Songbirds: the story of the people who are unseen

Songbirds by Christy Lefteri is the story behind the headlines. Nisha Jayakody is living on the island of Cyprus, far from her native Sri Lanka. Though she longs to return home to her own daughter, she knows that working as a nanny and maid for Petra Loizides, a wealthy widow, is helping her earn enough to support her daughter back home. Yiannis is a poacher, trapping the tiny protected songbirds that stop in Cyprus as they migrate each year from Africa to Europe, to sell them on the black market. He dreams of finding a new way of life and marrying Nisha. One night, after tucking Petra’s daughter, Aliki into bed, Nisha goes out on a mysterious errand and disappears. Despite Petra’s concern, the police refuse to pursue the case, so she and Yiannis take matters into their own hands. Petra learns the darker side of a migrant’s life where impossible choices leave them vulnerable and trapped, and realized how little she knew Nisha, the woman who helped her through her darkest days. Will Nisha be found? Where did she go?

After reading and loving Christy Lefteri’s book, The Beekeeper of Aleppo, I eagerly took the chance to read Songbirds. Inspired by the real disappearance of domestic workers in Cyprus, Songbirds is a moving and deeply empathetic story of the human stories beyond the headlines. With tenderness and beauty I expect from Ms. Lefteri, Songbirds is a haunting story of those who live on the outside of our daily lives. I thoroughly enjoyed Petra as she discovered how little she showed her appreciation for Nisha and desperately searched for her. She would not stop until she found Nisha. Ms. Lefteri’s descriptions move between beautifully lyrical and disturbingly descriptive, especially as she describes how Yiannis captures the birds and prepares them for market. It is a mystery that will keep the reader guessing. At its worst, it is a story of prejudice, racism and misogyny. However, in the end, at its best,  it is a story of the fight for truth and justice for all who live in our midst, not just the ones society deems are worthy. I highly recommend Songbirds. 

Songbirds is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook.