The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of death, child death, and rape. 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Discuss your emotional responses to reading The Beekeeper of Aleppo. Which scenes, characters, or conflicts were most resonant for you?

2. Did you identify most with Nuri, Afra, or Mustafa? Which elements of their characters were most relatable or sympathetic?

3. Have you read any of Christy Lefteri’s titles, such as The Book of Fire, Songbirds, and A Watermelon, a Fish, and a Bible? What narrative or thematic crossovers do you notice across Lefteri’s catalog? Alternatively, have you read other works that center on the Syrian refugee crisis—e.g., Omar El Akkad’s What Strange Paradise? How would you compare this one?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The marble serves as a memento of Sami. Do you have any treasured possessions that remind you of lost loved ones? What comfort do you find in them?

2. The novel explores themes of trauma and memory. How do Nuri’s, Afra’s, and Mustafa’s positive recollections help them overcome their traumatic experiences? How do their relationships with the past relate to your own?