Two teenagers, a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot, meet at a taverna on the island they both call home. The taverna is the only place that Kostas and Defne can meet in secret, hidden beneath the blackened beams from which hang garlands of garlic and chilli peppers, creeping honeysuckle, and in the centre, growing through a cavity in the roof, a fig tree. The fig tree witnesses their hushed, happy meetings; their silent, surreptitious departures. The fig tree is there, too, when war breaks out, when the capital is reduced to ashes and rubble, when the teenagers vanish. Decades later, Kostas returns - a botanist, looking for native species - looking, really, for Defne. The two lovers return to the taverna to take a clipping from the fig tree and smuggle it into their suitcase, bound for London. Years later, the fig tree in the garden is their daughter Ada's only knowledge of a home she has never visited, as she seeks to untangle years of secrets and silence, and find her place in the world.
Shafak's The Island of Missing Trees moves back and forth in both time and place, and is split into three narratives: 2010s London, 1974s Cyprus, and the fig tree. The use of a tree will polarize readers—some will love its beautiful passages and others will be detached. But one thing is for certain, the writing is transcendent and stunning. Shafak's passages are vivid with detail and sweeping prose.
The characters are complex and rich with detail and the supporting cast is just as strong—especially Aunt Meryem. With a story that is permeated with pathos, she is dynamic and refreshing. And although they are decades apart, Aunt Meryem mirrors teenage Ada and their relationship blossoms much to Ada's chagrin.
The Island of Missing Trees is beautifully written and mesmerizing. With branches of grief, love, faith, nature, and home, it’s only fitting that one of its narrators is a fig tree.
ELIF SHAFAK is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist. She has published 19 books, 12 of which are novels, including her latest The Island of Missing Trees. She is a bestselling author in many countries around the world and her work has been translated into 55 languages. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and RSL Ondaatje Prize; and was Blackwell’s Book of the Year. The Forty Rules of Love was chosen by BBC among the 100 Novels that Shaped Our World. The Architect's Apprentice was chosen for the Duchess of Cornwall's inaugural book club, The Reading Room.
Shafak holds a PhD in political science and she has taught at various universities in Turkey, the US and the UK, including St Anne's College, Oxford University, where she is an honorary fellow. She also holds a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Bard College.
An advocate for women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of expression, Shafak is an inspiring public speaker and twice TED Global speaker.
No comments:
Post a Comment