The Island of Missing Trees

"The Island of Missing Trees" is one of Elif Shafak's most poetic and deeply moving novels. The story transports us to Cyprus in 1974, where conflict rages between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Amidst this division, a forbidden love kindles between a Greek boy, Kostas, and a Turkish girl, Defne. They meet secretly in a tavern where a fig tree grows through the roof, witnessing their passion, the tragedy of war, and the fracturing of their homeland. Years later in London, their teenage daughter, Ada, seeks to untangle her family’s silenced past and fragmented identity. Masterfully giving a voice to the transplanted fig tree to narrate the secret history of earth, displacement, and ecological memory, Shafak crafts an enchanting epic about roots, belonging, and healing.

Because it offers a highly unique narrative experience by incorporating nature as a core narrator. Blending Shafak’s trademark warm and engaging style, the novel connects tragic political history with delicate human emotions, making it an unforgettable spiritual and emotional read.

For lovers of contemporary literature and epic historical romances, readers interested in themes of identity, migration, and cultural conflict, and anyone captivated by the profound connections between human beings, the environment, and nature.