The Book of Fire: human resilience and healing in the face of tragedy

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri is a story of tragedy and the resilience of the human spirit. In present day Greece, deep in an ancient forest, Irini lives with her husband, Tasso and their daughter, Chara. One fateful day, a fire rages out of control, changing their lives forever. In the aftermath, as the village tries to rebuild and injuries begin to slowly heal, Irini stumbles across the man who started the fire. He is dying but whether it was by his own hand or someone else’s is unclear. In her anger, Irini makes a decision that will haunt her. As the local police investigate the man’s death, Tasso mourns for his father who has been missing since the fire and Irini struggles with her decision and the meaning for their future. Can they rebuild their lives? Can they find forgiveness within themselves to move forward? 

Ms. Lefteri’s books are always gorgeously written with haunting images and deeply intimate with emotions and struggles. After falling in love with her writing since The Beekeeper of Aleppo (2019), I eagerly looked forward to The Book of Fire. Inspired by the fires that devastated Greece a few years ago, The Book of Fire is about the search for meaning in the wake of tragedy. It is a look at the human toll in all events, either natural or man made, people must learn to pick up the pieces and rebuild. Irini is deeply relatable as she makes a decision that most of us would probably have made in the heat of anger and the need for retribution and her coming to terms with her decision. Overall, I enjoyed The Book of Fire. If you enjoy deeply moving stories about the human spirit, I recommend The Book of Fire. 

The Book of Fire is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

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. 

The Beekeeper of Aleppo: heartbreaking story of loss and love

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri is the story of Nuri Ibrahim, a Syrian refugee in England. He and his wife, Afra are trying to claim asylum. As they go through the process, Nuri recalls his life in Syria as a beekeeper with his cousin, Mustafa and the turning point when his beloved country was no longer safe for him or Afra. Mustafa journeys ahead to England and eagerly waits for him there. The story switches back and forth between the present day in England and Nuri’s recounting their journey as refugees. From being smuggled out of the country under the darkness of night to being held as a camp in Greece while their request is processed. Nuri sees the different people who are running from horrors in their home countries. He hears the stories of the horrors they each suffered. He even witnesses horrors himself inside the camp. Will they be safe once again? Will Nuri and Afra be granted asylum? Will they be reunited with Mustafa?

The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a beautiful story of the human suffering that the political warfare creates. A man who lived a simple life finds himself running for his life because he refused to take up arms. He is a man who is battling his own demons and memories as he tries to take care of his wife in a country which looks at them with suspicion. It is a book that needs to read slowly as you take in the scene, the situation and the actions the characters take as they try to survive. According to the author’s afterword, she was inspired to write this story after she was a volunteer at a UNICEF refugee center. Ms. Lefteri truly compares the desperation of the situation as well as the faint sliver of hope that they can live in peace once again. I highly recommend The Beekeeper of Aleppo!

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook