The Island of Missing Trees is a 2021 novel by Turkish writer Elif Shafak. Set in Cyprus and London, it follows a romantic relationship between a Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot. It was released by Viking Press in 2021. The story has two timelines, one set in 2010s London following 16-year old Ada Kazantzakis, and the other mainly in 1970s Cyprus, following Defne and Kostas, Ada's parents. A third narrative voice is a fig tree, who lived in the middle of a tavern in Cyprus, before a cutting was taken by Kostas and planted in his and Defne's English garden. Ada's story looks at her grief with the loss of her mother, and her exploration of her cultural history, through her aunt Meryem's visit. The past follows the Turkish Cypriot Defne and Greek Cypriot Kostas falling in love on a divided island. Kostas is sent to London to live with his uncle, whilst Defne is left behind, with a secret. Through it all, the fig tree watches, offering insight into the characters’ past, the natural world, and the history of Cyprus. Elif Shafak (Turkish: Elif Şafak [eˈlif ʃaˈfak]; née Bilgin; born 25 October 1971) is a Turkish-British novelist, essayist, public speaker, political scientist, and activist. Shafak[a] writes in Turkish and English, and has published 21 books. She is best known for her novels, which include The Bastard of Istanbul, The Forty Rules of Love, Three Daughters of Eve, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World, and The Island of Missing Trees. Her works have been translated into 57 languages and have been nominated for several literary awards. She has been described by the Financial Times as "Turkey's leading female novelist", with several of her works having been bestsellers in Turkey and internationally. Her works have prominently featured the city of Istanbul, and dealt with themes of Eastern and Western culture, roles of women in society, and human rights issues. Certain politically challenging topics addressed in her novels, such as child abuse and the Armenian genocide, have led to legal action from authorities in Turkey[4][5] that prompted her to emigrate to the United Kingdom. Shafak has a PhD in political science. An essayist and contributor to several media outlets, Shafak has advocated for women's rights, minority rights, and freedom of speech.