Cyprus is an island nation located in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Like many nations in that part of the world, it was once controlled by England, and like many nations once controlled by England, it has struggled with border issues. Over centurities, the island developed strong ties to both Greece and Turkey; the majority of Cypriots consider themselves to be Greek, but a large minority identify with Turkey. Cyprus became independent in 1960. The two groups sparred; in 1974, the Greek government attempted to overthrow the Cypriot government, only to be met by Turkish military forces. Turkey now controls a third of the island.
The Island of Missing Trees is set in 1974, at a cafe called The Happy Fig. Two teenage lovers, the Turkish Defne and Greek Kostas, meet and suffer the drama of star-crossed teenage lovers everywhere. A lot of this section bored me, because it was a story that I knew. That everyone knows.
Unlike Romeo and Juliet, the lovers don’t die. Kostas moves to London and Defne stays in Cyprus. They meet, years later, and conceive a daughter. Much of this book covers the compelling story of the daughter growing up amidst her parents’ trauma and without relatives from her divided family.
One of my favorite parts of the book is a menu for The Happy Fig, a fictional depiction of the delicious variety of Mediterranean fare. The cafe is built around a fig tree, which makes its was to London, too. I discovered that fig trees really are buried overwinter in cold climates. Isn’t that wild?
Anyway, I liked this book. Maybe I should have created a rating system for this project, but it feels too late.
