The Island of Missing Trees

The Island of Missing Trees is a 2021 novel by Turkish writer Elif Shafak. Set in Cyprus and London, it follows a romantic relationship between a Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot.^[1][2][3] It was released by Viking Press in 2021.^[1]

The Island of Missing Trees

Author	Elif Shafak
Language	English
Publisher	Viking
Publication date	2021
ISBN	1635578590

Summary

The story has two timelines, one set in 2010s London following 16-year old Ada Kazantzakis, and the other mainly in 1970s Cyprus, following Defne and Kostas, Ada's parents. A third narrative voice is a fig tree, who lived in the middle of a tavern in Cyprus, before a cutting was taken by Kostas and planted in his and Defne's English garden. Ada's story looks at her grief with the loss of her mother, and her exploration of her cultural history, through her aunt Meryem's visit. The past follows the Turkish Cypriot Defne and Greek Cypriot Kostas falling in love on a divided island. Kostas is sent to London to live with his uncle, whilst Defne is left behind, with a secret. Through it all, the fig tree watches, offering insight into the characters’ past, the natural world, and the history of Cyprus.

Reception

According to the book review aggregator Book Marks, the novel received an overall rating of positive from critics.^[4] Kirkus Reviews called the novel "Ambitious, thought-provoking, and poignant."^[5] Writing for The Washington Post, Ron Charles said of Shafak's writing, "She’s that rare alchemist who can mix grains of tragedy and delight without diminishing the savor of either. The results may sometimes feel surreal, but this technique allows her to capture the impossibly strange events of real life."^[6] Writing positively in The Guardian, Leone Ross noted, "when Shafak goes deeper into its arboreal life, the tree’s voice is a delight...and when the novel’s sure and towering end arrived, nearly all Shafak’s decisions made sense, moving me to tears and humbling me with the confidence of a storyteller for whom every decision is deliberate. This is a beautiful novel – imperfect, but made ferocious by its uncompromising empathy."^[7]

The novel was chosen as the November 2021 Reese's Book Club pick.^[8]