The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri [BOOK REVIEW]

About The Book:

Pages: 400

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher: Manilla Press

Format I read it in: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★

Among the ashes, they found hop…

In a tiny, beautiful Greek village, deep in an ancient forest, live a family – Irini, Tasso and their daughter, sweet Chara. One day their world is rocked when a forest fire consumes the village, leaving houses burned and lives irreparably damaged.

But while Tasso and Chara struggle to find the courage to bear what has happened, Irini is tormented by guilt for her part in the fate of the man who started the fire…

My Thoughts:

When you put tradition, tragedy, pain, healing and hope, you get “The Book of Fire”. This book will touch you, humble you and make you grateful for the things you have. 

“Was it Aristotle who said that man is a political animal? Not that we are all born to take an active interest in party politics, but it is in our nature to live in a polis, a community.”

“The Book of Fire” is one of those books where you will always remember what you did and where you were when you read it. I was on a plane to Macedonia, about to spend time with family. And I am certain that this book changed my experience for the better, and I will never forget that.

“The sensitive ones always have secrets in their hearts, and if they are talented, they will find the means to reveal those secrets. Because they are secrets that must be told.”

Irini and Tasso live in a town in Greece, with their daughter Chara. And their lives unfortunately are separated with the “before” and “after” the wildfires.

Fires that destroy villages, houses and families.

The book is divided into the past and present. The past is told through a book that Irini is writing, explaining what happened. The present is the family going through the aftermath of the tragedy and trying to move on and heal.

“To live our lives with a sense of justice in our hearts would inevitably mean seeking fairness in the way people are treated by others – or indeed by us.”

Without revealing too much, the story is quite emotional and deals with loss and personal injuries. But also on the positive side, it shows solidarity of the people in that town. And the hope that they all so desperately cling onto. It sends a positive message to be grateful for the moments you have with the people you love, because tomorrow is never promised. It also shows the character’s resilience to keep moving forward.

“He understood that trees exist in a different timeframe to us, that we are mere visitors in their world.”

I am certain that many years later I will return and pick this book up again, and all the memories associated with it will come back flooding. And that feeling that I had whilst reading the book, as emotional as it was, it was also full of hope and promise of a better tomorrow. That feeling is the sole reason I am recommending this book to you.

“In mythology, Zeus gave Hermes two gifts for humankind: shame and justice. When Hermes asked if he should distribute these gifts to some and not others, Zeus said no. Every single person should possess these gifts, so that they could all learn to live together.”

About the Author:

Christy Lefteri was born in London in 1980 to Greek Cypriot parents who moved to London in 1974. She completed a degree in English and a Masters in creative writing at Brunel University. Christy taught English to foreign students and then became a secondary school teacher before leaving to pursue a PhD and to write. She is also studying to become a psychotherapist.

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| A girl that believes in the impossible ! Bookworm | Book reviewer | Blogger |

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