Nisha is a widowed Sri Lankan mother living and working in Cyprus as a domestic worker. Petra is a widowed Cypriot mother of one and Nisha’s boss. When Nisha unexpectedly disappears one evening Petra can’t help but feel worried and soon finds out just how little interest she has paid to her worker over the past 8 years.
Nisha is the core character of the book and yet we only hear her voice on two occasions. Both times, the words she says and the actions surrounding that have a huge impact and shape the story and it’s outcomes (I don’t want to say more and spoil anything).
The relationships between characters in the book (and there are many) bind the story together and drive it in a way I have never seen before. No-one featured in the book is simply a side character; they are are part of the bigger picture, the bigger problem and the voice of the novel.
What I liked most about this book was the representation of social injustice and racism. This was not only because it was presented on a background I hadn’t experienced before but also the way Lefteri writes about migrants in Cyprus, the way they are viewed and treated. Ultimately, the book is full of flawed characters but this is what makes it feel so real.
This was a 4 star read for me and now I need to definitely pick The Beekeeper of Aleppo up off my shelves!
Nisha is the core character of the book and yet we only hear her voice on two occasions. Both times, the words she says and the actions surrounding that have a huge impact and shape the story and it’s outcomes (I don’t want to say more and spoil anything).
The relationships between characters in the book (and there are many) bind the story together and drive it in a way I have never seen before. No-one featured in the book is simply a side character; they are are part of the bigger picture, the bigger problem and the voice of the novel.
What I liked most about this book was the representation of social injustice and racism. This was not only because it was presented on a background I hadn’t experienced before but also the way Lefteri writes about migrants in Cyprus, the way they are viewed and treated. Ultimately, the book is full of flawed characters but this is what makes it feel so real.
This was a 4 star read for me and now I need to definitely pick The Beekeeper of Aleppo up off my shelves!