BOOK DESCRIPTION

In the midst of war, he found love
In the midst of darkness, he found courage
In the midst of tragedy, he found hope

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

What will you find from his story?

Nuri is a beekeeper; his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo – until the unthinkable happens. When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to escape. But what Afra has seen is so terrible she has gone blind, and so they must embark on a perilous journey through Turkey and Greece towards an uncertain future in Britain. On the way, Nuri is sustained by the knowledge that waiting for them is Mustafa, his cousin and business partner, who has started an apiary and is teaching fellow refugees in Yorkshire to keep bees.

As Nuri and Afra travel through a broken world, they must confront not only the pain of their own unspeakable loss, but dangers that would overwhelm the bravest of souls. Above all – and perhaps this is the hardest thing they face – they must journey to find each other again.

Moving, powerful, compassionate and beautifully written, The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit. Told with deceptive simplicity, it is the kind of book that reminds us of the power of storytelling.

BUY LINK:

The Beekeeper of Aleppo: A moving testament to the human spirit

HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW

This is an extremely moving story about ordinary people being caught up and emotionally destroyed in the consequences of war.  Set in both Syria and the UK it is one family’s story that overlaps with other families and friends that have experienced similar devastation.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo is Nuri who was in partnership with his cousin Mustafa, they lived quite an idyllic peaceful life at one with nature. Afra, Nuri’s wife was an artist and they had a small son Sami. When war came it was brutal, devastating and took far more than their business. The terrible atrocities and loss were too much for Afra to deal with, she could not bear to witness any more horrors and lost her sight.

They were left with two choices, stay and be murdered or flee to another country. The story follows them on a perilous journey through different countries until they finally reach the UK. They meet other people on the journey who have similar stories to tell. One of the biggest fears is losing touch with their families so wherever they get a chance of an internet connection they use it.

Beautifully told, loved the little bee story too that ran alongside this one. A ‘refugee’ bee kicked out of its hive. Just a little help can make all the difference.

I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

HERE IS A LITTLE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christy Lefteri was born in London in 1980 to Greek Cypriot parents who moved to London in 1974 during the Turkish invasion. She completed a degree in English and a Masters in creative writing at Brunel University. She taught English to foreign students and then became a secondary school teacher before leaving to pursue a PhD and to write. She is also studying to become a psychotherapist.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Twitter: @christy_lefteri