Thank you to Zaffre books for inviting me to read and review The Beekeeper of Aleppo. Before I tell you my thoughts on this wonderful book, here’s the blurb.

 

The Blurb

In the midst of war, he found love
In the midst of darkness, he found courage
In the midst of tragedy, he found hope

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

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.

 

My Review

I’m not sure where to begin in reviewing The Beekeeper of Aleppo. Do I start with the beautiful prose? Or the ingenious way of switching between timeframes? Or the characters who left me heartbroken? Or do I start with, this might be fiction but it’s a very real experience for so many people even as I write this? I think this is the main thing you have to keep in mind the whole time you’re reading this outstanding novel.

Nuri and Afra had a good life in Aleppo. Nuri had a successful beekeeping business with his cousin Mustafa, producing honey and other honey-based products. Afra sold her paintings in the busy marketplace. Their son Sami was an absolute delight. Then the war started. And everything changed.

Christy Lefteri leaves us in no doubt as to the trauma suffered by Nuri and his family. But it doesn’t end with the war. In an attempt to reach safety, we travel with Nuri through battlefields and navigate treacherous seas. Then there’s the people whose hearts aren’t filled with altruism but greed. There were times when it was almost unbearable to read and that’s where Christy Lefteri’s beautiful prose came into play. Her words led me through the worst times.

I think reading this during lockdown heightened the experience for me. At first I wasn’t sure if I should read it during such a stressful time. However The Beekeeper of Aleppo helped to put things into perspective for me. All I have to do is stay home (I know this isn’t the same for so many keyworkers). I don’t have to flee my home, my country, with only a few belongings. I don’t have to trust people who you wouldn’t normally trust to feed your cat. I don’t have to cross a sea in a small boat with many other people or live in a camp or a park. The Beekeeper of Aleppo left me counting my blessings with a tear in my eye. A stunning read. Thank you for letting me read it.

To buy The Beekeeper of Aleppo click here

Or contact your local bookshop to see if they have a delivery service available during this time.

The Author

Brought up in London, Christy Lefteri is the child of Cypriot refugees. She is a lecturer in creative writing at Brunel University. The Beekeeper of Aleppo was born out of her time working as a volunteer at a Unicef supported refugee centre in Athens.