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The Beekeeper of Aleppo


This moving, intimate, and beautifully written novel puts human faces on the ...
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When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

Created: 06/17/20

Replies: 18

Posted Jun. 17, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?


Posted Jun. 26, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
laurap

Join Date: 06/19/12

Posts: 401

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

It was close to the end of the book -- when Nuri ended up on the beach. It was kind of an "Aha!" moment for me -- I was surprised I had not caught on earlier, because suddenly it seemed so obvious he was imaginary.


Posted Jun. 26, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
laurief

Join Date: 09/08/12

Posts: 75

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

I believed he was real for most of the book until the beach scene. My book club members caught on long before me that Nuri was delusional and this was his way of coping with the loss of his son.


Posted Jun. 26, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
kimk

Join Date: 10/16/10

Posts: 889

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

For the longest time I thought that he was another child who Nuri had lost along the way. Like LaurieF, I didn't figure out he was a figment of Nuri's imagination until the beach scene.


Posted Jun. 26, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
ScribblingScribe

Join Date: 02/29/16

Posts: 189

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

I realized it early in the story. Mohammed was the perfect replica of his own son. Also no other character interacted with the child. Only Nuri.


Posted Jun. 27, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
ilenem

Join Date: 04/17/19

Posts: 32

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

It was late in the book. It helped me to understand Nuri's trauma.


Posted Jun. 28, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
carolt

Join Date: 03/25/17

Posts: 190

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

When the doctor realized Afra's blindness was psychological, I began to wonder if Nuri's whole point of view was skewed.


Posted Jun. 28, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
renem

Join Date: 12/01/16

Posts: 292

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

I'm with carolt. It was when the doctor tested Afra and found she was physically fine and when Afra was worried about Nuri's strange behavior.


Posted Jun. 28, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Theresa

Join Date: 06/22/20

Posts: 31

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

In Chapter 4 when Mohammed asked Nuri to pick the keys off the tree


Posted Jun. 30, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
JustSP

Join Date: 06/30/20

Posts: 21

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

It was a clever way to see into Nuri’s mind and his heartbreak. While I guessed it fairly early on, it relished in Nuri’s visions and “conversation” with Mohammed. It gave a bigger glimpse of Nuri has a father and as a protector.


Posted Jul. 02, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
terriej

Join Date: 07/28/11

Posts: 422

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

I didn't realize it until late in the book. I see that many realized it earlier. I think I wanted Mohammed to be real and Nuri's search for him kept him going.


Posted Jul. 05, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
jamiek

Join Date: 11/21/17

Posts: 53

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

The beach scene. Like many others, I wanted Mohammed to be real as he was such a comfort to Nuri. In retrospect, I should have caught on earlier, but I wanted him to be real.


Posted Jul. 06, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
cathyoc

Join Date: 04/26/17

Posts: 247

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

It was the beach scene, but then it really drove home how affected by his son’s death Nuri was. Afra’s grief was so evident, but Nuri’s was just as deep.


Posted Jul. 08, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
sallyh

Join Date: 09/07/12

Posts: 142

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

I don't remember exactly when I knew for sure, but I suspected early on. I thought Mohammed's invention was Nuri's survival mechanism after the tragic loss of his son.


Posted Jul. 10, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
acstrine

Join Date: 02/06/17

Posts: 438

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

I knew when Mohammed was visiting Nuri at the B and B that he was not real. BUT I assumed that Nuri was experiencing stress and sadness over losing Mohammed in Greece and was having a vision of him. I assumed Nuri knew this, but then I did not question why he was completing odd tasks and taking the strange requests of Mohammed seriously. It wasn't until the beach scene I realized that there was never a little boy traveling with Nuri and Afra. I think Nuri was so overwhelmed with all he was dealing with that invention of Mohammed kept him somewhat functional and able to move forward.


Posted Jul. 10, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
MimiJo

Join Date: 02/28/20

Posts: 29

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

I began to wonder if Mohammed was real when no one else and especially Afra seemed to talk about him. When Afra had the marble and didn't ask about Mohammed it was really an ah-ha moment.


Posted Jul. 12, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
poniesnpearls

Join Date: 06/28/11

Posts: 78

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

Early on I suspected that Mohammed wasn't really there but was how Nuri was coping with the loss of Sami and Afra's loss of vision. I don't remember exactly when I knew, but several clues made it click and I felt very sad.


Posted Jul. 13, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
carolf

Join Date: 07/10/14

Posts: 72

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

For me it was pretty late in the book. I think I wanted Nuri to have found another child to help him cope with his grief for Sami.


Posted Jul. 14, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Brittany P.

Join Date: 07/14/20

Posts: 15

RE: When did you figure out that Mohammed was a product of Nuri's imagination? And how did you feel about that revelation?

I started realizing that Mohammed may have never existed after Nuri falls in the water and Mohammed "disappears" shortly thereafter. Coming to that realization was actually painful because I felt incredibly sad for Nuri because I knew he was likely trying to cope with the loss of his own son by creating this child in his mind who needed his help. I had wanted to believe that Mohammed had been real though, up until the end of the book, but I had this sinking feeling for a while that he had never been real.


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