November '21 Pick

The Island of Missing Trees

Elif Shafak

Cyprus, 1974. Two teenagers, one Greek and one Turkish, meet at a taverna on the island they both call home. A fig tree stretches through a cavity in the taverna’s...

The Island of Missing Trees

Cyprus, 1974. Two teenagers, one Greek and one Turkish, meet at a taverna on the island they both call home. A fig tree stretches through a cavity in the taverna’s blackened roof, and this tree bears witness as Defne and Kostas grow in their secret love for each other. The tree is there when war breaks out, when the capital is reduced to ashes and rubble, and when the teenagers vanish. Decades later and reunited, the two London-bound lovers return to the taverna to take a clipping from the fig tree and smuggle it into their suitcase. Years later, the fig tree in the garden is their daughter Ada's only knowledge of a home she has never visited and guides her as she seeks to untangle years of secrets to find her place in the world. A moving, beautifully written and delicately constructed story of love, division, transcendence, history, and eco-consciousness, The Island of Missing Trees is Elif Shafak's best work yet.

From Our Book Lover-In-Chief

Most of all, I love the message at heart: humanity and nature are interwoven and despite our differences, there is far more that unites us.

Let me start by saying that this book moved me to tears. From the captivating prose and magnetic writing, to the stunning imagery, everything about #TheIslandOfMissingTrees by @ShafakElif is incredibly enchanting. It is a powerful and poignant story about love, grief, exile - and well, trees. Set in different time periods, the story revolves around a couple who met in Cyprus shortly before the 1974 conflict. There’s magic, mystery and a tree that plays a pivotal role which transcends world wars, cultures and great love. Most of all, I love the message at heart: humanity and nature are interwoven and despite our differences, there is far more that unites us. Pick up a copy of our #ReesesBookClub November pick and follow along at @reesesbookclub :sparkles:

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FROM THE AUTHOR

Elif Shafak

Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish author who has published 18 books translated into 50 languages. Shafak holds a PhD in political science and has taught at universities in Turkey, the US, and the UK, including Oxford University, where she is an honorary fellow. She contributes to major publications around the world, has been awarded the title of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, and is a member of the Royal Society of Literature.

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Book
Themes

Caution Violence and Abuse
Identity + Politics
True'ish
Tugs Heartstrings


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