The Beekeeper of Aleppo: The heartbreaking tale that everyone's talking about

by Christy Lefteri

Includes a free chapter from Christy Lefteri's heartbreaking follow up, Songbirds. Available to pre-order now.

A RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB CHOICE 2020
A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB CHOICE 2019
WINNER OF THE ASPEN WORDS LITERARY PRIZE
THE READING AGENCY'S PICK FOR NATIONAL READING GROUP DAY
OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE

'This is a novel of international significance. Courageous, provocative, haunting, it will open our eyes' Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

In the midst of war, he found love
In the midst of darkness, he found courage
In the midst of tragedy, he found hope

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

What will you find from his story?

Nuri is a beekeeper; his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo - until the unthinkable happens. When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to escape.

As Nuri and Afra travel through a broken world, they must confront not only the pain of their own unspeakable loss, but dangers that would overwhelm the bravest of souls. Above all - and perhaps this is the hardest thing they face - they must journey to find each other again.

Moving, powerful, compassionate and beautifully written, The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit. Told with deceptive simplicity, it is the kind of book that reminds us of the power of storytelling.

Look out for Christy Lefteri's next novel, Songbirds, out summer 2021.

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'This book dips below the deafening headlines, and tells a true story with subtlety and power' Esther Freud

'A beautiful novel, intelligent, thoughtful; and relevant. I'm recommending this book to everyone I care about. So I'm recommending this book to you' Benjamin Zephaniah

'Powerful, thought-provoking and beautifully crafted' Choice Magazine

• ISBN10: 1785768921
• ISBN13: 9781785768927
• Publish Date: 2 May 2019
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 7 April 2024
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Zaffre
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

The Beekeeper of Aleppo was beautifully written. That was the first thing I thought when I started reading this book. It was incredibly moving and emotional. The second thing I thought was, how unfair life is for people in countries where war is immediately around them.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo tells the story of a beekeeper, Nuri and his wife Afra, fleeing their home in Aleppo, Syria because of war. Having to make their way across the world trying to find somewhere where they can legally seek asylum. It switched between present time in England where they're waiting for their asylum trial, and the journey they had to take to get there, just trying to survive.

This story is very moving, and eye-opening. The things that asylum seekers might have to go through, what forces people to leave their home in search of simply being able to live their life peacefully. I felt heartbroken for Nuri and Afra, but also for all people that have been torn from their homes because of war.

This story wasn't my usual read, and I have read this for a book club, but it was a very good read. Beautifully written and incredibly emotional.

[wcs53]

This was a great book that I probably would have missed out on if it hadn't been for the Bookclub for Introverts. it's the story of a husband, who used to be a beekeeper, and his wife, who have had to leave their war-torn home in Aleppo, Syria in an attempt to join up with his fellow beekeeper and cousin, who has already gotten out to England with his family.

The story is both moving and harrowing, and gives a real insight into what most of the refugees have had to go through to escape their grave and dire situations in search for a more safe and peaceful existence. It certainly gave me much to think about and to be grateful for.

The story switches between the past and the present - the present being the couple waiting in a B&B in the south coast of England for their upcoming asylum hearing. The past gives the reader a glimpse of their previous existence as well as the journey they had to undergo in order to make it to where they now find themselves. It's a story of loss, but also one that offers hope.

Once started, this was a book I found hard to put down. It's obviously well researched and there was a real sense of reality as the story unfolded. The characters were well written and the writer did not hold back on describing the realities of such a situation. This one is well worth reading, not only because it is a good story, but also because there is so much to learn from reading it.