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

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This is not just a love story, but also a story of war, the trauma it inflicts on generations. It is also an ode to nature and how we need to protect and preserve our environments. However, that doesn’t nearly encapsulate everything that The Island of Missing Trees is.

It is compelling and makes you ponder. 

The writing is lyrical, the world is painted with deep, rich colours, the image is fully formed in your head.  

The most intriguing aspect of this book was its choice to use a fig tree as a narrator. I found it to be such an intelligent choice because it allows for Shafak to share her thoughts on humans, nature, war and life in general in a creative way. 

Cyprus breathes through the book. You can almost feel it with the descriptions.

While I felt that the book dragged at times, I was engaged for most parts and I found it hard to put down. 

The Island of Missing Trees is a brilliantly crafted story that tells us to love the world we inhabit, the people in it, the ground we walk on and the (fig) trees around us.