This book gives us many insights into the story of Cyprus and its divided history, although the historical part is only the background to the main subject, which is the love story between Defne and Kostas, a Muslim girl and a Christian boy and the consequences this love has on themselves and their families. The other main theme is the story told by a fig tree, which becomes a full-fledged character in this book and gives the reader a whole new perspective on the life of the plants and animals among which we live.
All our members liked the book and found it easy to read. We learned about the conflict in Cyprus, which most of us didn’t know much about. The parts in which the fig tree becomes the narrator and we learn about its life and the life of the animal world are written very poetically. Moreover, we learn a great deal about the life cycle of trees, insects, birds and other animals from these passages.
I personally was struck by the love for the island of Cyprus as expressed by the author whereas she has no particular connection to it, according to her biography. This, to me, is the sign a talented writer, able to transpose her feelings for a place she doesn’t really know into a deeply felt attachment.
Christine
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