The book appears to make an attempt at a balanced view but every now and then the facts get somewhat questionable. It is fairly well documented with some notable omissions, eg the statement that 38% of the land belonged to Turkish Cypriots. The source of such a controversial figure would be important to provide.

Certain references are made to subsequent or previous events without providing dates, making the narrative confusing. Without previous knowledge of the history of Cyprus, it would be hard to figure out the timeframe referred to.

The book is also in need of editorial care: it has a large number of grammatical errors and typos. The most notable is at the bottom of page 19 where the date when "Britain concluded a treaty with Turkish Sultan Abdul Hamid II" is given as 1978 instead of 1878!

But I concurred (sadly) with some of the author's descriptions of modern Cypriot society (particularly in the south with which I'm familiar), as well as with the conclusion that the differences between the two sides - at least at the official level - appear to be irreconcilable, and that the only hope is at the grassroots level where there is a need to start building a Cypriot identity and consciousness, if we ever want to see the divide go away...

I am just completing a case study on Cyprus in my graduate studies. Borowiec's book is my NUMBER ONE source. Current, balanced, objective--he pulls no punches. His personal experience on the island and with the antagonists comes through but does not color his conclusions for or against either side. Rather, his descriptions greatly add to the reader's understanding and move the tale of this "Troubled Island" along quite well. My specific purpose in reading his book was to investigate the U.S.'s foreign policy toward Cyprus, Greece & Turkey. The evidence and explanations Borowiec provides are well documented and presented logically and dispassionately. Ironically, partisans of both sides of this conflict will definitely find fault in this book for not telling "their" side well enough or telling the "other" side too well. Borowiec makes a strong case that you can't win in Cyprus.

If you don't know much about Cyprus, or if you just want an objective view, START HERE. You don't need to be a scholar to get into this book, but scholars will appreciate his approach!