Set in Syria, Greece and England in 2015 to 2016, this story focuses on the journey of a Syrian couple, beekeeper Nuri and his artist wife Afra, from their home in Aleppo, fleeing the horrors of war and conflict, to make their way as refugees to England. The author herself was born in England to Greek Cypriot parents who moved there in 1974 during the Turkish invasion. She has worked as a volunteer with Unicef at a refugee camp in Athens. This is an important story that highlights the plight and suffering of so many people displaced from their homes by war and violence, and the troubles they face in seeking asylum. The book draws attention to the difficulties of unfeeling bureaucracy, the greed of the people smugglers and the hardships and risks of the travel. It also delves into the lives of beekeepers, as Nuri focuses on getting to England to be reunited with his cousin Mustafa who has started an apiary there, breeding English bees.

What I found difficult was the complete lack of any background information or context to help the reader. Also, there was a lack of emotional connection within the story and with the characters, despite it being a very emotional story. It felt like it was trying too hard to be literary but not really connecting as a story in itself. Although there were reasons for this literary choice it felt odd and disconnected that the central traumatic event was never really described in any detail. The portrayal of the impact of this event on the two main characters felt to me like the writing of someone who is interested in psychiatry but has had little practical experience in the area. Lastly I found the audio narration by Art Malik rather flat and dull, until I finally decided to speed him up. An important story but to me not as amazing as many of the reviews make out. 3 stars. ( )

4.5 stars

A timely book full of humanity. Read it and let your heart fill with compassion. ( )

Thousands upon thousands of men, women and children are currently fleeing their war torn homelands every day, around the world. Leaving with whatever they can carry and vivid images of unspeakable horrors fresh in their minds they place themselves in the hands of people smugglers and refugee camps, clinging onto the hope of finding safety and asylum wherever they can.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo tells the story of Nuri’s journey from the once beautiful, now bombed out Syrian city of Aleppo to join his cousin Mustafa in the United Kingdom whatever the cost. By car through sniper infested territories and across rivers. By bus and over-crowded, ill-equipped rubber dinghies across choppy, ink-black seas. Crammed apartments, container camps, park life and people smugglers. Istanbul, Athens and beyond.

Beautifully written and heart-wrenchingly sad, Christy Lefteri finds a balance between unimaginable darkness and the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. The sights and smells of apiaries and honey, the vista of shimmering domes and deserts and the heady aroma of soaps and roses collide with the life-changing traumas suffered by Nuri and his artist wife Afra. I loved the way the narrative switched between Nuri’s past, present and the interlinking journey of both perilous miles crossed and his personal voyage of self-discovery and re-discovering his relationship with Afra.

Based on true stories overheard by the author from her time as a volunteer at a UNICEF refugee centre in Athens, The Beekeeper of Aleppo is deeply moving, thought-provoking and highly recommended. ( )

Heartbreaking and Awfully Beautiful

I genuinely have no idea how I came to pick this book up, but I am immensely glad I did. It is beautifully bleak and harrowingly beautiful. The writing is exquisite and the performance is spectacular.

There are no words to truly do this book justice. I am beyond moved and thankful I read it. ( )

This book highlights the struggle and the journey that refugees take to escape war and brutality in their homeland.
Nuri and his cousin, Mustafa, are beekeepers in Aleppo. One day, their apiaries are destroyed, and Mustafa and his family head to England. He begs Nuri and Afra to join them. Afra doesn't want to leave because their son, Sami, is buried in Aleppo. Afra became blind after this happened.
Finally, Nuri convinces her to leave, but their journey is long and dangerous. Along the way, Nuri hallucinates about a boy named Mohammed. Nuri agrees to work for smugglers to help them get out of Athens.
The book is heartbreaking. Hopefully, it will open people's eyes to the struggle these refugees face. ( )