Nuri was a beekeeper in Aleppo, Syria, living with his artist wife, Afra. The couple suffers an unbearable loss of a child, the trauma causing Afra's blindness. Prior to the war, they’d lived a happy life among friends and family, relishing the most simplest of pleasures, surrounded by family. 

This book gives names to the faceless Syrians refugees we see on our screens. It is a horrifying glimpse into the refugee and asylum crisis, bearing witness to the challenges and heartbreak one such family experiences as they try to flee to safety. Definitely a an eye opening book into the plight of many Syrian immigrants.

Haunting story of a grieving Syrian refugee family. Lefteri does a good job of pulling the reader into flashbacks with a unique style. The plot is not very plot heavy, but she adeptly reveals more about the family and their circumstances bit by bit. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of the best reads of the year! I'm really glad I got to read this - this book actually came to me again when I was a first reader of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and it WON! Such a beautiful novel. My husband is Syrian, so I found this read to be informative and enlightening.

Beautifully written story that captures your attention from the start and never lets it go. The story is both heartbreaking and full of love. The reader experiences a vivid picture of the refugee crisis in Syria and beyond, the love of a mother, the grief of a family's loss, and what it means to be blind. The idea of blindness (physical, racial, ignorant, and veiled by love) is woven throughout the book.

Wow. This one is a must read and so important for learning about the experiences of the immigrants seeking asylum. Lefteri has written an outstanding book bringing into focus what life is like for these refugees without ever being preachy about it. Lefteri has worked with refugees and spent time asking their stories in helping her to write this book and develop this story. One member of my book group has a son who has worked in Cypress with refugees, and she said this book rang true compared to what her son has told her. This beautifully written book had a lot of depth. Lefteri deftly develops the story to reveal information about the characters, and my heart just ached for these terrific characters. As depressing as the book could be, it ended on a note of hope. I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book for review.

My Rating: 5 Stars

In Christy Lefteri's sophomore novel, The Beekeeper of Aleppo, the author introduces readers to Syrian refugee and former beekeeper Nuri Ibrahim as he waits in England with his wife, Afra, to find out if they'll be granted asylum. Nuri's first-person narration relays what their lives are currently like, and through flashbacks readers are told Nuri's life story – about his boyhood in Syria, his partnership with his cousin Mustafa in a bee-raising enterprise, his experience of war in his homeland, and finally the difficult and harrowing journey to safety. Nuri's recollections proceed more or less chronologically, with the majority focusing on the challenges the couple faced trying to get to England; in particular Nuri recounts the appalling experiences he and Afra, like many, endured while waiting (with little hope of relief) in Greek refugee camps en route to Western Europe.

First-person narrative can be difficult to pull off effectively, since it can limit a story to one perspective, thereby making it feel one-sided. Lefteri neatly bypasses this trap by having her protagonist tell readers about the people he's met in his travels, most of whom are likewise fleeing their homes (but for widely differing reasons) and who experience being refugees in distinct ways. Thus, Nuri's in-depth account of his own life is complemented by snippets of others' experiences, creating a more nuanced picture.

The author deftly integrates these accounts with the main plotline, keeping them from feeling like stand-alone short stories. For example, while waiting for assistance in traveling to England at a refugee camp in Athens, Nuri hears music and finds a man playing a stringed instrument called a rebab. Upon being approached, the man first tells Nuri he left Afghanistan because the Taliban forbade his music, but later reveals he had been forced to join the Ministry of Defense where he was required to kill civilians. Later, Nuri's cousin Mustafa, who is waiting elsewhere for asylum, writes in a letter about one of the other refugees he's encountered:

I know that every other person here is trapped in their own hell – there is one man who holds his knees and rocks himself all through the night, and he sings, Nuri. He sings a lullaby that freezes my heart. I want to ask him who he once sang it to, or who it was that sang it to him. But I am afraid of his answer, and so I offer him cigarettes instead, it's all I can do, because he stops singing for a few minutes while he smokes.

In the Athens refugee camp, Afra befriends one young mother who has been driven insane by the theft of her infant, pulled from her arms while she slept in the refugee camp. Heartbreakingly, some other refugees the main characters encounter are so damaged by what they've been through that they can't even speak about what has happened to them.

There is so much heartbreak and sadness wrapped up in this novel that it's tempting to dismiss it as an overwrought work of fiction, but Lefteri knows the experiences chronicled here are just a few examples of what thousands of people around the world undergo on a daily basis. As a volunteer at a UNICEF-sponsored refugee center in Athens she witnessed the great level of suffering that plagues so many from war-torn nations seeking asylum. Her strong grasp on storytelling keeps the tale moving, though, preventing it from getting mired in tragedy, and her characterization is definitely a highlight; every single person Nuri describes comes across as real, even if his encounter with them is transitory.

Immigration and the plight of refugees headline the news in many nations, and to avoid complacency it's key for those of us with stable lives to read about those who aren't as fortunate. The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a great starting point for those interested in learning about the worldwide refugee crisis; it's an exceptionally well-written novel, if heartbreaking. Book groups in particular will find many points to fuel discussion, especially about the current challenges faced by those seeking to escape countries with repressive regimes and ongoing civil conflict.

Book Review of the Beekeeper of Aleppo

Title:    			The Beekeeper of Aleppo
Author:        		Christy Lefteri
Publisher:    		Ballantine Books
Date of Publication:  	August 2019
Buy Link: 		https://amzn.to/33RDv8I

Book Blurb: “I wish my mom was here,” Mohammed said, and I placed a hand on his shoulder and watched him as his eyes flickered, following the fish in the sea.”  Location 1499 

I liked this novel very much. It took me much longer to review than I thought but it was because I stopped often.  It is a story of lost family, tragedy, hardship, travel, and war.  It is a story about family, hope, and rebirth.  It is about psychological warfare waged on others by people who have more.   At least that is my analysis. 
Here is my summary:
Afra, and her husband, Nuri, lost their son when the bombing started where they lived in Aleppo.  Running away to travel to a safer place to await the end of the war, reunite with his brother, and raise bees.  The story itself is how he became himself after realizing he wanted to be a beekeeper. How his wife made him a happy man with his son.  On their journey, they met several people and encountered different families. Each one was sad as the next.  They met a mother whose child was stolen, a mother whose milk the baby finally drank, two young men, twins who were terrified but needed the help of an unscrupulous man whom Nuri helped kill.  But there was one he met a young man named Mohamed. The two took him under their wing and started their journey with him.  At one of the stops he disappeared.  Both Afra and Nuri had hoped he would find them but as the journey continued the hope dwindled.  The two finally reached their destination and had to change Afra’s appearance.  Her hair was dyed blond. 
One more thing that I forgot to mention in my analysis:  I felt that this novel just like the others I read about the war in Syria and surrounding war-torn areas of that part of the world makes me sad. I feel that no child or parent should watch the other die. I cry when I read news from areas of people I used to talk with.  I cry when I read the parts of the stories that correspond with war stories in the novel. I have not lived in their part of the world but I realize in talking to them it is just a way of life.  The kids in the novels learned to become and act like children again.  Families learned to hope again and rebuild again.  It is a waste. I know it is a futile hope, but I wish that the war would end and not restart again.  Will it ever be over?

What beautiful insight into the Syrian Refugee  experience. I was moved by the story Lefteri wove and how she intertwined the past and the present. This book will stick with me for awhile.

Nuri and AfrI have to escape the war overtaking Syria.  Miri is a beekeeper and Afri is an artist that loses her sight due to the horrors along the Syrian Refugee Trail.   They are wanting to reach the UK where Nuri’s uncle has gone to start the new bee colony. Miri and Afri not only lose their country but they lose themselves and this is a tale of their journey to find their way back and to gain both a new country and a beautiful relationship.
#netgalley #TheBeekeperofAleppo

This is a beautifully written story. The descriptions of the scenery and people are so vivid, they seemed to be in the room with me. That made the heartbreak even more real.

Great read! The author draws you in with detail that makes you want to read on. I love when books make you feel like you are part of the story.

I really liked the structure of this book and how the stories of the past and present intertwine and unravel over the course of the book. I thought it was well-written and, though fictional, provided insight into the Syrian refugee experience.

Loved this novel, a great sense of place and character, especially relating to current events. This novel presents the refugee experience as relatable and gives a soul to the struggle that many American's can't even fathom.  Recommended for book groups and discussions.

This book is beautiful. Nuri and Afra have made it to the UK, from Syria, and are seeking refuge. This is the story about how they got there and what happened along the way. The book is also about seeing. The things that they saw or didn't see, things they thought they saw that may not have been there at all, and really what their minds showed them.

Can you imagine deciding to leave your home and go to another country in order to do something so basic as to stay alive? Most people can't. This book tries to capture the desperation and the despair involved.

Very few books have made me cry. This is one of them. I can't emphasize what a beautiful story this is and how many emotions it will evoke in readers.

Great book: well-written and gripping. The relationships were richly portrayed and nuanced. I recommend this title.

**I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Lefteri writes a soft yet somber look at Syrian refugees in this moving fictional tale. Nuri and Afra’s journey from Syria is chronicled through the eyes of Nuri, as he reflects on his present situation in England and on the journey from Syria, triggered by thoughts and the viewing of objects and scenes. Lefteri’s word choice brings vivid descriptions of colors and sights. I truly wish I could see Afra’s paintings and drawings she creates throughout the novel!

Lefteri uses her experience as a volunteer working with refugees to give an overall impression of life as a refugee, the uncertainty and the constant fear. The tone of the novel pairs well with Steven Galloway’s “The Cellist of Sarajevo,” another novel set in a war-torn country that brings beauty and hope to a scene of destruction and sorrow. 

A beautiful novel.

Man this book really tugs at my heart knowing that all of these things are real and has probably happened to the Syrians who are still going through so much. But yet they hold out hope and continue to move forward towards a better life and brighter future. Even though they have to leave their home and possessions behind. But they find a new skill beekeeping that was also a pastime in their native country. I just love this book.

This is a heart wrenching book telling the story of a couple fleeing Syria and the life they left behind.  They left behind a successful beekeeping business shared with a family that fled to England.  The story tells all of their journey to meet up with this family, and it is horrific.

Oh wow... heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, poignant... an important read during these crazy times.  This was not an easy read but I loved it and highly recommend it.