{"product_id":"the-island-of-missing-trees","title":"The Island of Missing Trees","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Island of Missing Trees\u003c\/em\u003e by Elif Shafak is a captivating and poignant novel that delves into the intertwined lives of two star-crossed lovers in war-torn Cyprus and their enduring legacy decades later. This Sunday Times bestselling novel intricately weaves themes of love, loss, and identity amidst a backdrop of cultural and historical turmoil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSet in 1974 on the island of Cyprus, the story introduces us to Kostas, a Greek Cypriot and Christian, and Defne, a Turkish Cypriot and Muslim. These two teenagers, hailing from opposite sides of a divided land, seek solace and secrecy in a taverna where their forbidden romance flourishes. The taverna, shaded by blackened beams adorned with garlands of garlic, chilli peppers, and wild herbs, becomes their secret haven. It’s a place where they can momentarily escape the harsh realities of their world and indulge in the finest food, music, and wine the city has to offer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the heart of this taverna, a fig tree grows through a cavity in the roof, standing as a silent witness to Kostas and Defne's clandestine meetings and hasty departures. This fig tree becomes a symbol of their love and the tumultuous events that unfold, from the eruption of war to the shattering of their city and their eventual separation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFast forward to decades later in north London, where sixteen-year-old Ada Kazantzakis has never set foot on the island of her heritage. Struggling with her own identity and longing for answers, Ada embarks on a journey to untangle a web of family secrets, separation, and silence. Her only tangible connection to her roots is a Ficus Carica, or fig tree, growing in the back garden of her home, echoing the one from the taverna in Cyprus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Island of Missing Trees\u003c\/em\u003e, prize-winning author Elif Shafak presents a rich and magical narrative that explores themes of belonging and identity, love and trauma, memory and amnesia, and the human-induced destruction of nature. The novel ultimately offers a message of renewal, demonstrating the resilience of both nature and the human spirit amid the ruins of history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House Distribution","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45692422488300,"sku":"9780241988725","price":23.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780241988725.jpg?v=1725562442","url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/products\/the-island-of-missing-trees","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}