The Island of Missing Trees
The war-torn love story set in 1970s Cyprus, shortlisted for the Women's Prize
1st Edition
Published on 5. August 2021
368 pages
978-0-241-98873-2 (ISBN)
Description
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2022
THE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER & REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK
*****
You don't fall in love in Cyprus in the summer of 1974. Not here, not now.
In 1974, two teenagers, from opposite sides of a divided Cyprus, meet at a tavern in the city they both call home. The tavern is the only place that Kostas, who is Greek, and Defne who is Turkish, can meet in secret, hidden beneath the leaves of a fig tree growing through the roof of the tavern. This tree will witness their hushed happy meetings, and will be there when the war breaks out and the teenagers vanish.
Decades later in north London, sixteen-year-old Ada has never visited the island where her parents were born. She seeks to untangle years of her family's silence, but the only connection she has to the land of her ancestors Is a fig tree growing tin the garden of their home . . .
*****
'This book moved me to tears . . . in the best way. Powerful and poignant' Reese Witherspoon
'A brilliant novel -- one that rings with Shafak's characteristic compassion' Robert Macfarlane
'This is an enchanting, compassionate and wise novel and storytelling at its most sublime' Polly Samson
*** PRE-ORDER ELIF SHAFAK'S NEW NOVEL IN ONE BRIEF MOMENT ALL ETERNITY NOW ***
THE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER & REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK
*****
You don't fall in love in Cyprus in the summer of 1974. Not here, not now.
In 1974, two teenagers, from opposite sides of a divided Cyprus, meet at a tavern in the city they both call home. The tavern is the only place that Kostas, who is Greek, and Defne who is Turkish, can meet in secret, hidden beneath the leaves of a fig tree growing through the roof of the tavern. This tree will witness their hushed happy meetings, and will be there when the war breaks out and the teenagers vanish.
Decades later in north London, sixteen-year-old Ada has never visited the island where her parents were born. She seeks to untangle years of her family's silence, but the only connection she has to the land of her ancestors Is a fig tree growing tin the garden of their home . . .
*****
'This book moved me to tears . . . in the best way. Powerful and poignant' Reese Witherspoon
'A brilliant novel -- one that rings with Shafak's characteristic compassion' Robert Macfarlane
'This is an enchanting, compassionate and wise novel and storytelling at its most sublime' Polly Samson
*** PRE-ORDER ELIF SHAFAK'S NEW NOVEL IN ONE BRIEF MOMENT ALL ETERNITY NOW ***
Reviews / Votes
An outstanding work of breathtaking beauty -- Lemn Sissay A writer of important, beautiful, painful, truthful novels -- Marian Keyes Lovely heartbreaker of a novel centered on dark secrets of civil wars & evils of extremism: Cyprus, star-crossed lovers, killed beloveds, damaged kids -- Margaret Atwood on Twitter Elif Shafak is a unique and powerful voice in world literature -- Ian McEwan One of the best writers in the world today * Hanif Kureishi * A wise novel of love and grief, roots and branches, displacement and home, faith and belief. The Island of Missing Trees is balm for our bruised times -- David Mitchell, author of Utopia AvenueMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
File size
1,86 MB
ISBN-13
978-0-241-98873-2 (9780241988732)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Elif Shafak is an award-winning British Turkish novelist, whose work has been translated into fifty-seven languages. The author of twenty books, fourteen of which are novels, she is a bestselling author in many countries around the world. Shafak's previous novel, THERE ARE RIVERS IN THE SKY, was the UK's bestselling literary hardback novel of 2025, selling over 500,000 copies. Her work has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize, the Women's Prize for Fiction, the RSL Ondaatje Prize and the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction, amongst others, and she is currently nominated for 'Author of the Year' at the British Book Awards. Elif Shafak was appointed President of the Royal Society of Literature in 2025. Her books have sold several million copies worldwide.
