A review by hanrutous16
The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak

hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

This is a beautifully written book. Each of the 40 rules is thoughtfully presented, many relevant to the situation taking place in the book, though some only at a stretch. The deep, philosophical elements of the book are well presented and thought through.

I found Ella and the love story between her and Aziz almost detracted from the philosophical elements of the novel. The tale of a dissatisfied American housewife, whilst possibly making the story of 13th century religious men more relevant, was starkly mundane - full of midlife crisis and self-obsession.

However, the historical work that has gone into the tales of Rumi and Shams show a writer dedicated to her craft, who can take ideas and theories and weave them into a modern tale of love and loss that spans ages and gender.

This was the first Elif Shafak book I read and therefore I have a soft spot for, especially as it is my sister’s favourite of her novels, but I think Shafak’s other work has a lot more to offer as she finds her place in the writing of the extraordinary rather than the mundane.