A review by enmcurrie
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

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? No

4.75

An absolutely beautiful book. Took me a while to get into the swing of it, initially I struggled to really connect with the characters but the latter half of the book totally fleshes them out and the powerful storytelling pulls through. I love the motif of the bees that represent the strength of human spirit and resilience through hardship and tribulation. Nuri and Afra’s relationship is beautiful and complex and I admire the strength of their love for each other even in the face of adversity. I think fiction like this is incredibly important in helping to humanise refugees (which the media always fails to do) because these are very much real people going through such harrowing journeys just to seek safety. The author’s afterward also explains how Nuri and Afra are based on real people that Lefteri met which is incredibly poignant (their stories are fictionalised but definitely drawn from real experiences)

I love the way the story is told, it flows beautifully from past to present. The characters are also wonderful and their stories are heartbreaking. A great read.
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