The Island of Missing Trees: Shortlisted for the Costa Novel Of The Year Award

St Just Monday Morning Reading Group 27th November 2023.

The island of missing trees. Elif Shafak.

Most of the reading group said they enjoyed this book, finding it interesting despite the underlying sadness, informative about the troubles in Cyprus, and thought-provoking about a number of issues. One reader disagreed, and thought the book an uneasy mix of a romantic novel, historical fiction and environmental fiction, insufficiently melded together. This point was taken by the rest of the group.

Arising out of our reading, we spent some time discussing how war rebounds down the generations, affecting the children of those involved in the hostilities, and the moral dilemma of whether it is better that such children should be told all about their parents’ sufferings in war, or whether it should be kept from them so that they have the chance of a peaceful childhood. We concluded that neither option seems to work out very well, traumatised parents, like Defne in the book, being damaged persons in any case, whatever they do or do not disclose to their children. We talked about PTSD and how this happened in various different wars. As well as the lingering effects of conflict, this book also brought up the issue that children of displaced parents, like Ada, have lost their culture, or in Ada’s case, both of the cultures she might have inherited, the Greek and the Turkish.

The fig tree, we decided, was a metaphor for the family: died in Cyprus and then later took root in London. Ada’s scream, described at the beginning of the book, we thought represents her frustration at being let down by her relations (her father who won’t talk to her properly, and her aunt who didn’t come to her mother’s funeral), and grief for the loss of her mother. Ada’s problems and point of view were well described, we agreed.

We ended by talking about the possibilities, though few and far between, of reconciliation between opponents, some of which is described in the book; and by discussing the Israel-Palestine conflict currently going on.

Grouped reviews:

Book Review1 : The Island of Missing Trees
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a beautifully written story about a place and a war I know little about. It is set across three different time lines and in two locations, London and Cyprus; unfolding in parallel the stories of the people and the history of the island. Elif Shafak carefully brings teenage love across a cultural divide into a lost and found mystery story. She paints the details of the local nature and weaves in the climate emergencies of lost species of trees, insects and bats; with the war and the missing people. The story is narrated by different voices including a tree in the first person so that the reader can find out about events the main characters aren’t aware of.
The father and daughter are very believable, Ada desperate not to go back to school after her screaming goes viral, which ends up as a positive hashtag; compared to the grief Kostas is dealing with and his life as a teenager in war torn Cyprus.
The divided island, missing people and later reconciliation resonated for me with our own recent past in Northern Ireland; where, we hope, random shootings and generational trauma have been consigned to history.
I have not read any of Elif’s other novels but I will in the future and I have recommended this book to my friends.

Review 2
Elif Shafak is an author that I had previously read as part of a book club recommendation. Having previously experienced in her novel Honour how well this author was able to weave a story, pulling together threads from the perspective of multiple characters, I was very happy to find that we would be reading her latest novel as part of our participation in the Women’s Prize.

I knew within the first few pages that the themes explored within the novel were going to resonate with me, having lost a mother at a relatively early age (although not as young as Ada) I have a morbid fixation on grief. As the story progressed, I was able to reflect on my own and others experiences with grief and how that unresolved trauma can effect a person’s relationships with others even those that they love.

‘Because the past is a dark, distorted mirror. You look at it, you only see your own pain. There is no room in there for someone else’s pain’. I found this to be rather a cathartic statement and it enabled me to look at experiences in my own life with kinder eyes. Overall a really enjoyable read which I would not hesitate to recommend.


Review 3
What did you like about the book?
Styles of writing is easy to follow.
The story itself.
Short chapters.

Which themes from the book did you enjoy?
The family element and the overall link with nature.

Did you have a favourite character. If so, who and why?
No favourite character.

How did this book make you feel?
I felt I wanted to know more about the history of Cyprus.

Who would you recommend this book to?
Mum and friends

Enjoyed this novel. I was really fascinated by the fig tree and felt it was a very clever component of the book. Enjoyed especially the mentions of food, superstitions and history of the region.

A beautifully written story about a little-known war set across different time lines locations, London and Cyprus; unfolding in parallel the stories of the people and the history of the island. Elif Shafak carefully brings teenage love across a cultural divide into a lost and found mystery story. She paints the details of the local nature and weaves in the climate emergencies of lost species of trees, insects and bats; with the war and the missing people. The story is narrated by different voices including a tree in the first person. The divided island, missing people and later reconciliation resonated for me with our own recent past in Northern Ireland; where, we hope, random shootings and generational trauma have been consigned to history. Highly recommended

Without giving too much away, it was lovely. It had the kind of writing style this story needed and the characters were so well explored without having to go off tangent and in depth to fully understand them. With themes ranging from immigration, political disruption, discrimination and equal measure of love towards communities that are otherwise disregarded with no respect. I loved that, given where the story is set in, the author explored the impact of colonialism, mental health and love in all its forms. She explored ways in which people can learn to grow in and out of themselves and highlight the differences in individuals and how they can be loved for their little passions and unique outlook of the world around them. I enjoyed getting to know Kostas, Defne, Ada and pretty much all the characters in the book. The metaphors and personification of the environment was exactly how part of the story needed to be told. That there were more than just 2 sides to a story, there would always be countless more ways to see.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in trees, family, and learning to understand that nothing is every straightforward no matter how much you may or may not have in life.

A very different narrative to what I’m used to but a very interesting story.

Ever heard a fig tree speak? The one in The Island of Missing Trees narrates much of the book assisted by bees, butterflies, mosquitoes and mice, it sounds whacky but it really isn't. It's s beautiful love story that starts in 1970's Cyprus in during the civil war and concludesvinn2000's London. Horrid things happen but overall it's a gentle, heartwarming tale about Cyprus and her history, about love and loss, tolerance (and lack of) and belonging, of human nature and a love of the natural world. Highly recommended.

A short snap shot of Cyprus and the wars between the different countries and religions who lived there. This story tells the tale of unacceptable love beautifully. Two young people who find each other but know their families would never agree to their love, their journey through separation, reconnection and finally being together. This story hurts your heart. How much loss and suffering people have gone through, in the name of war-it’s so sad.
This book is very unique as it holds two main viewpoints. That of the forbidden lovers and their families and that of a fig tree that witnessed everything. This voice of the fig is such a level Headed view - the history it has seen, the insight it has, is amazing. I’ve never thought of what the plants around us may think.
A really beautifully written book- a real insight in to Cyprus during a very painful time in history.