One of the most compelling books I've ever read

In The Beekeeper of Aleppo we meet Nuri and his wife Afra. Nuri is a beekeeper and his wife Afra an artist. When ISIS hit Aleppo and they lose their son (and Afra's sight) their situation becomes precarious when soldiers tell Nuri he either joins them or is executed. He is given a few hours grace when he tells them he needs to make sure his wife will be safe as she is very ill and they flee to evade capture and execution.

Travelling through perilous sea journeys and refugee camps that are almost as dangerous as the war torn country they've fled, can Nuri and Afra reunite with Nuri's cousin in the UK?

Although this story is fictional, the characters and events are so beautifully fleshed out that you can be forgiven for thinking these are true events. In a way they are; Lefteri has worked with UNICEF and refugees in Athens so is more than qualified to weave such a tale.

Chapters alternate between the present day and flash backs throughout their journey.

This story is one emotional rollercoaster. The physical distance that Nuri and Afra have to travel in order to find some sort of safety is absolutely mind boggling. The desperation that drives them to take so many risks and terrifying legs of the journey is one that is utterly beyond my comprehension. I have never lived in a war zone - I have seen horrendous footage and read so many heart breaking stories and visited 3rd world countries and seen extreme poverty, but these will never enable me to be able to empathise with such a situation.

It shames me that we live in a time where so much bigotry and racism clouds our humanity. The Beekeeper of Aleppo opens your mind and shatters your heart in a way that is necessary. We should question our border control for those who are in genuine need. Lefteri makes the statistics of the many thousands of displaced people bleed. I genuinely cared for Nuri (I was frustrated with Afra at times, then I reminded myself that she was a woman who was utterly broken).

If you like your endings all wrapped up in a bow then this may not be for you. With all of the horrors of war and the treatment that they have endured Nuri and Afra cannot possibly revert back to the people they were before ISIS decimated their lives.

With the political hot potato that is Brexit and border control being in the news pretty much daily, Lefteri has taken a very brave stance in the face of so much hatred. This book is haunting, heart breaking, eye opening, thought provoking and brilliant.

A compelling 5 star read for me.