The Island of Missing Trees
The Island of Missing Trees
EGP375.00
Book Summary
| It is 1974 on the island of Cyprus. Two teenagers, from opposite sides of a divided land, meet at a tavern in the city they both call home. The tavern is the only place that Kostas, who is Greek and Christian, and Defne, who is Turkish and Muslim, can meet, in secret, hidden beneath the blackened beams from which hang garlands of garlic, chilli peppers and wild herbs. This is where one can find the best food in town, the best music, the best wine. But there is something else to the place: it makes one forget, even if for just a few hours, the world outside and its immoderate sorrows. In the centre of the tavern, growing through a cavity in the roof, is a fig tree. This tree will witness their hushed, happy meetings, their silent, surreptitious departures; and the tree will be there when the war breaks out, when the capital is reduced to rubble, when the teenagers vanish and break apart. Decades later in north London, sixteen-year-old Ada Kazantzakis has never visited the island where her parents were born. Desperate for answers, she seeks to untangle years of secrets, separation and silence. The only connection she has to the land of her ancestors is a Ficus Carica growing in the back garden of their home. In The Island of Missing Trees, prizewinning author Elif Shafak brings us a rich, magical tale of belonging and identity, love and trauma, memory and amnesia, human-induced destruction of nature, and, finally, renewal. ‘A brilliant novel — one that rings with Shafak’s characteristic compassion for the overlooked and the under-loved, for those whom history has exiled, excluded or separated. I know it will move many readers around the world, as it moved me’ Robert Macfarlane ‘A wonderfully transporting and magical novel that is, at the same time, revelatory about recent history and the natural world and quietly profound’ William Boyd ‘This is an enchanting, compassionate and wise novel and storytelling at its most sublime’ Polly Samson ‘A wise novel of love and grief, roots and branches, displacement and home, faith and belief. THE ISLAND OF MISSING TREES is balm for our bruised times’ David Mitchell ‘An outstanding work of breathtaking beauty’ Lemn Sissay ‘A writer of important, beautiful, painful, truthful novels’ Marian Keyes ‘Lovely heartbreaker of a novel centered on dark secrets of civil wars & evils of extremism: Cyprus, star-crossed lovers, killed beloveds, damaged kids. Uprootings. (One narrator is a fig tree!)’ Margaret Atwood on Twitter ‘Elif Shafak is a unique and powerful voice in world literature’ Ian McEwan |
Language: English
Hardcover: 368 pages
ISBN-10: 0241434998
ISBN-13: 9780241434994
Genre: Popular Fiction
Shipping Weight: 45 grams
Condition: New
Out of stock
The Island of Missing Trees
The Island of Missing Trees Book Description
In 1974 a divided Cyprus hides a secret romance between Kostas, a Greek‑Christian teen, and Defne, a Turkish‑Muslim girl. They meet in a cramped tavern where garlic, chilli and wild herbs dangle from dark beams, while a fig tree grows through a roof gap. The tree watches their whispered meetings, the outbreak of violence, and the ruin of their city. Decades later sixteen‑year‑old Ada Kazantzakis lives in north London, never having set foot on the island of her parents. She discovers a lone fig tree in her garden and begins to untangle her family’s hidden history, the war, and the love that once blossomed beneath its branches.
Elif Shafak weaves a magical, multi‑generational tale that explores belonging, identity, trauma and the fragile bond between people and nature. The narrative moves between the turbulent 1970s and present‑day London, allowing readers to feel the weight of history and the hope of renewal. Meanwhile the fig tree itself becomes a living narrator, offering a fresh perspective on loss, resilience and the search for home.
Critics praise the novel for its compassionate voice and lyrical storytelling. Robert Macfarlane calls it “a brilliant novel…that moves readers around the world.” William Boyd notes its “transporting and magical” quality, while Margaret Atwood highlights the powerful use of a fig tree as narrator. Therefore the blend of personal drama and political backdrop creates an intimate yet expansive reading experience.
Key Features of The Island of Missing Trees
Rich historical context brings the Cyprus conflict to life without overwhelming the story. Shafak balances factual detail with vivid, sensory scenes of food, music and the tavern’s fragrant air. The intertwined narratives of Kostas, Defne and Ada keep the pacing lively and the stakes clear.
A unique narrator—a fig tree—adds an imaginative layer that sets the book apart from typical historical fiction. Its quiet observations connect past and present, reminding readers that nature endures even when human lives crumble.
The novel examines themes of displacement, faith and the environmental impact of war. Readers will discover how personal memory can heal collective wounds, and how love can grow in the most unlikely places.
Why Read This Book?
Fans of lyrical, character‑driven stories will find a home in Shafak’s prose. The story offers a fresh look at civil conflict through teenage eyes, making complex history accessible. Moreover, its exploration of identity resonates with anyone who feels torn between cultures.
Readers seeking a blend of romance, history and magical realism will enjoy the seamless shifts between eras. Additionally, the fig tree narrator provides a memorable literary device that encourages reflection on our relationship with the natural world.
Because the narrative is both heartbreaking and hopeful, it appeals to those who appreciate stories that comfort and challenge. The hopeful ending reminds us that renewal is possible even after deep division.
About This Book
Language: English
Hardcover: 368 pages
ISBN‑10: 0241434998
ISBN‑13: 9780241434994
Genre: Popular Fiction
Shipping Weight: 45 grams
Condition: New
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