"The Beekeeper of Aleppo" by Christy Lefteri
Anne read this book for the first because it was a 90p Kindle bargain; the bargain turned into a “page turner” read.
Her second reading gave a better understanding of the vicissitudes of being a refugee and the poignancy of this telling of their plight.
Anne also read it for a third time in preparation for the club review, and even then still gained a deeper insight.
It left her with the view that it’s a great book.
The fictional story of Nuri and Afra, traveling as refugees from Syria to England via Greece is cleverly structured using linking words to give overview and time interleafing.
The writing is exquisite; it encompasses poetic description and horrific atrocities whilst illuminating the plight of refugees as one of our current international dilemmas.
The abominable treatment of women and children was not shirked.
One club member felt that the UK Government cabinet should be compelled to read this book!
Source material for the book was gathered by the author during a 2 year period working in a refugee camp.
The story line has been carefully chosen to illustrate the impact of war on normal, hard working people, and is certainly not the worst possible story that could have been used.
The success of Nuri and Afra’s quest is given at the start of the story hence it can be read in a positive light.
Having the money to negotiate with "handlers" and hence achieve the journey to UK was one of the statements made by the book.
The ending is “hopeful”, not over-confident nor over-happy.
Several club members found the book very powerful and whilst worthy of a re-read also found it quite disturbing, definitely not a bedtime read.
It is engrossing, moving, and relevant to our times and politics.
PC. 10th October, 2021
|
