Book review: The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

 Well hello to you my reader chums! The Beekeeper of Aleppo has been raved about for a while and it's one of those books that tugged at all the emotions, and I adored it for so many different reasons. If you're looking for a new read that'll educate you and bring a tear to your eye, here's my full review of  The Beekeeper of Aleppo.

Book review: The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

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Plotline

The book follows the story of Nuri a beekeeper and his wife, Afra, an artist. They both live in the Syrian city of Aleppo until the unthinkable happens and they have no option but to flee to safety. However, after Afra experiences something so terrible she goes blind, they must embark on a scary journey through Turkey and Greece towards an uncertain future in the UK.

As the couple travels through a broken world, they must face their own demons and an unspeakable loss as well as the dangers the world has in front of them, and many people in the same position as them. But, the hardest thing they both really have to face is connecting and finding each other once more after everything they've been through.

Characters and relationships

Characters always make a novel and this book is no different, and the biggest reason why I enjoyed it so much as I really connected with Nuri and Afra on a deeper level as I was reading. Nuri was a thoughtful, proud, and loving man and I could feel that by every word when he was telling the story and you just knew how much he loved his wife, his family, and his home, and how it took everything to walk away. It took courage, heartbreak, and a big knock on his mental health. What I enjoyed reading most about Nuri's character was the honest thought process of his mind and experiences, and how the loss of his son was shown through a harrowing take on the things he thought he was experiencing. It was heartbreaking to read but his strength was the most admirable thing to get him and his wife to safety.

Afra I also adored, she was a free spirit, loving wife, and doting mum and you could tell that from the off, that when she lost her son it was the end of her world, just like for Nuri. The pain she experienced isn't something I could ever imagine and that pain was written so beautifully in an honest way, a way the reader could relate to and understand. Their bond as a couple was everything as even when they were falling away from each other because of the trauma they faced, they still knew how much they loved each other and were hoping for the day that they'd come back together again.

The many refugees Nuri and Afra met along the way added layers to the story as I learnt about their experiences and how it adds the both Nuri and Afra, and really how big the unthinkable issue of fleeing your country is. The connections they made along the way made both characters stronger in how they were feeling and gave them the hope they needed.

Overall thoughts

Overall, I loved every part of this novel. It was one of those books that not only made me feel every emotion but really opened my mind and educated me on the world issues and how prominent it is that people are still fleeing countries because of war, there are many women that go through awful abuse and suffering, many children who are homeless and men who are trying to do anything to keep their families together. It's inhumane and awful and books like these are important in bringing the awareness to light. 

I loved how this book was split up from the past to present tense. It goes from Nuri and Afra in the UK back to their journey of getting there and how the two parts of the story intertwined, are cleverly written in a descriptive and honest account. This book also includes awareness around PTSD, child loss, sexual assault, and more which as hard as they are to read, help make readers realise the realism behind the novel and the reality of what is happening in the world. I loved learning the characters' journey and seeing above anything, their strength prevail through - and how the hope of Nuri's cousin Mustafa gave him every ounce of courage he needed to meet him in safety in the UK.

Ending

My heart broke at the ending, it left me feeling full of emotion and hope. Hope always wins against fear and this whole story showed the power of courage, determination, strength, and what you have to do to get by in desperation - and the ending pulls that together. I would 100% recommend this book to anyone, it's incredible in every way.

You can buy your copy here.

I hope you enjoyed this review! What are you reading at the minute?

Thank you for reading <3

2 comments

  1. This book has been on my radar for quite some time. I think what’s preventing me from reading it is that I’ve worked with refugees from different countries as a public health nurse and I think I’m a bit too sensitive to their issues to enjoy this book. Great review though Della and thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. That's fair enough, it's a hard read! Thank you xx

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