I am becoming a Christy Lefteri fan but this one wasn't my favourite!

I enjoyed some of the themes touched on throughout the book and some of the storytelling was very good, but at times I also felt the story dragged - the paragraphs were long and there was a lot of description.

For some this is perfect and if that is the style of writing you enjoy then you will love this one... I am a short and snappy chapters and paragraph kinda gal.

However overall this is a powerful story and I can see this being loved by many! If you are a fan of descriptive, beautiful writing then this would be right up your street!

Thanks so much to Bonnier Books for my gorgeous gifted Hardback and Netgalley ARC.

I read this book with my pal Kath and we both really enjoyed it, we read The Beekeeper of Aleppo a while ago so knew we’d like this one. The story of Irini, Tasso and Chara was so sad, so many times I had tears in my eyes. There's one scene which lasts a while, when they're escaping the wild fires and are in water, that part got me hooked. Listening to Irini’s storytelling, trying to keep chara and the old woman calm was so enchanting. The stories told throughout the book are sad and uplifting at the same time. I liked hearing about the past, and enjoyed the switching from then and now.

Christy Lefteri writes with such beauty, I remember talking to Kath about how lovely the forest had been described, I felt like I was right there. The paintings, the garden, the forests, all talked about with such love. Well done Ms Lefteri, another book very well written.

In all her novels, Lefteri explores human resilience in the face of great tragedy. In this, her latest offering of thought provoking literary fiction, she has chosen to focus on the very real tragedy caused by wild fires in the Greek islands.

As with Lefteri's previous works, the characters at the heart of this story will pull all of your empathy with all their visceral feelings and relatable flaws. Following the fire, started by the greedy and heinous actions of one entrepreneur but exacerbated by the dryness of the climate ravaged land, Irini, Tasso and their daughter Chara here lost almost everything except each other. Their house, Tasso's father, both gone. Chara sustains bad burns to her back, Tasso to his fingers, and Irini's mental health is wrecked.

As you can tell, there is a lot going on, but the plot feels like it moves naturally from tragedy to aftermath and eventually towards healing. For me, it's Lefteri's ability to bring her characters to life that makes her work incredibly moving. I would challenge the most coldhearted individual to read this book and not be moved close to tears; particularly by the loveliest and most loyal canine character, Rosalie.

Despite being driven by the initial trauma of the fire and all that comes with it, this book is ultimately hopeful. Yet again Lefteri shows that we as people, families, communities, are able to withstand such awful events when we look to each other for strength, comfort and purpose.

It's not easy to start new life when your loss is so big. Natural disaster started by a man lead to thinking who is the perpetrator and who's victim. Everyone can be both.
I loved this slow paced book, loved how author found means to show that only love and forgiveness makes our lives worth to live.

A very moving and powerful book. Strong descriptive language that enables you to recreate the scene in your head.
Nice to read about Walthamstow and Charlie Chan's, which brought back memories.

The Book of Fire - Christy Lefteri

An emotional read, with all the feels, such a heart wrenching topic and I felt that this book was a story within a story and there was so much to enjoy. It really took me on an emotional journey I was up one minute and down the next. I thought this book handled the topic of mental health really well and cover loss and love so well. As with other Christy Lefteri books I have read, this was no disappointment. Many thanks Natgalley, Bonnier Books UK and Manilla Press for this e-arc in return for my honest thoughts and opinions.

Another brilliant book by Christy Lefteri. I love books that tug on my heartstrings and this one certainly did that.

The storytelling in this book is absolutely stunning. Despite the heart-wrenching subject matter, the beauty of the writing is captivating, turning the pain of the story into something profoundly moving. It’s a testament to the author’s skill that even in the midst of tragedy, the elegance of the prose shines through.

The descriptions of the forest and the woodland creatures were so evocative I could imagine the devastation Irini and her family must have felt to see it destroyed.

I loved reading about Irini and Tasso’s relationship from when they first met as children and later fell in love and got married. I could only imagine the grief Irini felt as her husband seemed so changed by the fire.

The book is cleverly written with chapters dedicated to the present day as Irini Tasso and Chara try to rebuild their lives. There are also chapters from Irini’s attempts to write her own story, ‘The Book of Fire’. These sections walk us through what happened the day of the fire.

The story was harrowing in places. as you would expect about a fire that caused death and destruction, not only to the land and the woodland creatures, but also to homes and people that lived there. However this is also a story of hope, love, redemption and perseverance.

I liked how the story slowly slotted into place as we realise what exactly happened to the man who started the fire. The moral dilemmas explored in the story really made me think. Does someone who causes such widespread devastation and loss deserve to face the loss of their own life? It’s a weighty question that lingered in my thoughts long after putting the book down.

The Book of Fire is a devastating but beautiful story of an ecological disaster, the gut-wrenching account of a family's survival as wildfire ravages their home. It is also a story of love, family, and hope, as our protagonist and her family rebuild their lives and cope with the grief of their enormous loss. Lefteri cleverly explores morality and the terrifying state of the environment as she tells their harrowing story. I enjoyed the writing style though I did wish there was maybe a little bit more action or drama to top off the story. Regardless, this is a wonderful novel and I highly recommend if you enjoy disaster stories and lyrical storytelling.

Another great story from Christy Lefteri. We had an author event at the bookshop which was enjoyed by customers.

The writing is interweaved with what has happened in the past and what is happening now.
In the past a forest fire was started which was intended to clear an area on the forest in order to develop property, but it got out of hand and tragedy happened.
In the present, after the fire, the story tells us about the loss and scars of the fire, not only on the land and area, but on the people.
The story is about recovery after an act of greed went wrong. It reminds us there is always hope after tragedy. New beginnings and acts of kindness and love eventually help all recover and start to rebuild their lives.

"The Book of Fire" by Christy Lefteri is a powerful and emotionally charged exploration of love, loss, and the enduring impact of war. Lefteri's storytelling is evocative, with a profound narrative that delves into the heart-wrenching realities of conflict. The novel is a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Another powerful book from this author. She regularly deals with difficult topics which can make it hard to say that you enjoyed the book but it is definitely a story that stays with you. The descriptions are so well written that you feel as if you are there. If you liked her previous books, then this book will not disappoint.

Christy Lefteri proves herself to be, yet again, a wonderful storyteller able to bring the reader into the heart and soul of the story. This story centres around Irini, her husband and daughter as they survive the wildfires that destroy their home, their forest and their lives as they’ve lived them to date. Irini is also dealing with the guilt she feels at leaving the man who started the fire to die…….by his own hand or the hand of others.
Sit down and read this book and perhaps get an insight into what’s left behind when the news reels stop reporting on these wildfires and people are left to pick up the pieces. A timely publication after a summer of high temperatures and increasing incidences of these fires.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Absolutely beautiful, heart breaking, emotional, one of Christy Lefteri's best books. Highly recommended!

The Book of Fire was an emotional, vivid and challenging read. It captures a moment in time where disaster strikes a small community, and Lefteri is incredibly adept at placing the reader at the heart of the action. It is impossible to read this novel and not be immersed in the scenery and events unfolding and this makes for a dramatic read.

Having read the beekeeper of Aleppo by this author.I was looking forward to this book.Very well written almost poetic.I found it a sad read dealing with the fire and its consequences.

When I first started to read this book I thought it was going to be really promising due to all of the praises on the cover from all of my favourite authors. However I found that I wasn't really able to get into this book unfortunately. The story didn't grip me, and I didn't overly feel as though much happened to keep me engaged. I was really looking forward to this book, but unfortunately it wasn't for me and I probably wouldn't be in any rush to actively read any more by this author in the future.

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri was a book that just took my breath away from the beginning till the end. The cover is so beautiful and especially an eye catcher when it's on the book shelves. If you enjoyed and loved Christy's first book The Beekeeper of Aleppo, then you will just love this one. Once you start to read The Book of Fire you will be transported to Greece!

In present-day Greece, deep in an ancient forest, lives a Irini, a musician, who teaches children to read and play music; her husband, Tasso, who paints the forest, his greatest muse; and Chara, their young daughter, whose name means joy. On the fateful day that will forever alter the trajectory of their lives, flames chase fleeing birds across the sky. The wildfire that will consume their home, and their lives as they know it, races toward them.

In the smouldering aftermath, Irini stumbles upon the body of the man who started the fire, a land speculator who had intended only a small, controlled burn to clear forestland to build on and instead ignited a catastrophe. He is dead, although the cause is unclear, and in her anger at all he took from them, Irini makes a split-second decision that will haunt her.

As the local police investigate the mysterious death, Tasso mourns his father, who has not been seen since before the fire. His hands were burnt in the flames, leaving him unable to paint, and he struggles to cope with the overwhelming loss of his artistic voice and his beloved forest. Only his young daughter, who wants to repair the damage that’s been done, gives him hope for the future.

WoW This was such a beautifully written book and a book I have to own, just for the cover itself.

A lovely book about living in a small greek community. Surrounded by ancient woodland. Where a fire breaks out. Everything is lost in the community. A drought also makes it much worse. Who did it how did it start. How will the villigers survive. It Is a story of getting through your darkest days and the kindness of strangers.

I have read all of the author's previous books. I have to admit that this book left me wanting. It was a very poignant story full of love, loss and grief. It was very current with the forest fires suffered by many parts of Europe this summer and it does touch on the lack of planning and management of the forests. The story went from the present day to the past. There were times however, when I was not sure if it was a recollection of the past or the present narrative. The main character did have a tendency to repeat herself and the were elements of the story that were disappointing.