Fields of Pomegranates: A New Chapter in Akin Yilmaz’s Cyprus Series

In his latest novel Fields of Pomegranates, Akin Yilmaz returns to the sun-drenched landscapes of Cyprus, weaving a poignant story set against the backdrop of the island’s turbulent history. Self-published in November 2024, the book is the third in a loosely connected series, following The Olive Trees and Under the Orange Trees.

Set in the summer of 1974, Fields of Pomegranates follows a young schoolboy spending what begins as an idyllic holiday in the fictional village of Tera, only to witness his world unravel amid a deepening political crisis. Yilmaz captures the fragility of peace and the loss of innocence as tensions escalate and the island spirals into chaos.

At just 150 pages, the novel delivers a compact but emotionally resonant story. Readers familiar with Yilmaz’s earlier work will recognize his hallmark style: spare, lyrical prose and a deep empathy for his characters. The historical setting is not just a backdrop but a living, breathing force in the narrative, giving voice to the ordinary Cypriots caught in extraordinary times.

Yilmaz, a British-Cypriot author, has made it his mission to document the island’s complex past through human stories. His previous novel, Under the Orange Trees, tackled the taboo romance between a Turkish Cypriot and a Greek Cypriot during the 1950s, earning praise for its balanced portrayal of a divided society.

Available through independent booksellers such as Ryefield Books and Hatchards, Fields of Pomegranates continues Yilmaz’s thoughtful exploration of identity, memory, and belonging in Cyprus. For those seeking historical fiction with heart and purpose, Yilmaz’s work is proving to be a quiet but powerful voice in self-published literature, as is now available digitally or paperback at amazon.