Welcome to my review of The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri. This is beautifully written and informative. A family living a simple life in Aleppo, was suddenly uprooted and their lives turned upside down. Escaping from everything they have known is unimaginable.
In the midst of war, he found love
In the midst of darkness, he found courage
In the midst of tragedy, he found hope
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.
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.
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.
I have had this on my bookshelf for a while now and had a gap between some other books, so I thought I would read it. I think I initially saw it recommended on social media.
The plot focuses on Afra and Nuri. A lovely couple settled in Aleppo with a beautiful young son, their dream jobs, Afra as an artist and Nuri as a beekeeper, and life is good. They have good friends, a wonderful family, and a good, happy life. Then war breaks out, their land is lost in the fire, their son is killed, and they have lost their beautiful life forever. Their friends start to leave, and eventually, they follow as well. We see their journey travelling via traffickers through Turkey and Greece before finally arriving in the UK.
As they await the decision of immigration officers about their lives, they are exhausted. Nuri likes to talk about the bee’s and his life as a beekeeper. Afra is broken, and both miss their old lives, country and most of all, their son.
This is a tragic story that rips your heart out and throws it about while teaching you more about immigration and the horrors experienced by those who go through it. It’s a subject I know a little about, having known a lovely man named Norge who had walked to the Uk from Afghanistan. Still, I don’t think I had ever spent too much time thinking about what that might be like for him (aside from the actual journey, which he always sounded very proud about).
It’s very topical at the moment; it’s difficult to imagine how anyone can cope with going through such trauma and the asylum process. Christy Lefteri is the perfect person to write about this through. Her long experiences working with refugees, seeing their experiences firsthand, and supporting them through their suffering and anguish give her a unique insight.
A beautifully written story that will stay with me for a long time to come.
| Title | The Beekeeper of Aleppo |
| Author | Christy Lefteri |
| Series | N/A |
| Format | Kindle |
| Page Count | 337 Pages |
| Genre | Literary Fiction |
| Publisher | Zaffre |
| Release Date | 28th April 2019 |
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