Why You Should Read The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri!

Posted On June 17, 2021

Hi Readers! We are post mid-June & the monsoons in Mumbai have been gloriously majestic so far. All I feel like doing is grabbing a book getting into a blanket & reading all day with the occasional tea, coffee & hibiscus tea. The last week I woke up earlier than usual only to read. And, after many months, I finished a book by reading it only during the weekdays. Feels like an accomplishment to me! This amazing book is Christy Lefteri’s ‘The Beekeeper of Aleppo’.

~~TRIGGER WARNING~~ 

This novel has a lot of triggers, which are not written mildly. The violence is right in front of you vicious in its form. It’s not coated, it’s not subtle. It is vicious. This makes it difficult to read. If you decide to read The Beekeeper of Aleppo, here is trigger warning related to violence, bombings, death, sexual assault. 

~~GOODREADS DESCRIPTION~~ 

The unforgettable love story of a mother blinded by loss and her husband who insists on their survival as they undertake the Syrian refugee trail to Europe. 
 
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. But what Afra has seen is so terrible she has gone blind, and so they must embark on a perilous journey through Turkey and Greece towards an uncertain future in Britain. On the way, Nuri is sustained by the knowledge that waiting for them is Mustafa, his cousin and business partner, who has started an apiary and is teaching fellow refugees in Yorkshire to keep bees. 
 
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, 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. It is the kind of book that reminds us of the power of storytelling. 

~~OVERALL THOUGHTS~~ 

This story is so overwhelming that I have not been able to review it. There are books like these, which are just supposed to be mandatory reading. And, reviewing them somehow makes me feel unworthy. I tried to piece my thoughts together for a week after I finished reading this book, but I am at a total loss of words. So, I am just going to write why you should read The Beekeeper of Aleppo, instead of reviewing it. 

This is the story of Nuri & Afra, who had to leave their hometown in Aleppo, Syria because of the bombing & the cruelty of war & politics. We read about their journey from Aleppo to Istanbul to Leros to Athens to finally the United Kingdom. In the entirety of this journey, there is so much suffering, loss & darkness. The way refugees are treated at all these places is different. At some, you feel hope for them to move forward. But, some places are described so vividly that it pains to read about it. This story has the power to make the readers feel the pain which the characters & so many real people feel. If you are not aware about the current affairs, you should read this book. 

Not only do we read about how tough it is for Syrians to move to another country, but also about the violence. Little kids being held at gunpoint & killed. How that traumatises their parents in unimaginable ways for a lifetime. Afra saw her son die & it literally made her blind. The trauma was so severe that her brain couldn’t comprehend it & her eyes did not want to see a world without her son. On the other hand, Nuri creates a whole new son-like boy in his mind, has conversations with him when in fact this illusion was just his own son shielded in another boy to protect Nuri from his own mind & grief. If you are sensitive to these issues, its best for you to not read this book. It’s a heavy work of literature based on real events from the author’s volunteering experience at Athens during the Syrian Civil war. 

In spite of the extremity of evil, cruelty & darkness, this story thrives because of the characters’ hope for survival & making it. The kind of determination they have in spite of having already suffered so much is the raw human quotient which makes the story so overwhelming & rewarding to read. 

The Beekeeper of Aleppo is an astonishing & emotionally tumultuous story with so much loss & darkness leading to hope & light. It is going to stay with me for a long long time. I have rated it at 4.5/5 stars! 

Until next time,