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A review by dannilmp
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A book I picked up for Storygraph's read around the world 2023 challenge, featuring an unusual narrator...a humble fig tree. To say this novel is unlike any I've read before is an understatement. Full of historical facts and plant trivia, but there is so much more to learn than just facts. At the heart lies a love story, and not just a romantic one but familial love as well.
I love the way Shafark conveys the story from the tree's point of view, and how the switching between different characters and indeed different time periods is done smootly enough as not to disrupt the flow of the story. The ending was fitting to the story told, and even filled me with hope despite the book's nature.
I love the way Shafark conveys the story from the tree's point of view, and how the switching between different characters and indeed different time periods is done smootly enough as not to disrupt the flow of the story. The ending was fitting to the story told, and even filled me with hope despite the book's nature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Homophobia, Racism, and Abortion
Minor: Child death and Suicide