Nuri is a beekeeper; his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life in the Syrian city of Aleppo which is destroyed by war and from which they are forced to escape. They embark on a perilous journey through Turkey and Greece towards an uncertain future in Britain.
There is both humour and heart wrench; compassion and contrast and life-enhancing moments as the narrative unfolds.
Life in the holding camps is bleak and soulless for the thousands living in makeshift cabins and tents.
The storytelling is almost as if touched by serenity amidst conflagration, the narrative evocative yet also homely and unpretentious.
There is a poignancy to the book that belies the fact this is only a story, the author drawing on her experiences as a UNICEF volunteer at an Athens refugee centre to create her characterisation and circumstances.
In a novel of eloquent simplicity the author takes us along the long and daunting road from a war zone to a survival trek, from containment camp to hope of security in peace.
A story so symbolic (sadly) of our times and it’s an emotional read in many many ways.
There is both humour and heart wrench; compassion and contrast and life-enhancing moments as the narrative unfolds.
Life in the holding camps is bleak and soulless for the thousands living in makeshift cabins and tents.
The storytelling is almost as if touched by serenity amidst conflagration, the narrative evocative yet also homely and unpretentious.
There is a poignancy to the book that belies the fact this is only a story, the author drawing on her experiences as a UNICEF volunteer at an Athens refugee centre to create her characterisation and circumstances.
In a novel of eloquent simplicity the author takes us along the long and daunting road from a war zone to a survival trek, from containment camp to hope of security in peace.
A story so symbolic (sadly) of our times and it’s an emotional read in many many ways.