The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
“The Island of Missing Trees” by Elif Shafak
A rich magical tale of belonging and identity, love and trauma, nature and renewal. This was a book that the whole group enjoyed and more than one person scored it as 10 out of 10 – a rarity indeed! The book is narrated from an unusual viewpoint, which some people found difficult at first! But all were in agreement that Elif Shafak uses exquisite language in her writing and intend to read more of her books.
An interesting discussion was generated re: truth and reconciliation and the potential impact on all involved – victims, perpetrators and innocent family members. We discussed the effects on soldiers of fighting during WW1 and the resultant unimagined effects on people. At that time, there was no psychological support offered to veterans. In contrast, people are encouraged to talk about their experiences in today’s world. However, first and foremost the book is a love story! Well worth reading!