Nuri is a beekeeper of Aleppo and his wife, Afra, is an artist. The couple lives in Aleppo, Syria, and are enjoying every moment of their lives. The joy of marriage has brought them a handsome boy called Sami. However, their happiness is cut short by the emergence of war in Syria. The war claims the life of Mustafa’s child. Mustafa is Nuri’s cousin who recruited him in beekeeping activity. The death of Mustafa’s son renders him hopeless and he flees to England to seek asylum. Nuri is left behind with his wife. Nuri and Mustafa hope to reunite again someday.
The civil war experienced in war-torn countries like Syria causes trauma. Actually, people living in war-torn countries experience both physical and psychological problems. Violence and deaths characterize daily activities in such countries. Nuri’s wife endures psychological trauma that makes her lose eyesight after witnessing the death of her son. The psychological trauma brings her depression and anxiety until she contemplates taking suicide. Suicide ideation is a mental health problem common among women and children living in war-torn countries.
The challenging moments experienced by the characters as they flee the civil war resonate with the real-life experiences witnessed by refugees. Sexual assault and violence are some of the challenges featured by the author in the book. Afra is raped by the person who helps them get plane tickets for England. Both Nuri and Afra overlook the assault because they are hoping for a better future. Difficulties experienced by refugees harden them off and in most cases, they tend to ignore incidences like rape which they consider a small matter.
