the beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
This book had been on my wish list for a while and so after reading many a Non - Fiction books on subjects such of the matter as this one, i was ready to read a story mixed with the knowledge of true chronicles combined with an imaginary story, spanning tales from across seas and land. The true terror tales that we hear of the harrowing journeys that people, refereed to as refugees, seem unimaginable to us in the 'first world', on the 'safe' land that these people want to inhabit for even a glimpse of a life without fear in every breath they take and away from the hostile war zone countries, that once were, and always will be, their beautiful home.
This tale follows a families life of love, fear, separation and desperation, on their journey to find safety and a reason to live, at long last. A story that spans continents and places so vulnerable that have been worn torn and stripped of the love and life that once filled the cities and country side, that ran off culture and hardworking man power, combined with the natural world at its finest. This story begins from the relentless Syrian Civil War, and uses mind game metaphors, that seem so real they engage you to believe they literally are so. The story winds between the path of reality and imagination, of love and hatred, of being lost and, not so quite, being found. But learning to live again after your world literally being torn out of your arms. The characters, both of the good and bad, show that of courage and braveness to do things you never thought you would want or need to do to be able to survive in this broken, class and cultural divided world.
As the reader, you are also on a journey yourself throughout this book, learning what 'home' means to you, that someone's home in a beautiful, warm country, will never consider what we consider as 'homely' here in the UK. The dangers the characters face in this book make you question how do people even survive a journey in life such as this, both physically and mentally. It solidifies the fact that no one ever choses the life of a 'refugee' and that there is no choice in the matter for these people, fighting there last breath just to live.
(SPOILER!) The metaphor that will stick with me most from this story, is that of Afra's blindness. I don't want to say to much without giving it away, but this really did shock me towards the end as i had got used to the fact she couldn't see, and as ever, assumed it of someone who had been through what she had. It resonates with me as a metaphor of losing the life of someone you love, not being able to, nor wanting to, see clearly once that person has gone. However, Afra didn't just lose a loved one, she lost her home she had no intention of wanting to leave, she lost her husband in the journey, her safety net, her control over life, her routine, her job, the list is endless. She had not given in, but her mind and soul had. She kept fighting the tough seas when she just wanted to sleep. She looked out for her husband when she couldn't see or think clearly herself. She, along with Nuri, are characters that will stay in my heart and mind forever.
Thank You for reading,
Cerys x
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