My reaction to finishing Songbirds was overwhelming ..physical and emotional. I wanted to shout at the beauty and tragedy of the world it portrayed.
Songbirds is the story of Nisha who came to Cyprus from Sri Lanka to be a maid/nanny for Petra and her daughter. She is a widow, desperate to provide for her family back home, forced overseas for work. Petra, her employer, is also a widow, depending on Nisha for everything. Nisha has found love with Yiannis, but unbeknownst to her he has been hunting for songbirds, caught up in an illegal trade from which he cannot extricate himself. At the start of the story Nisha disappears and Yiannis and Petra embark on their separate searches to find out where she has gone, reflecting on the difference she has made to their lives. And then another woman disappears…
Lefteri brings the same lyrical touch as The Beekeeper to this incredible story, writing again about the experiences of migrants who have been forced to leave home simply to survive. When Yiannis goes again and again to the police to report Nisha’s disappearance he hits a wall of indifference, racism, discrimination. It is clear that in this world these women’s lives count for nothing.
This book tore me apart..reading about the terrible slaying of the beautiful songbirds was utterly heartbreaking and graphic but part of a dialogue about exploitation, corruption, feeding the desires and appetites of the wealthy. The hunters caught up in a net as deadly and impenetrable as that which catches the songbirds. The characters wove themselves into my heart and I was searching for Nisha, desperate to find her, railing against a system where she doesn’t matter. I wanted to shout out at a world where the lives of the songbirds and the women are so dispensable. And again in the midst of all this sadness there is beauty: in blossoming love; in the fluttering of a rescued songbird who has escaped the net; in the courage and determination of the men and women who will search out the truth. An absolutely beautiful and unforgettable read.
With very many thanks to Netgalley and Manilla Press for a copy of this incredible book.

Wow. I’m not sure a review can do justice to the beauty of Lefteri’s writing.
Songbirds was such a beautiful and moving book, telling Nisha’s story through her employer Petra and lover Yiannis.
You must read it! Thank you very much to Netgalley for the ARC. A strong 5 stars.

In Songbirds, Christy Lefteri tells us the story of the women that we don't often get to hear from. This is the story of Nisha, a woman from Sri Lanka that migrates to Cyprus to work as a maid so she can support her parents and daughter. When she suddenly disappears, the people who knew her (her employer, Petra, and her lover/boyfriend, Yiannis) know that something is wrong, but the police won't listen.
We hear about Nisha from both Petra and Yiannis's voices and, in the process, we discover the stories of many other women like Nisha who left home in search for opportunities for themselves and the ones they had to leave behind.

The story is beautifully written (although it did feel a touch slow at the beginning -- I realise that this is my issue: I had to slow down myself and enjoy the read), the characters feel deep and well-defined and I really liked seeing Petra's progression through the book from an entitled employer to someone who starts to appreciate all that Nisha did for her and how little she appreciated it.

I really recommend picking up this book if you liked Lefteri's previous book (The Beekeper of Aleppo) and want to read another story from a marginalised group. It is an eye-opening book that tells you the reality that many people nowadays live (not that far from us) and it will leave you wondering what can you do to help.

Thank you to NetGalley and Manilla Press for a free ARC of this book.

'Songbirds' by Christy Lefteri tells the story of Petra and Yianna's search for Nisha, a Sri Lankan nanny who suddenly disappears. Initially, her absence is noticed by Petra and Yianna because of the change to their routine and the extent to which it inconveniences them. However, over time they start to understand Nisha as a person, rather than as someone who fills a role for them (even though previously they might have thought they loved or liked her).

For me, the morals expounded by this novel were a bit too obvious from the outset for me to get fully absorbed, I enjoyed the alternating perspectives of Yianna and Petra, but it meant that Nisha's voice remained absent for much of the novel. I also found the pace slow and some of the metaphors a bit clumsy. However, it is often difficult to separate your reaction to a book to the context in which you are in and I wonder whether at another point in time (less Covid-ridden) I would have enjoyed this novel more. It remains beautifully written and an important tale.

A beautifully written book that is very moving and visually descriptive.

I liked how the story switched between Petra, a wealthy Cypriot widower and Yannis, who is trapped illegally hunting songbirds for a living. One day, Nisha, Peta's maid and Yannis' partner goes missing and no-one can find her. Petra and Yannis are desperate to find her but encounter many racist, sexist and classist discrimination in their search for Nisha.

Based on recent true events, Songbirds is a very good read.

AD/PR product: Thank you to the publisher @manilla_press for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nisha, a Sri Lankan woman who migrated to Cyprus to work and provide for her family back home, disappears one night. After that happens, Petra, the woman she works for as a maid, and Yiannis, her boyfriend, start looking for her. What they will discover is that they didn’t know as much about Nisha as they thought they did, and that the way their society treats migrant domestic workers is appalling.

Even if this sounds like a mystery/thriller, it could not be further from that. Rather, it is a deep exploration of Nisha through the eyes of two very different people. On the one hand, Petra realises that she doesn’t know anything about Nisha, who has taken care of Petra’s daughter and her house for years. On the other hand, Yiannis grieves the disappearance of the woman he loves while struggling with the ethics of his current job as a songbird poacher.

In the book, there is a clear critique of Cyprian society, providing examples of how rich people treat their foreign maids in an extremely exploitative and often paternalistic way. To police, they are second-class citizens who do not appear to have the same rights as others.

The only “negative” thing I would point out is that the pace was a bit slow and the ending, rather quick. Other than that, it is a compelling and important book that, in the same way as The Beekeeper of Aleppo, raises awareness about a pressing concern.

TW: Miscarriage

Nisha, A domestic worker from Sri Lanka working in Cyprus, goes missing. Her employer and romantic partner are on a mission to find out what happened to her but with no help from authorities and many obstacles, they are at a loss.

Demonstrating how migrant woman can be forgotten and ignored, this book is a deep dive into what it means to be a woman, a mother, a migrant and a human being in a world where everything can be stacked against you.

In addition to Nisha’s story, the main plot line concerns the songbirds and the poaching of the birds. The songbirds and the immigrant woman are written in tandem with unspoken similarities between the two. The are migrating, they become trapped, they are ill treated, they are treated as numbers in quotas, there are protections in place but they are often ignored and overlooked…

I found this book stark, harrowing and a little difficult to read in some areas because it’s clear that although this is fiction, it is the reality for many, much like Lefteri’s last novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo.

Stars lost in my rating due to being unable to not compare this to the Beekeeper of Aleppo which I absolutely adored. I also think the pacing could have been a bit better as I found it dragging on with unnecessary details and descriptions in the middle. Nonetheless, I would recommend this book to everyone because it’s eye opening and beautifully written.

Nisha has left her daughter and mum back in Galle, Sri Lanka, to go and work for Petra and her daughter Aliki in Cyprus.
She’s been there 9 years but one day she disappears. The police aren’t interested so Petra and Yiannis, Petra’s lodger, have to piece together Nisha’s last known movements and try and work out where she went.

This is another beautifully told story from the author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo. Don’t make the mistake of comparing the two books, the only similarity is that Lefteri is highlighting the voices of those who aren’t usually highlighted in the best light.
It’s a slow burn, full of detail and leads you through a range of emotions. Full of compassion, it shows opposing perspectives of people who emigrate to make a better life for themselves and really shows a side of humanity that people don’t consider. You can judge but you may never really know the full story;
you can see someone every day and not really know them; there’s always another side you haven’t seen or thought about.
I especially loved the parallel storyline of Yiannis and his poaching, the story of the hare and the songbirds, showing that some lives are disregarded as not as important as others.

A gorgeous read with beautiful and emotional prose. Such an important read that brings you closer to other people’s experiences and makes you reflect on other people’s lives, we need more books like this.
Great world building and character building, a fast paced yet beautiful read.

Wow what a great story! Thank you net galley for an advanced copy of this wonderful book.

The story is about a Sri Lankan woman called Nisha whose husband was killed working in the mines . Nisha leaves behind her young daughter and mother to work in Cyprus as a maid for Petra who is pregnant and expecting her first baby.

Petra recently lost her husband too so relies on Nisha for a lot of support. Over time we learn that Nisha suddenly disappears.

The authorities do not want to help as there is a lot of prejudice against maids who come from other countries.

The story then focuses on the mystery of Nishas disappearance.

Petra and Yiannis (who is a tenant in Petras House and also Nisha's Lover) unravel the mystery to Nishas disappearance.

Petra starts to learn a lot about Nishas life that she never knew about. Petra realises that she never spent time to get to know Nisha properly and just treated her like she owned her. Petras daughter Aliki loves Nisha like a mother and is devastated when Nisha goes missing.

There is always a story behind each person we meet and they should be treated as an individual.

Credit to Christy Lefteri who has written another masterpiece!

I have previously read the Beekeeper of Aleppo which is also Christy Lefteri’s work. I have to say I did enjoy that a little more than Songbirds.
Firstly Songbirds is such a heart wrenching read, it certainly has you sobbing from the get go. I really enjoyed the character building throughout this book so as not to cram to much in to the first part.
I was left questioning the closer I got to the end whether there would be a follow on book. As much as the ending saddens me I feel that the story has been told and there would not be much else to say.
I think my reason for liking the Beekeeper a little more is the expanse of characters and the various locations they visited. With Songbirds you are predominantly in Cyprus. I feel it would have been nice to have had a chapter written by Kumari in Sri Lanka or even a chapter by Aliki. None the less I would still recommend this book to friends and family.

This is a beautifully written book that delves deep into issues such as migration and racism, I very much enjoyed the prose and I think there are a lot of meaningful layers to the writing. I felt like the author was trying to mirror the two female characters, Nisha and Petra, and I wasn't a hundred per cent convinced. Some parts of the story felt contrived, especially the ending. The killer just seemed to come out of nowhere which left me feeling dissatisfied. It's clear the author is very talented though and I would read more books by this author.

Just like the Beekeeper of Aleppo this book is another story that needs to be told. We need more authors like Christy Lefteri, those who tell real stories, ones of real people who have struggled. Lives i knew nothing about explained to the unknowing. This is the only way we will learn more about the world and different lives- thank you Christy.

This is so moving and sad and yet so beautifully written that I was so absorbed in the story it was only when I finished that I realised just how heartbreaking it is. Set in Cyprus it tells parallel stories of the illegal hunting of songbirds alongside the disappearance of a maid. As we discover more about the maid and her life we begin to understand what has brought her to Cyprus and what she has given up in the process and we question our own assumptions and prejudices.
This is a powerful story but so well told that at no point did I feel that I was being lectured, I just wanted to find out what had happened and was eagerly turning the page to reach the conclusion.

I didn't warm to the bestselling book The Beekeeper of Alleppo but I thought I'd give Songbirds a chance. Nisha leaves Sri Lanka to work as a maid in Portugal to try and and gain a better life. I found this book a little confusing and I kept getting characters mixed up. I made it to about 75% before I had to mark it as DNF. The writing is beautiful and I loved the setting but I just couldn't connect with the story or characters.

After reading The Beekeeper of Aleppo I knew I wanted to read everything else this author has written. This is the story of immigrants, set in Cyprus and the vital and beautiful role they play in the lives of the local families who hire them.
Nisha is from Sri Lanka and has made the difficult decision to leave her child to work in Cyprus as a maid for a widowed woman and her child. Her role as carer for the child and as maid in the house is beautifully explained and it is not until she goes missing that Petra - the widow realises how much Nisha is central to their lives.
As Petra starts to try and find out what happened she uncovers a number of secrets that Nisha had been keeping from her. With help from Yannis the man who lives upstairs she embarks on a journey to uncover what happened to Nisha.
Told from different perspectives it illustrates very well the heat and the slow pace of this beautiful island at night. The importance of nature is woven through the prose and the beauty of Cyprus I found was beautiful.
It’s really the story of how some see immigrants as not being important - their transient lives make people assume they just move on where there may be other reasons and dangers these people, especially women may face.
I loved the prose and the setting and felt instantly immersed in the story. The storyline about Nisha’s past showed a headstrong woman who had to make the best of difficult circumstances. A beautiful book which has importance for those whose lives have equal meaning to our own and for those who love with all their heart and in the end try to do the right thing.
Thanks the the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this in return for an honest review.
5 stars.

This story is based on the tales of thousands who have migrated from their homelands to try and secure a better future for loved ones left behind. This is a bittersweet story where because of one person’s suffering, others find their way back to each other and have their eyes opened to see what is right in front of them.
Nisha is desperately trying to put food on the table for her mother and baby girl and no matter how hard she works, it is never enough. She makes the heart breaking decision to leave her Sri Lankan home and young daughter in order to give her a better future and to be able to send money home for her future and education. Imagine a life where that is your only option, but human migration for this reason is very real. Despite all the odds, Nisha is one of the lucky ones and has a good employer and looks after her employer’s daughter, just as she would her own. But, one night Nisha goes missing, a fact not taken seriously by the police and this story highlights just how forgotten these migrants are and how their voice and rights are ignored.
This is Nisha’s story, but it is also the story of many others and it is a story that deserved to be shouted from the rooftops.
#netgalley

An enjoyable read highlighting real life events in Cyprus. All characters are beautifully brought to life by the authors skillful use of language.

Lefteri has once again transported my out of my comfort zone to a divided Cyprus torn apart not just by war but by class and gender divides. Her writing is once again mesmerising and ornate whilst writing about the harsh realities of life on the island. I loved the mirroring of the lives of Nisha and her boss, Petra. Both widows, both struggling to raise children without a father but despite this, such different lives. We are shown how female domestic servants are treated by their employers, police and society as a whole. Nisha's story is told second hand and her absence of a voice is noticeable and poignant. I was heartbroken for most of this book, the imagery is touching and devastating.

Thank you, again, to @netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This is lovely lilting literature of the highest standard as you might expect from the author of the incredible 'The Beekeeper of Aleppo'.
Here the setting is Cyprus and the small grouping of Petra and her daughter little Aliki, Nisha, a maid/nanny who has come to be her help in the house and Yiannis, the man who forages in the local woods.
But from this scenario develops an extraordinary story of the past and threatened futures of all the characters. Petra, who is a wealthy businesswomen too busy perhaps to see the life of her daughter and too ignorant to see how Nisha is just more than the paid help.
Aliki has grown to love Nisha, almost as a replacement mother. She hears wonderful stories about Nisha's life in Sri Lanka, how she also has a daughter and about learning to look to the stars above from a boat in the garden when Nisha has crossed seas to be there.
Yiannis, who has lost his wife and his high flying finance job, down on his heel and ending up in this quiet Cypriot village, in a small flat from where he also goes out at night to poach songbirds, an illegal practice - but one which brings him needed income.
Finally- but also exceptionally is Nisha. Quiet, hardworking, lonely for her daughter but growing to love Yiannis for his comfort and support in her moments away from the hard working days. Her own husband died tragically in Sri Lanka and Nisha has survived somehow to hopefully a point of hope for her and her own daughter.
Life carries on until a night after Yiannis has asked Nisha to marry him. Suddenly when Nisha disappears all will be longing or lost in time and hope.
Other characters around lead us to question the lives of these foreign maids. How they are treated. Why they are here. Above all that they too are human - with love and life. I liked the surprising role of Tony and the wonderful old lady in black opposite who helps to babysit Aliki as Petra realises she must also 'wake up' to what is happening under her very nose. Look out also for the wonderful cat!
Songbirds is influenced by a recent tragedy in Cyprus in which 5 migrants disappeared.......again the authorities didn't care. Cyprus is seen in all its beauty with the Troodos mountains and the wonderful wildlife - which in themselves (even beyond the songbirds) give hope to the plot. The characters are linked to the nature but will it also be their final resting place?
Lefteri has a non sentimental telling of the plight of refugees and immigrants because she makes their lives like ours. The problem in this novel is about those that forget that they are.