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A review by josieeeeec
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
4.25
First of all, I have to say that the writing style was incredible. I mean, genuinely, jaw breaking-ly incredible. The poetic sentences were a bit much and too frequent at times, but they invoked such heavy emotions. It was a heartbreaking read covering very realistic experiences that Syrian refugees face in the wake of losing their everyday livelihoods. This book will leave you utterly devastated and depressed. I was sobbing.
What hurt me (and all readers, i’m sure) the most was that I figured Mohammed was a figment of Nuri’s imagination and that Afra’s blindness was a psychosomatic PTSD response. Waiting for the words to reveal the truth was like ripping a band-aid off of a festering wound. You can already tell it’s festering, but you don’t want to see it. Just fucking devastating. I am waiting for a friend to read this so that we can discuss.
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and War
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Rape