a certain spark that would keep me hooked to read it nonstop, but overall it's an amazing book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Hate crime
ncaldeir's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War
dearbhlanoonan's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
dany_casimiro's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
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
4.5
The care that goes behind every word in The Island of Missing Trees is astonishing. It is a very nuanced story, not only for its deep concern with diaspora, history, and memory, but also because it is at all moments aware of the natural world and how it relates to humans. Without ever crossing into annoyance, the fig tree provides a very curious point of view that adds newer meanings to the pre-existing multiplicity of narrative layers.
The idea of memory intertwined with nature is absolutely brilliant. In this case, the fig constitutes a surprisingly refreshing metaphor from roots to branches, perfectly encapsulating the nostalgia for one's past and land.
The idea of memory intertwined with nature is absolutely brilliant. In this case, the fig constitutes a surprisingly refreshing metaphor from roots to branches, perfectly encapsulating the nostalgia for one's past and land.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Genocide, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Pregnancy, and War
watermelleon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
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? No
5.0
I need to have another cry and talk about this at book club before writing a review here.... I read a huge chunk of this today and it has been nothing but crying my eyes out with little water breaks. my library copy now has mascara smudges on it, nothing I can do about that I guess :s
in short - best book I have read in a long time. it is beautifully written, surprisingly close to home and relatable, generally so informative on topics I new nothing about (that I probably should have!). it has changed my outlook on many perspectives in my life. this is a lifechanging book that I will be recommending to everyone. there are some tough, tough topics but so much hope and nostalgia as well.
on a personal note: This book has allowed me to reflect on my own recently-uprooted family history, and has helped me reflect on that as well the now clear impact of this on my family moving down through the generations.
in short - best book I have read in a long time. it is beautifully written, surprisingly close to home and relatable, generally so informative on topics I new nothing about (that I probably should have!). it has changed my outlook on many perspectives in my life. this is a lifechanging book that I will be recommending to everyone. there are some tough, tough topics but so much hope and nostalgia as well.
on a personal note: This book has allowed me to reflect on my own recently-uprooted family history, and has helped me reflect on that as well the now clear impact of this on my family moving down through the generations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Terminal illness
War Imagery throughout and discussion of death of multiple characters in detail (not graphic in terms of gore, but explains how they died). Colonisation: discussion throughout of colonisation in relation to cyprus and the effects of this, more focussed on the cultural impact than graphic/gore detail. Pregnancy and Children:rieviolet's review
emotional
informative
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? Yes
3.75
I did not mind the peculiar narrator, aka the fig tree, but I think that its narration was maybe given a bit too much space at the expense of the human characters. They felt a bit surface level, I would have liked for the author to delve more into their characterizations and relationships.
Also, the final revelation left me a bit perplexed, I was not expecting it and I think that it added an ulterior element of magical realism that felt a bit like too much.
Still, the writing style was really good, maybe just at times it felt a bit overdone, that is overly sentimental for my taste or going a bit overboard with the metaphors.
Overall it was a nice reading experience, that taught me a lot about the natural world and about a time and place that I knew nothing about.
Also, please give me an entire book on Yiorgos and Yusuf's backstory (*crying in extreme sadness*).
Also, the final revelation left me a bit perplexed, I was not expecting it and I think that it added an ulterior element of magical realism that felt a bit like too much.
Still, the writing style was really good, maybe just at times it felt a bit overdone, that is overly sentimental for my taste or going a bit overboard with the metaphors.
Overall it was a nice reading experience, that taught me a lot about the natural world and about a time and place that I knew nothing about.
Also, please give me an entire book on Yiorgos and Yusuf's backstory (*crying in extreme sadness*).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Abortion, Murder, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Colonisation
Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, and Torture
rosalind's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Grief, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Pregnancy