The Island of Missing Trees
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The Island of Missing Trees
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Narrated by:
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Daphne Kouma
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Amira Ghazalla
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By:
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Elif Shafak
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize 2022
A Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick.
A top 10 Sunday Times best seller.
Shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award 2021.
A rich, magical new novel from the Booker-shortlisted author of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World.
Two teenagers, a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot, meet at a taverna on the island they both call home. The taverna is the only place that Kostas and Defne can meet in secret, hidden beneath the blackened beams from which hang garlands of garlic and chilli peppers, creeping honeysuckle, and in the centre, growing through a cavity in the roof, a fig tree. The fig tree witnesses their hushed, happy meetings; their silent, surreptitious departures. The fig tree is there, too, when war breaks out, when the capital is reduced to ashes and rubble, when the teenagers vanish. Decades later, Kostas returns—a botanist, looking for native species—looking, really, for Defne. The two lovers return to the taverna to take a clipping from the fig tree and smuggle it into their suitcase, bound for London. Years later, the fig tree in the garden is their daughter Ada's only knowledge of a home she has never visited, as she seeks to untangle years of secrets and silence, and find her place in the world.
The Island of Missing Trees is a rich, magical tale of belonging and identity, love and trauma, nature and renewal, from the Booker-shortlisted author of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World.
©2021 Elif Shafak (P)2021 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"What a wonderful read! This book moved me to tears...in the best way. Powerful and poignant." (Reese Witherspoon)
"One of the best writers in the world today." (Hanif Kureishi)
"Shafak makes a new home for us in words." (Colum McCann)
What listeners say about The Island of Missing Trees
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Daniel
- 12-08-21
Rooted in heartstrings
listened from start to finish without wanting it to end. It enchanted my mind cover to cover
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- A. Miah
- 22-01-22
Wonderful story…
A wonderful story… beautifully read by Daphne and Amira… totally encapsulating. Well worth listening to!
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Kim Driver
- 26-11-22
This could have been amazing
Have to say, the English voiced nrratr was not good and made this a difficult listen sorry. Very interesting history of the troubles in Cyprus plus loved the interwined natural world facts, but it just missed the mark and characters just felt a little unreal.Sorry though and think your next book could be fab :)
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- James Parnell
- 08-09-21
A deeply human story
Romeo and Juliet followed through to maturity with all the pain, compromise love and hope that comes with full lives. Seen through the prism of one of the most persistent of ethnic hostilities. Magical and inspiring
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Katy Oh
- 30-07-22
Spectacular story with a realistic performance
I really enjoyed this story, living in Cyprus as I do, it held a deeper meaning for me and had me crying and laughing alternately.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lynn
- 02-10-23
Beautiful
Beautiful story of love and trees and the war in Cyprus. I’ll never look at a fig tree without remembering this book.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- R A Allen
- 14-01-23
So disappointed with narration
I regret getting this book in audio. The story was spoiled by the narrator who emphasised random words and read without intelligence or sensitivity. It felt like a reading for very small children! Just dreadful. I would recommend the book which is interesting, illuminating and moving. But read it for yourself.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Sara
- 09-03-23
Gave up, going to read the book
The narration completely undermines the story. I couldn’t bear the odd tone of the girl narrating Ada’s sections, being read as if it’s. David Walliams book. Without any subtlety, depth or nuance. Might try to read the physical book but this has put me off.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- R Russell
- 18-05-23
Lovely book - poor reading.
A beautiful story but read like something on Jackanory- I wish I’d read it rather than listened.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Sof
- 25-06-22
a sweetly woven story
An enticing and well written story, weaving in history and science, as well as some superstitious elements, in a delightful way. An easy listen.
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