JULY BOOK OF THE MONTH
Short summary:
1974. A divided country. A dichotomous state.
The 'Happy Fig' in Cyprus is the only place Kostas, who is Greek, and Defne, who is Turkish, can have their secret meetings, concealed from the rest of the world. There, they meet under a luscious fig tree, which masks their union. This exact tree witnesses their teenage years being torn away from them, replaced by a harsh and bloody war.
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Early 2000s. London.
Sixteen-year-old Ada has become very distanced to her father. Without a motherly figure, she often feels alone. But the utter escalation is when something 'possesses' her at school. Yet this very situation is the turning point of her life. Meryem, her aunt, suddenly arrives to spend time with them.
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What will Ada discover about her past?
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Recommendation:
This is one of the books that I completely recommend to all readers. Apart from being an enjoyable read, the historical information that you acquire and the awareness this book raises goes unmatched.​
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About the author:
Elif Shafak is a Turkish novelist and essayist, who writes in both Turkish and English.