David B.P. Mayne – In The Silence, Long-Forgotten Almond Trees Blossom

‘In The Silence, Long-Forgotten Almond Trees Blossom’ by David B.P. Mayne is a historical and a near-future fiction story that spans the decades from the 1980s right to the 2030s. A rich, detailed and intense book that kept me busy reading for a good portion of my time.

In the 1980s. Jack, a geologist in Libya is rescued from jail by Bushra, daughter of wealthy Greek/Libyan parents. Their ten-year affair is fraught with difficulties, her political activism, his loveless marriage. They have twins, born in Athens and separated at birth against their parents’ will; Stavros is taken to Benghazi by Bushra’s parents, Emma to London with Jack.

The 2020s. After Russia sweeps through the Balkans, Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean, the UN creates two mandates in Libya; Cyrenaica in the east governed by the Russians, Tripolitania and Fezzan in the west led by the European Defence Alliance (EDA). Tensions in the region are further compounded by an increasingly unstable climate and overwhelming refugee crisis.
Finally in 2031. Emma’s daughter Isabel joins EDA. After surviving a life-threatening incident on the border, she is forcibly taken into Cyrenaica. Bushra, barely existing in occupied Greece, unexpectedly contacts Jack, who struggles to come to terms with their past. They are shocked to hear from Stavros, long-thought dead, who leads the resistance against the Russians in Cyrenaica and is responsible for Isabel’s abduction.

A story of the generations of one family and the majority of it is set in Libya, the ancient parts that have always been fought over since time immemorial, Cyrenaica, Tripolitania and Fezzan. The author’s knowledge of the region shines through so the sense of place made it a riveting read, along with the politics he so clearly defines. It makes for a very believable story. One that is a mix of love, heartbreak, history and a future that is not so far away. His characters made me feel like I was part of their story and I always love that in a book. It makes me not want to put it down unless I have to.

All in all a very well-written, thought-provoking and fascinating story.

Thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and The Book Guild for my gifted copy of the book.