"Love was people's way out of the darkness." Lecturer and UNICEF Volunteer Christy Lefteri's debut novel, "The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a stunning and searing examination of the effects of post-traumautic stress disorder on a young couple as they emigrate from Syria following the political strife of 2016. Nuri, the protagonist narrates this struggle as he tries to restore hope for his blind wife, Afra and tries to come to terms with his own feelings of grief.

Lefteri's prose is flowing and heart wrenching and her empathy for her characters kept me glued to the page. It is impossible to put this book down and you will learn and grow from this breathtaking experience. Please read this novel, you won't regret it.

Beautiful, important story. I struggled with the format of the book - it jumped back and forth in time a lot and the transitions weren’t clear so it would take time to adjust, taking away from my enjoyment. Also, I wish I learned more about Afra!

I requested this book because I appreciate books about other cultures, and hoped this would provide insight into what Aleppo once was, what Syrians have been escaping. It's a lyrical, almost other-worldly telling of a difficult situation. A slow, thoughtful read. At times hard to follow.

A gentle love story against the horrible background of the war in Syria. One has to admire the tenacity of Nuri's love for his wife Afra, despite the horrific happenings all around them including the war in Syria and the dangerous and arduous journey to England.
The bees seem to be the driving force that helped bring Nuri and Afra to safety and the key to restoring Afra's eyesight. I cheered at the peaceful end.

What makes this book particularly good is that it feels realistic. One can imagine Nuri and Afra watching their country (Syria) fall apart around them, experiencing the destruction of their livelihoods, the loss of family and friends, physical and mental injuries, and struggling to decide whether to stay or leave. The book describes the perils and uncertainties of the journey -- the threats to life, the squalid conditions of many of the refugee camps, the exploited and the exploiters, the assistance of locals or aid groups, the friendliness of some natives and the unfriendliness of others, the preferential treatment of certain groups of refugees, prejudice and efforts to bridge cultural divides, and the uncertainty of if or when they will be able to leave Syria, then Turkey, then Greece, with the goal of hopefully reaching the UK and Nuri's cousin, Mustafa, who had left earlier. Nuri is faced with uncomfortable and at times morally challenging choices as he tries to keep his wife and himself safe. Making the task more difficult is that Afra was blinded by the bomb that killed their son, Sami. Afra's blindness is revealed in the beginning of the book, so that is not a spoiler. While Afra is physically unwell (blindness), there are increasing signs that Nuri might be mentally unwell (possible PTSD). Nuri and Afra make it to the UK (which is something the reader learns early in the book as well). The book alternates between life in Syria before the civil war and then during the civil war, the B&B in England where they are staying as they apply for asylum, and various stages of their journey from Syria to the UK. In addition to the stories of Nuri and Afra and of Mustafa, the author tells the stories of refugees from other countries that Nuri and Afra meet along the way or who are at the B&B going through the asylum process as well.

The author was a volunteer at a UNICEF-supported refugee center in Greece in 2016 and 2017 and she used her experiences there to develop the story. The version I read was an uncorrected proof and so the author might choose to change the wording in her Author's Note somewhat, but the final line encapsulates the author's goal, which I think she has achieved -- "I wanted to set forth the idea that among profound, unspeakable loss, humans can still find love and light -- and see one another." Despite the losses that Nuri and Afra and the other refugees have suffered, there is still that sense of hope -- they can never get back what they lost and their lives have been profoundly changed by their experiences, but if they can make it somewhere safe, they can rebuild new lives.

I think many people would benefit greatly from reading this book because of the portrayal of the refugee experience. While the characters are invented, there is nothing in the basic storyline that has not happened or could not happen to groups of refugees.

I received an uncorrected proof of the e-book via NetGalley.

Christy Lefteri has crafted a remarkable novel. In the Author's Note she describes her time working at a UNICEF refugee camp in Greece and how deeply it affected her. With the help of refugees in England and informed by her own experiences at the camps, the characters of Nuri and Afra took shape, representing the thousands of displaced from Syria and other war-ravaged places.

These perspectives are crucial to the construction of the book. You can see Aleppo like a painting in front of you, hear the voices echoing in Athens, taste the salty Aegean Sea. But you also feel the devastating and all-consuming hardship of the people displaced from their homes. We move from Nuri's prior life in Aleppo, Syria, back and forth to his applying for asylum in the U.K., one slowly catching up to the other. Every relocation and obstacle hits you like a punch to the gut and the immensity of their situation sinks in steadily until you're swallowed whole.

This is a book about family, friendship, distance and grief. The physical scars may eventually fade, but psychological ones only fester. In The Beekeeper of Aleppo, we see those who are violently thrown from their previous existences begin to unravel and how much of yourself is left behind. I want others to read this piercing novel so we can stop being scared of scared people.

This book is so moving, and human, and fantastic. Not only is it a searing example of the horrors faced by Nuri and Afra, but of all refugees forced to leave their countries in hope of safety. This novel is a marvel, and I hope it becomes a massive hit, because the book is glorious to read, but mire importantly, is a great tool to educate everyone about this massive, modern problem facing humanity today. We as humans are entitled to safety and happiness, and sadly these rights are fragile in the world today.

I was given an ARC copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This story was tragic, hopeful, and oh so very topical! The story follows Nuri and Afra, a Syrian couple, as they travel to England as refugees seeking asylum. We find out about their life in Syria and their journey interspersed with what is currently happening in England as they prepare and follow the process to seek asylum. In the author's note she said, "I wanted to set forth the idea that among profound, unspeakable loss, humans can find love and light - and see one another." I think she accomplished this beautifully! The pain, and tragedy is evident in many of the people's stories we hear, but hope, love and light are also apparent! A great story, I would recommend to all!

Thank you to NetGalley, Christy Lefteri and Random House for this ARC.

I normally don't read novels about war, or refugees but this was one so good. This is definitely a story about loss, despair, love, hope and rebuilding. A fantastic, well written novel.

I very much enjoyed this story though it was sad and made my heart hurt for refugees. The writing had a sort of poetic note that flowed from page to page, allowing me to easily picture in my mind what was being described. Highly recommend!

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW
I have wanted to read more about Syria, so I was glad to have the opportunity to read The Beekeeper of Aleppo. This book is raw and heartbreaking. It tells the story of refugees traveling to Britain to seek asylum after it is too dangerous to stay in Aleppo. This book made me think of Exit West. Definitely read this one.

PRAISE
“Courageous and provocative, The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a beautifully crafted novel of international significance that has the capacity to have us open our eyes and see…. Read about this couple, relate to this couple, and understand the world they have fled.”—Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

AUTHOR
Brought up in London, Christy Lefteri is the child of Cypriot refugees. She is a lecturer in creative writing at Brunel University. The Beekeeper of Aleppo was born out of her time working as a volunteer at a Unicef supported refugee center in Athens. This is her first novel.

A sad and beautiful read that carried me along on the emotional and harrowing journey of a Syrian beekeeper and his wife who lost everything in the war. This book is filled with the reality of loss and despair, but it is also a story of friendship, hope and love.

The author writes from her own experiences working with Syrian refugees in Athens, Greece. She heard their stories and felt their sorrows and losses in her heart, resulting in this genuine account. Lefteri is gifted in writing with passion and empathy, and her touching words bring readers into the dangerous, chaotic and heart wrenching world of refugees from warring countries. Especially sad is realizing that these types of journeys are taking place today for thousands of innocent men, women and children and we must not forget.

I highly recommend this book. Thank you Netgalley, author and publisher for sending me an ARC.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a sad, heart wrenching tale about a couple whose dreams are torn by the war in Syria and their need to escape. It tells us about their harrowing journey through multiple countries until tjey finally reach England. This is a novel that will make you see the war in Syria in a new light.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is perhaps the best ARC I’ve had the opportunity to read on NetGalley. In fact, it’s been a while since I’ve felt so utterly moved by a story that I felt it’s consumed my every thought during and after. War is devastating and I was able to uncover parallels between our main characters’ story and that of my grandmother’s when the Nazis bombed her village in Slovenia.

In “The Beekeeper of Aleppo,” we follow Syrian beekeeper Nuri Ibrahim and his wife Afra from war-ridden Aleppo to England. While we know from the first two chapters that they have made it to safety in England, it’s the events which unfold in-between told in flashbacks—a heart-wrenching, courageous journey of the recent past interweaved with the Ibrahims seeking asylum in the present.

I admit that I have a limited understanding of the Syrian Civil War, but I remember the news images of a bombed city and injured or dead citizens, particularly the children. With the tragedy, fear, and loss that surround Nuri and Afra in this book, it was interesting to see how war changed them, tore them apart, and brought them together when they needed each other the most.

Christy Lefteri is a new author for me. Her writing style was poetic and I grew very attached to these characters. As a former volunteer for a UNICEF-led refugee center in Athens and the child of Greek Cypriot refugees, Lefteri has shared an important work of fiction that is inspired by the numerous stories of the refugees she’s helped. What stood out (and I highlighted these instances in my copy) was the idea of “silence,” which she mentions a lot. It was in these moments that I found myself paying closer attention…listening to what was happening, how the characters were feeling, and to the waves of pain and hope they felt throughout the story.

There are many people I intend to share this novel with and I look forward to rereading the final revision when it comes out in August. Thank you to Ms. Lefteri for writing this beautiful work.

What a touching, tragic story! The beekeeper of Aleppo is Nuri, who with his cousin Mustaffa is a keeper of bees. When the Syrian civil war begins, they are initially not touched much by it, buy then it moves closer. Syrian forces are brutal, Islamic State forces even more so, and people are dying. Nuri's wife Afra, an artist, has seen things so terrible she has become blind. When the horror touches Nuri and Afra directly, Nuri realizes that they must escape. First Mustaffa leaves, then Nuri and Afra follow, hoping to reunite in England. But the way out of Syria is full of danger and corruption and deceit, and many do not make it.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo tells us of Nuri and Afra's physical journey out of Syria, but also their mental and emotional journey, which is even more daunting. The book is moving, and strips the cover off the desperation, brutality and danger involved in getting to safety. The book alternates points of view which sometimes makes it a little confusing about where in time the characters are, but it truly exposes the plight and complexities of those fleeing war and conflict. The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a must read book.

“What does it mean to see?”

Christy Lefteri asked this question working on her first novel “The Beekeeper of Aleppo.” A daughter of Cypriot refugees, she was drawn to volunteer work for a UNICEF-led refugee center in Athens. The people she worked with wanted to tell their stories despite the language barrier, and she became a witness to suffering. She talked of children drawing pictures of the terrors they witnessed. Lefteri put flesh and bone on subjects like post-beekeeper of aleppo covertraumatic stress disorder, the impact of the war on a country and its people, as well as the harrowing plight of the refugee.

From the first page, I felt like I was reading the personal journal of beekeeper Nuri Ibrahim. He and wife Afra were in limbo. They were stuck between terror and safety as they waited to see if they would stay in England after their long journey from Aleppo in Syria. Nuri and Afra went from Aleppo to Turkey, to a Greek island, to Athens and onto England. Nuri's thoughts moved between past and present as he began to process all he and Afra have been through. He sometimes made me forget they were “safe” in a B&B in England. Just like Nuri, I’m still processing this thought-provoking tale. I’m not able to quote from the book since I can’t check it yet with a finished copy. But some things I’m still thinking about:

Lefteri’s writing style -- The first time a word stood out in the chapter I thought I might have a Kindle glitch. I opened the table of contents and saw there was one word in each chapter that led to time-traveling in Nuri’s mind. I was reminded of epic poetry.

The Chinese concept of Yuanfen -- Nuri explained this was a symbol on his mother’s red fan. I wrote down – “something that bound two people or things together.” I searched on the web and found an example: Two people were brought together, but something made them part ways and they lose touch. Years later, chance brought them together again and this time they fell in love. (Reminded me of Jane Austen’s Persuasion (Anne Eliot and Capt. Wentworth), I think also of Austen’s novel, Emma (Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax). I could see this working in Nuri and Afra’s relationship. Yes, they were still married, but tragedy reshaped them. They had different reactions to their catastrophic losses. They became untethered from each other, made strangers in the process. It’s like she became a visible reminder of the loss of the son she bore them, Sami.

Afra lost her sight when Sami died. I kept waiting to hear about how this happened. Nuri became her eyes and ears. Afra would demand he tell her each day what he witnessed even if he didn’t want to tell her. At different points, Nuri thought how he could end Afra’s life so she wouldn’t endure further pain. Lefteri created an effective way to put the reader right there with Afra in the darkness. At the same time, I was a witness with Nuri as he described the horrors all around him. Boys lined up near the river and killed. A child playing outside gunned down for sport. It wasn’t long before I realized Nuri had post-traumatic stress disorder. Lefteri gave small hints where Nuri became an unreliable narrator with the clues coming from what other characters could see that he couldn’t. That meant I couldn’t be sure whether some things were real or just in Nuri’s mind.

What bees and hives mean to Nuri – Nuri’s cousin Mustafa was a professor at Damascus University, but he also followed his father and grandfather into the beekeeping profession. He invited Nuri to become a beekeeper because he saw a sensitive soul who had the personality and character to care for them. The hives produced ingredients that Mustafa and daughter Aya would come up with beauty products to sell in her store, “Aya’s Paradise.” Spoiler alert: The war and unrest in the country eventually led to vandals destroying the hives. Mustafa’s wife Dahab and Aya leave the country before he does because he doesn’t want to leave the beehives. When he left, Mustafa wrote a letter to Nuri to follow him. Mustafa and Nuri are both passionate about their work as beekeepers. The sound of bees brought peace to Nuri. His livelihood came at the sacrifice of his own father’s happiness. There were forces binding Nuri together Mustafa that helped propel him forward. He called upon his memory of the bees and the hope of new life ahead as he and Afra journey in treacherous areas. Despite people scoffing at his desire to go to England, Nuri pressed on.

The meaning then of the wingless bee at the B&B – Nuri found a flightless bee that he said would not survive. She was kicked out of the colony. He allowed her to sit in his hand and set her on a flower each night. He would check on her and lift her from the flower each day. The act reminded me Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.” Hazim, a Moroccan man at the B&B, made him a beautiful gift of a wooden plank with places that held flowers so the wingless bee could live there. I felt that Hazim understood Nuri’s broken places. The B&B worked not unlike a hive in that the people worked together to survive and thrive as they waited for word about their requests for asylum.

Thank you to Netgalley.com and to Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy. I will never think of refugees the same. I have always liked stories that give me a literary passport to other times, countries, languages, and cultures. Those stories have taken me down new pathways in my mind and soul as the author’s imagination connected with mine. I could see this novel in a multicultural literature course where current events would enhance discussion. “The Beekeeper of Aleppo” comes out August 27, 2019. For more information, go to: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608250/the-beekeeper-of-aleppo-by-christy-lefteri/9781984821218/. For a good description of Yuanfen, go to https://www.ozy.com/acumen/theres-a-word-for-relationships-written-in-the-stars/72132.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

A solid 4 star story of Nuri and his wife Afra as they sort out their lives in war torn Aleppo, Syria. You will become attached to the characters in this novel very quickly.

Nuri’s cousin Mustafa has taught him all about beekeeping, and not wanting to follow in his father ‘s footsteps, Nuri takes to beekeeping immediately. The bees, beehives and all Nuri knows about his life in Aleppo get left behind. They must leave.

There are many scenes where fantasy blends with reality for Nuri as he struggles to cope and make his way to a new life with Afra. Being blind, the road to change is not a simple one for Afra either.

Hopefully, you will have a better understanding of the refugee situation going on in today’s world, with the hardships, losses and unknowns these transitory travelers suffer, as they reach out to have what we all want: love, safety, food, peace and family.

Sincere thanks to #Netgalley and #BallantineBooks/RandomHouse for an ARC of this title

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nuri and Afra have a simple life in Aleppo, raising their son Sami. Nuri is a beekeeper with his cousin Mustafa and Afra is an artist. When war comes, Mustafa leaves Syria and urges Nuri to do the same. Nuri stays, until the situation becomes unbearable and they suffer an unthinkable loss, that leaves Afra blind. The rest of the book is about the journey to England and freedom, alternating chapters in the asylum process in England and the journey that led them there. We all hear the news about the army of refugees tracking through Europe from Syria, Afghanistan, Africa. This books gives a human picture of what it takes, the people they encounter, both who try to help and those who take advantage of them. According to the author’s note at the end, she was a volunteer for a UNICEF supported refugee center in Athens and what she saw there inspired her to write this book. It’s a story that has to be told, a look behind the headlines.
Overall a great read, 4-5 stars. I took off one star, because I had a little trouble following where the events took place, especially in the beginning.
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri is a moving book about the refugee experience, told in two timelines that show you how Nuri and Afra are living in a b&b for asylum seekers in England, starting with how Nuri lived as a beekeeper in Aleppo while Afra was an accomplished artist. This book gets dark, but at the very least you know that Nuri and Afra made it to England. Using words that trigger memories, leading to the timeline switch in the storytelling, we find out more about who Nuri and Afra were before the conflict in Syria pushed them to leave their home (and bees), as well as the familial connections that motivate them to not only leave, but to aim for England instead of easier asylum destinations. Their journey out of Syria is told alongside their journey of applying for asylum, parallel stories of how whether you leave something or lose something, it affects you either physically or mentally. I found myself staying up to finish this book, even though it really felt bleak at times. I know they make it to their destination, but the cost is far more than I thought it would be. I appreciate how Lefteri made sure to highlight how the refugee identity is diverse, not just with the languages spoken but what motivated them to leave their homes. It is grim, but it is still hopeful.

A beautiful refugee story of hardship, grief, loss, and determination, <i>The Beekeeper of Aleppo</i> reminds us that a little humanity can go a long way.

Born from Lefteri’s experience working at a refugee center in Athens, the story centers around the journey of Nuri and Afra Ibrahim, a married couple fleeing war and oppression in Syria in hopes of reaching the UK.

Lefteri pens a story reminiscent of Hosseini’s <i>The Kite Runner</i>, and you can’t help but be pulled into the fear and grief of the young couple. Before they can leave Syria, tragedy strikes, and Nuri and Afra are left with a grief they could never have imagined — which shapes their journey out of Aleppo in heartrending ways.

My only complaint with this story is that it centers around the first-person narration of Nuri Ibrahim, but much of the plot takes place after he’s left his blind wife (either in their boarding room, on a blanket in the middle of a park, or at their home in Aleppo) alone to fend for herself while he walks around thinking or meeting people. Afra can hardly dress herself, and Nuri’s continued indifference toward his wife’s care really bothered me. I would have loved for this story to be from her perspective, or even a few chapters sprinkled in that told us more than Nuri’s perspective.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story, and my heart ached for Nuri and Afra. A perfect read for fans of <i>The Kite Runner</i>.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.