The Beekeeper of Aleppo

A Moving Testament to the Human Spirit

By: Christy Lefteri

Narrated by: Art Malik

Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Shortlisted for Audiobook of the Year - the British Book Awards 2020.

Moving, powerful, compassionate and beautifully written, The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit. Told with deceptive simplicity, it is the kind of book that reminds us of the power of storytelling.

In the midst of war, he found love.

In the midst of darkness, he found courage.

In the midst of tragedy, he found hope.

Nuri is a beekeeper, his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo - until the unthinkable happens. When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to escape. But what Afra has seen is so terrible she has gone blind, and so they must embark on a perilous journey through Turkey and Greece towards an uncertain future in Britain. On the way, Nuri is sustained by the knowledge that waiting for them is Mustafa, his cousin and business partner, who has started an apiary and is teaching fellow refugees in Yorkshire to keep bees.

As Nuri and Afra travel through a broken world, they must confront not only the pain of their own unspeakable loss but dangers that would overwhelm the bravest of souls. Above all - and perhaps this is the hardest thing they face - they must journey to find each other again.

©2019 Christy Lefteri (P)2019 Bonnier Books UK

Critic reviews

"This is a novel of international significance. Courageous, provocative, haunting, it will open our eyes." (Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz)

Excellent

Moving story, told beautifully. Highly recommended. Insightful and emotional look into the plight of refugees.

Excellent novel

What a moving, heart-wrenching story! Artfully interweaving the past and the present, it kept me enthralled the whole way through. The narrator read beautifully, bringing the characters and the story to life. I highly recommend this book; it will help you to appreciate the terrible experiences refugees face on their quest for a better life.

Poignant story

I found this story made me think beyond the tv images of the plights of refugees. I started to think about the loss, sacrifices, and devastation some of these people most face. It expanded my horizon .
I would recommend

Tale of love and profound loss

Just as a painting has many strokes, I had a hard time finding different shades in this story. There was only one colour. A very dark shade of deep sadness and sorrow. Even the light at the end of the tunnel seemed to be obscured by the darkness of Afra and Nuri's overall suffering.
I was moved by this book, not because of the brilliance of the narrative, but because it is the reality of so many people in the world today. Christy Lefteri does an excellent job of shedding light on the cruelty and inhumane conditions refugees face. Maybe one needs an understanding of profound loss and sadness to understand the hope that the ending of the book presents.

Tears in the rain

As I walked in storm Denis I was not sure whether it was tears or rain falling down my face. Such horrors amid such beauty, I can never consider refugees in the same way again. Behind each lies a life lost and maybe a little hope.

An eye opener to real reality

I found the story absolutely wonderful! And where the overload of media cover makes you lose the humanness of refugees, this story gives each refugee a face, each is a human being with a spirit of hope or hopelessness and all the other aspects in between.

Real and riveting

It ended too soon. I needed to hear how Noori and his wife made a new life for themselves after suffering so much pain. But otherwise it was gripping and heart wrenching and eye-opening. Told with true understanding of the refugee condition. You get to know and love ( sometimes hate) the characters.

A must read book.

Heartwarming and beautiful. I loved every bit and was sorry when it ended. Good narrator.

Excellent

Brilliantly written and such an insight into the lives of refugees. I enjoyed it immensely, even though there are such sad parts that I will never forget. Although it’s fiction it could so easily be a true story. It’s still a story of love, hope and human strength.

Loved it…

Soulful and thought provoking . Beautifully written. Another reminder that we have no idea of people’s experiences, and often put labels on them without consideration…