A review by patroclusbro
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

4.5 stars!

This is a beautiful book. Full of sensual images and emotional depth, Elif Shafak writes about remembrance, family trauma, reconnecting and - of course - trees.

I really enjoyed how Shafak weaves all the little timelines, perspectives and scenes together to create a mosaic! This novel worked wonders for me to get into a spring mood: slowly unearthing, discovering, feeling after sensations. The ending fell a little flat and simple for me, unfortunately. This is a book about the past, after all.

Big recommendation for fans of Madeline Miller's "Circe" and Zeyn Joukhadar's "The Thirty Names of Night".

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