Between the Orange Groves

by Nadia Marks

In a small village, set among the wild mountains of Cyprus, two families of different faiths share a seemingly unbreakable friendship based on mutual respect and deep affection. Mothers and daughters share their daily secrets, fathers and sons support each other as they live their lives between the fragrant pine trees and orange groves. It's here that two boys, Lambros and Orhan, grow up side by side, as close as brothers. Their lives are inextricably linked, but as their fortunes shift and time passes, an unforgivable act of betrayal takes place, setting in motion a chain of events that tears the two friends and their entire families apart... Many decades later and now an old man living in London, Lambros decides to share his painful memories with his daughter Stella; transporting her back to an island brimming with passion and at its heart a scandal that still haunts those involved. Is it too late for forgiveness? Or can the next generation embark on a journey of their own to help mend the damage done all those years ago?From Nadia Marks, the bestselling author of Among the Lemon Trees and Secrets Under the Sun, comes Between the Orange Groves, a moving tale of desire, burning secrets and forbidden love.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Audiobook

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 14, 2019

About the author

Nadia Marks (née Kitromilides,) was born in Cyprus, but grew up in London. An ex creative director and associate editor on a number of leading British women's magazines, she is now a novelist and works as a freelance writer for several national and international publications.

Reviews

[Dona's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Around the World Challenge 2023 -- Read a book set in or written by an author born in each of 50 countries on the Asian continent: Book 20 / 50: Cypress

I found my audiobook copy of BETWEEN THE ORANGE GROVES by Nadia Marks on Scrib'd!

Mini-review: This beautiful story about love, family, and borders had me breathless and completely engaged. I came away from BETWEEN THE ORANGE GROVES more convinced than ever that romantic love, that a romance is about and involves an entire family. Not just who approves and who doesn't, but how will the romance shape coming generations, for instance? The writing here is lovely and generous. This is for sure what readers experience as a character-driven novel. It's atmospheric, with the settings and the powerful transitions bearing greatly on the narrative and mood and tone of the book. I found wonderful history, told from the warm perspectives of the characters rather than from the cooler perspective of the narrator. I loved this story of the headstrong 1920s Turkism Muslim woman who falls in love, and changes her whole family in the process.

Rating: 🍊🍊🍊.75 / 5 Orange groves
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: May 9 2023
Format: Audiobook, Scrib'd, Narrator: Daphne Alexander, nice reading!

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating, informative, and picturesque!

Between the Orange Groves is set in the idyllic island of Cyprus and takes us into the lives of two main families who despite religious differences are the best of friends and are as close as close can be until one day desire and lust causes a rift that will change their lives forever.

The prose is smooth and fluid. The characters are multi-layered, alluring, and regretful. And the plot, written in a back and forth, past/present style is a delightful mix of life, loss, culture, religion, familial dynamics, deception, betrayal, and forbidden love.

Overall, Between the Orange Groves is a heartwarming, nostalgic, intriguing tale that highlights the unique political landscape of Cyprus over the years, and reminds us of the importance of forgiveness and the enduring power of friendship.

Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Cath Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The problem with reading books, is that there are always similar books to compare with. This was a good, well written story with strong characters, BUT I much preferred The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop which is a truly epic story. And if you wanted to read a book about Cyprus, I would recommend anyone to read The Sunrise instead as it is so amazing.

[Tripfiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novel set across 20th Century CYPRUS



The story starts out in the early 20th Century in a remote, hill top village in Cyprus. Two families – one Turkish (of the Muslim faith), one Greek (Christian) – live side by side and their bond is so strong (fostered essentially by the women) that they virtually live as one unit. Nurture, respect and care are the order of the day.

This is the story of Hatiche and Maroula, who grow up together and marry childhood sweethearts. Hatiche’s family is Turkish, Maroula’s is Greek. A deep friendship such as theirs was unusual, as religion generally proved to be a powerful segregator.

The story then follows their progeny as they make their way in the world, set against a period of political and cultural turmoil. As they age, their offspring develop friendships and relationships. There is death, birth, love and sorrow.

On the island of Cyprus Turks and Greeks lived quite well together. There has been quite some British influence on the island but there has always been a simmering unease between the Turks and the Greeks. In 1963 Nicosia was divided (the Turks to the north, the Greeks to the South) and in 1974 Turkey invaded the island. The Greek Cypriots fled to the Southern part and the Turkish Cypriots fled to the Northern part of the island. The Southern part is part of the EU and the Northern part is under the control of Turkey and recognised only by Turkey. (This passage is taken from the end of the book where the author provides a short overview of the history of the island of the last 150 years)

In London 2008 Lambros, the son of Maroula, is reminiscing about life on the island and about his close friendship with Orhan. He is telling his story to Stella, his daughter and there are insights and regrets. Stella discovers more about her aunt Anastasia, who was a free spirit and had real talent as a seamstress but she was not destined to follow her vocation. She was pivotal in the breakdown of relationships between the two families.

I enjoyed this book and it reminded me of the difficulties for many Cypriots in the 20th Century have encountered. I found, at times, that the characters’ responses were a little too simplistic, a little 2-dimensional – Anastasia in one sentence is falling into depression and then by the next paragraph is coming out of it. Overall this is an easy read and wonderfully evocative of location.

[Chitra Ahanthem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Between the Orange Groves by Nadia Marks is an intergenerational story that starts with Hassan and Andreas who are friends, their children and their families who live as neighbours in a small village in Cyprus. The two families belonging to different faiths share very close ties, reflecting the quiet simple lives of people in Cyprus. Over the years, the tranquil life of the two friends and of the island country in itself is thrown into tumult by the larger political differences that affect people gradually.

This is a simple story that centers around loyalty to friends, family and one’s faith. What I liked about it was that this book did take me through a brief tour of Cyprus and its people from the 1920s to 2008. The plot narrative do not stray much into the political domain. It is a light breezy and enjoyable read. Pick it if you want to read something sweet and uncomplicated.

[Pattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book from Nadia...thanks xx

[Sheetal Maurya - Godse (Halo of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel starts in London, where Stella is talking to her aged father Lambros. Lambros was the teacher and he has lived in Cyprus for a large part of life. Lambros keeps on talking about his old home and the people whom he used to live with. Stella always loved to listen to stories from his father, however, one day she decided to listen to the whole story of Lambros and his life.

Find more such reviews https://www.haloofbooks.com/

The story then moves to the past, where two families live besides each other, one was Constantinou and another is Terzi. Their houses are separated by the groves of Oranges. The daughters of these families Maroula and Hatiche are sharing a bond of sisters. They both are inseparable, and both get married to the love of their life and decided to live beside each other.

Soon, they had children who share the same age and they all lived like a large family. Days were happier and everything was fine until destiny parted these two long-time friends. Hitachi’s husband gets an unfortunate death, which made her elder son Orhan take responsibility. On the other side, the responsibility also grows for Maroula’s family and they decided to shift Nicosia for a better opportunity. Orhan also goes with them for a better education.

Lambros and Orhan are the best buddies so their sister Anastasia and Leila. Things were getting on the way until one incident happens which destroys all the bonds between two families.

Everything gets scattered; however, everyone tries to do the best in their life.

Coming to the present, Lambros wants to meet his long-lost friend Orhan. Will it be possible? What was the reason, which destroyed these two families? Who is responsible for this? Read this super captivating book to know more.

Writing style:

The book is flawless and readers float with the story. Characterization is amazing and the authoress has narrated the book smoothly, keeping away all the jargons and complex sentences.

My perception:

This book teaches values to the relationship and why one should protect them. Every character of this story represents one human nature which we see every day in our life. After finishing the book, I realize that if one has a problem with anyone just sort it out as soon as possible otherwise you will not have time to do that and you end up regretting it. The backdrop narration of Cyprus was the cherry on top, I searched how beautiful the old Cyprus was. This book represents the story of four-generation which was beautiful to read. The friendship between Maroula and Hatiche was comforting to read. This book is fast-paced and can be read in just two to three sittings.

If you are looking for some amazing yet comforting read then do not miss this book. A perfect book to enjoy your holidays with a cup of coffee!

[Rosalind · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the storyline of this book and it was a very easy reading style, a bit too easy in some ways. The Book lacked the depth of Victoria Hislop and if the time line of Cyprus hadn't been put at the end of the book I wouldn't have looked up any of the history as I find myself doing when reading Victoria Hislop.
The book skimmed over the families history and was jumping from one time to another. I didn't feel the way Stella was talking to her father at times in the book worked. It should have just been at the start and the end.
None of the members of the families involved seemed to have much in the way of luck, either died young and tragically, only had one or two children and numerous members weren't able to have any.
The ending I found a little confusing when Stella and her brother were walking around looking for Orhan, another family member was mentioned as being with them, no idea who it was, they just seemed to appear.
The book did highlight the intolerance and tolerance between the Greeks and Turks and showed it is only the minority that prevents the majority living happily alongside each other.
My copy was provided by NetGalley for review.

[Giuls · Rating 2 out of 5]

Avevo sentito parlare tanto bene di quest’autrice, e anche di questo libro, nonostante sia appena uscito.
Invece devo dire che l’ho trovato un po’ troppo piatto per i miei gusti. La storia non è stata per nulla in grado di catturarmi, nonostante sia stata una lettura molto veloce, tutto è andato avanti, ma non mi ha lasciato praticamente nessuna emozione.
Soprattutto il finale: speravo in qualcosa in più. Che poi probabilmente sarebbe bastato un capitolo in più, invece così è rimasto molto aperto e mi è proprio sembrato che il romanzo si interrompesse sul più bello.

[Svetoslava Stoyanova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Тази книга бих описала с три думи - лежерна, лятна, приятна. "Отвъд портокаловата горичка"проследява приятелство между три поколения, което съществува и продължава през годините, въпреки религиозната им принадлежност и правилата, които тя налага. Представя история за лоялността, подкрепата, разбирането, за съветите и доверието, които получаваш от най-близкия си човек, както различните видове любов - майчина, братска, партньорска - с всичките и нюанси. Това е увлекателна история, която ще ви върне назад във времето, ще ви ра��ходи по различни места – от малко планинско градче в Кипър до Никозия, необятният Истанбул и модерния Лондон от наши дни. Ще ви замисли и ще ви накара да се замислите за толерантността, смисълът на вярата и любовта.

[Missy J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as part of my book club's visit to Cyprus. As many reviewers have pointed out, the writing of this book is very easy and unchallenging. This work of historical fiction follows the story of a Greek Cypriot family and how their friendship with a Turkish Cypriot family fell apart. I guess, this should somewhat reflect Cyprus' modern political story. Maroula grew up together with Hatiche in the mountains of Cyprus in the early 21st century. Despite their religious differences, they were best friends and viewed each other as sisters. They both had luck in their marriages, getting married to men that they loved, and both of them gave birth to a son and a daughter each. The story was a little predictable and filled with drama. Of course, the family falls apart when the next generation grows up and doesn't want to conform to the strict religious and ethnic divides. Both sides perceive betrayal from the other side and the families end up inevitably giving in to their prejudices. I enjoyed learning a bit about Cyprus and the cultural similarities and differences that Greeks and Turkish people have. But I thought some of the characters and story line were sloppily done. For instance, we never really got to know Leila's side of the story. The author introduced us quite intensely to Panos and Andreas' brother in Nicosia, but once they served their purpose, they were dropped just like that. I found Anastasia an exasperating character. Her hormones were acting crazy, she was so out of character when she went back to the village for the summer. All in all, this book wasn't mind-blowing.

[Snezhana Stoyanova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Неслучайно си пазех тази книга като лятно четиво, на което да се наслаждавам по пейките в морската градина, на сянка, пазейки се от жаркото юлско слънце. "Отвъд портокаловата горичка" беше истинско преживяване - емоционално, поучително и пораждащо поводи за размисъл. Отвореният край обаче леко разочарова силното ми любопитство да разбера как ще приключи историята. Ще ми се да вярвам, че финалът е хубав - героите наистина заслужават това.

[Kjersti Farrier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got rather muddled up with people, Greek and Turkish families at the start (especially as I was listening to the audiobook)... The story and the history was very interesting though, especially as I have lived in Cyprus, on the Greek side, and have visited both Nicosia and the northern, Turkish side on numerous occasions.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't impressed with the first half of this book. I found it quite boring and almost gave up. The second part, which talked more about the history of Cyprus and how the people coped and lived was fascinating! It reminded me of the book The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society, where the story is kind of lame but you learn so much history keep thinking "well, I didn't know that!"

[Mansi Mudgal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between the Orange Grove by Nadia Marks is my second read of the month and one that I really enjoyed.... I liked it more for the background and scenery than the actual story to be honest as this one is more bitter than sweet.
Set in Cyprus this story is of two families, one of Greek Cypriots and the other Turkish, It talks about the the days when both the communities lived in harmony despite their cultural differences but how the issues, the divide and rule and politics led to where we are now.
The story is told by a father to his daughter about his family back in Cyprus and his friendship with his Turkish friend, the strong bond between two matriarchs of both the communities and their lives as friends and what happens that all goes downhill.
Read this book to know more about what people from Cyprus actually felt about the old days and about its harmony!

[Nikki Bowles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having visited Cyprus many times and also Istanbul I thoroughly enjoyed this book . It wasn’t a biased account but spoke equally about the Greek and Turkish Cypriot families. I will certainly be looking up more of Nadia Marks books .

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
First time reading this Author and OUTSTANDING book
This FANTASTIC book is set in a twin time line between Cyprus in the 1950's and London present day this book takes you on an amazing journey of how mixed marriage was not the done thing in days gone by I can't praise this book enough and can highly recommend this OUTSTANDING read.

[Luce26 · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Una storia da 2.5 stelle più che da 3, ma meglio arrotondare per eccesso.
Un romanzo che narra le vicende di due famiglie, una greco-ortodossa e una turca-musulmana, legata da vincoli di amicizia indissolubile, di amore profondo, di legami di parentela che vanno oltre i classici legami di sangue. Queste famiglie si sono promesse di non lasciarsi mai separare da nulla e da nessuno, nemmeno dalla divinità. Quello che non sapevano è che i sentimenti negativi si radicano nel cuore di una persona molto più tenacemente di quanto facciano quelli positivi.
Alla fine, tutto quello che può andare da schifo va da schifo: amore, amicizia, famiglia vengono soppiantati da slealtà, orgoglio, vigliaccheria, egoismo.
E forse, in questo libro, va tutto davvero male... Troppo male. Troppe cose vanno storte. Ci si aspetta un finale esaustivo e valido, nel bene o nel male, ma ci ritrova con un finale monco, limitato, carente.

*Ineccepibile è invece l'ambientazione: una Cipro ancora unita, anche nelle divergenze etniche e religiose. Di cui si possono quasi sentire la brezza fresca delle montagne, il caldo afoso della capitale, il profumo delle arance. Un'isola che, alla fine, storicamente parlando, subirà la stessa sorte toccata alle due famiglie.

*Lo stile della scrittrice è semplice e chiaro, a tratti evocativo nella descrizione di Cipro, ma che non riesce mai a sfondare il muro della banalità, del senso di già visto e di già immaginato preventivamente. Non riesce ad andare oltre i limiti di questo genere e di questa tipologia, già triti e ritriti; di cui esistono esempi peggiori, ma anche di gran lunga migliori.

*Non è completamente da scartare, ha i suoi lati positivi (come i personaggi più che ispirati e ben scritti), ma non va oltre l'etichetta "libro leggero e senza pretese, ottimo per l'estate"

[Maria Grazia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storia che mi ha catturato fin dalla prima pagina. Avevo comprato questo libro per caso, e quindi non avevo particolari aspettative. Ma leggendo pagina dopo pagina sono rimasta ripeto catturata da questa storia. Tutti i personaggi sia primari che secondari soni importanti. Un libro che mi ha trasmesso una grande umanità , ho pianto, riso e gioito insieme a tutti personaggi. Nadia Marks ha una scrittura coinvolgente che sa entrare nel cuore del lettore. Cinque stelline più che meritate. Spero di poter leggere ancora di questa autrice. Davvero una piacevole scoperta. Consigliata.

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 3 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Family secrets and revelations at its best. I’ve read a few books like this one in the past and all were okay reads, enjoyable for the time spent engaging with the characters. What I liked about this book the most was how the past and present flip flop kept the story propelling forward to its conclusion. With each flip more tidbits were revealed. The author also provides a historical reference at the back of the book, that I recommend readers read before beginning the story.

Knowing of religious/political tensions of the time is important to the flow of the story for the reader since there’s a continuous underlying strain between the Turks/Greeks that affect the setting, the relationships of the characters and the pacing.

It was nice to read about Cyprus. I had no idea how the dynamics of the island were so unique yet divided. Religion differences are outlined between Christian and Muslim beliefs and with all this knowledge the story begins. You have to wonder how the two families managed to remain so close for the time they had. It gives you hope that maybe, just maybe… Anyway, I enjoyed the story and I’m glad I requested it for review purposes.

For me, the one true problem that stood out were the characters. Although interesting, at times they seemed a bit flat, just not enough zip to them. Since for the majority of the story being character-driven, having flat characters can be problematic. This could also affect the reality of the situations between characters and make their interactions far-fetched and non-relatable…. and inadvertently put off readers.

Overall, it was an interesting read for me and there are other books by this author of similar nature that I may look into to see if the writing improves as the author’s talent continues to grow and develop.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

😔 Moving multi-generational story of love, friendship and loss👍
5 🌟stars
I was very touched by this account of two neighboring Cypriot families, one Christian and the other Muslim, spanning almost a century. Strongly engrained and deeply felt religious faith is not allowed to affect their close friendship until a forbidden love threatens the status quo. I had to read this story in one day to finish and learn if the mistakes of the past would be addressed and the rift healed after Stella slowly learns her family's sad tale from her regretful, aging father.

The story is brimming with descriptions of Cypriot life and customs in the early twentieth century and juxtaposed the basic but happy life of the villagers in the earlier time period with the upheaval and deterioration caused by the political conflicts that resulted in The Partition in the latter part of the century. With action ranging from the villages and capital of Cyprus to Istanbul and London, Between the Orange Groves was a wonderful, emotional family saga, celebrating the joys of love, marriage and birth. Difficult choices, lost chances, romantic disappointment, illness and premature death feature too. An informative, standout story!

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book provided through NetGalley; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think, even 4.5 stars.

I really enjoyed this beautifully written book about a daughter, Stella, listening to the stories of her father, Lambros, with a backdrop of historical civil conflict in Cyprus. I cannot speak to the historical accuracy of the book, but there is a brief chronology of cypriot political events included at the end, and Marks is a Greek Cypriot who drew from her own experiences and research.


The sense of family permeates throughout the book, in a skilful way. Marks illustrates the conflicts of religion beautifully, with the friendship of a Christian/Greek and Muslim/Turk torn apart when their values are put under a microscope by the actions of one of their children, Anastasia. Crucially, the regret and heartache that ensues remind us that emotion can be powerful and the consequences will live with us if we don't take action.


The pace was good, keeping me interested and wanting to know what happened next, with the narrative being guided and pushed forward effectively by Stella and her eagerness to hear the end of the tale.

I would recommend this book, but be ready for an emotional read.

[Helen Shirley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to admit to being disappointed with this story from Nadia Marks. I'd not long ago read a book called A Watermelon, A Fish and A Bible by Christy Lefteri which similarly was set on Cyprus and covered love and war across the divides of the Turks and the Greeks. As I'd really enjoyed that story I think I expected something similar in this. At the back of the book (in the kindle version) is a full catalogue of events from Cyprus history and who ruled when but this didn't even need to be in there as apart from a couple of very brief mentions about who was in charge, the wars and the fighting were completely omitted. Clearly WWII never hit Cyprus!!!! Because of this some of the story didn't make sense and actually could have been set anywhere on earth where different religions and cultures sit side by side. It's really just a story of two people falling in love when they shouldn't which tears both families apart. Some bits of the book were repetitive, some done in too many words and some areas skimmed over completely, even the ending appeared dragged out and rushed both at the same time. Sorry but not a fan and wouldn't recommend it.

[Silvia Azzaroli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isola di Cipro, in un paesino tra le montagne due famiglie sono lo specchio di comunità unite da generazioni.

Quella greco-ortodossa e quella turca-musulmana.

I Costantinu e i Terzi.
Nonostante la differenza religiosa e culturale e anzi forse proprio per quelle, le due famiglie sono legatissime, tanto da considerarsi fratelli e sorelle.

Tutto inizia nei primi del Novecento, quando Maroula, Hatiche, Andreas e Hassan diventano ancora più inseparabili di quanto lo fossero già le loro famiglie e le loro comunità.

Maroula sposa Andreas e Hatiche sposa Hassan, vorrebbero che ognuno di loro fosse testimone dell’altro/a ma non si può, questo però non li ferma, tanto che Andreas dirà a Hassan:

“Anche se non puoi farmi da testimone, tu sarai sempre più fratello, niente mi impedirà di pensare questo.”

Il resto qui https://www.overthere.it/il-sentiero-...

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of friendship and love across generations. A picturesque book which definitely takes your imagination through Istanbul & Cyprus and it's colourful lanes. I couldn't help but look up the history of these places to put a picture in my mind.
This is definitely a bittersweet story that talks about 2 families from 2 completely different religious backgrounds yet the thread that binds them together is friendship. A friendship that teaches love, respect & acceptance. It also made me ponder upon the concept of belonging - How belonging to a certain community helps a person to have an identity. Without a community does one feel accepted? It is a story of lost love, lost friendships and well regrets too. A book about life in short.
I'd definitely recommend this for a light read. Something that is quick and breezy and takes you to the beautiful orange groves.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nadia Marks really manages to get under the skin of Cyprus and through the memories of an old man now living in London, she takes us back on an epic journey to what Cyprus was like in the 1950s. it is the beginning of discontent with English rule yet the Greek and Turkish communities manage to get along fine. It was fascinating to read about this period in Cypriot history, unlike most novels that deal with Cyprus who concentrate on the 1974 partition. This is a heartbreaking tale of families divided, love lost and cross-cultural forbidden love. Totally absorbing, very moving and a story that by its very nature can't have a completely happy ending although I was keeping my fingers crossed that Stella could fulfil her father's wish to find his childhood friend.

[Stoyanka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Книгата „Отвъд портокаловата горичка“ е увлекателна и се чете бързо.
Действието се развива основно в планинско селце в Кипър и в Никозия през 20-те до 50-те години на миналия век. А също така ни препраща в съвременен Лондон и в пъстрия и разнолик Истанбул.
В нея се разказва за приятелството, за предразсъдъците и религиозните различия, за любовта.
На места книгата е тъжна, някак не усещах подобно развитие на историята и като цяло те грабва и ти се иска бързо да стигнеш до края. А края по скоро е оставен на читателите, всеки сам да довърши историята във въображението си.
Книгата е по-добра от "Сред лимоновите дръвчета", но и тук сякаш финала
е написан набързо.
Ако си търсите разтоварващо четиво или нещо за лятната почивка, препоръчвам я!

[Kayra Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Turkish Cypriot born in London, with a great-grandmother who was Greek Cypriot and married a Turkish Cypriot, this book felt deeply personal. Between the Orange Groves pulled on every one of my heartstrings. It’s a story of love, division, sacrifice and ultimately, shared humanity.

Nadia Marks paints Cyprus with such rich emotion and layered history, capturing not just the beauty of the island but the pain that tore it apart. Through her characters, she reminds us that while we may be divided by politics or circumstance, at our core, we are more alike than different.

This novel isn’t just about a particular time in Cyprus it’s about what it means to be human in the face of loss, change, and love. A beautifully written tribute to the tangled roots that connect us all. 🏝️

[Ralitsa Koleva · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Книгата беше интересна, историята се лееше леко и незатормозяващо, но някак сякаш вече го бях чела. И макар да е писана две години преди "Остравът на изгубените дървета" на Шафак не успя да ме завладее така както историята на Елиф.

И все пак беше увлекателна история преплела в себе си пътя на няколко поколения. Това което ме разочарова е финала. Цяла книга историята водеше към едно определено действие, голяма подготовка и в последните страници авторката сякаш претупа историята, сякаш цялостта на края й избяга и не намери правилните думи за финал. Не казвам, че това е факт, просто в мен остави това усещане.

[Nancy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent novel about two families on Cyprus, one Greek and Christian and one Muslim. This is a story of friendship that, for many years, superseded religion and prejudice. Ultimately, the deep and seemingly unending friendship is torn apart by their religious differences. There is an ultimate reconciliation, but it is too late for many of the people in this story. This is a wonderful example of people with differing viewpoints who at first let themselves be torn apart, and ultimately, realize that humanity should rise above distinctions imposed by religion other people.