I loved the mental imagery of the rivers flowing as a parallel to life!
This was a winding tale of three stories set in different times but the common thread between them are the rivers. Great writing, well done!

I'm not familiar with Elif Shafak's game but I think this book is for me. It's rich with cultural and mythical ancient Mesopotamia trivias. Multi layer interconnected characters whose fate is a rollercoaster throughout the story. So beautifully written. Quotable sentences, life lessons were here and there without being too on the nose. Apart from exploring Mesopotamian legends, it also revolved around Yazidis who is oftenly misunderstood. The injustices and genocide happened to them. Loving how everything is so well researched. The love for rivers and water.

I love this so much. Thankyou for granting me an arc in exchange for honest review.

There Are Rivers in the Sky is a beautifully poetic collection that blends myth, history, and personal stories with a lyrical touch. Elif Shafak’s writing feels both timeless and deeply present, weaving together emotions and ideas in a way that’s both thought-provoking and comforting.

The poems explore themes like identity, love, and resilience, inviting readers into a rich, emotional landscape. Shafak’s voice is honest and bold, making this book feel like a conversation with a wise friend.

If you enjoy poetry that’s evocative, layered, and full of heart, this collection is definitely worth your time.

I love how I learn about “forgotten” events- and sadly to me, unknown - through fiction. This was beautifully told and such a good reminder that we are blind to so much of the worlds hurt when we don’t keep our focus on others and on constantly learning.

There has always been a power in stories that reshape time—making me wonder how history, geography, and human lives are eternally intertwined. Elif Shafak understands this deeply, weaving a novel that explores the movement of rivers, the passage of time, and the weight of ancestral memory.

Through the Thames, she transports us to the heart of London—a river flowing through wealth, industry, and power, shaping a city that stands as an economic stronghold. But in contrast, there is the Tigris—the river known as a cradle of civilization, now cutting through modern devastation, war, and loss. As the Tigris winds through history, carrying echoes of ISIS and ancestral displacement, the novel forces us to ask—what does it mean when a river’s legacy shifts from prosperity to survival?

This novel made me reconsider how space and time are connected, how landscapes shape lives despite differences in era, location, and culture. Shafak’s characters feel as real as the places they inhabit, moving through worlds both deeply familiar and hauntingly uncertain.

It’s a book that lingers—not just in its storytelling but in the questions it leaves behind.

There Are Rivers in the Sky explores three different storylines set in different times but all sharing rivers in common. I really appreciated the idea of the river flow as a parallel to life, and how when we are gone, traces of our work can still be found on the banks.

Thank you to Alfred A Knopf publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read a copy of There Are Rivers in the Sky. I apologize for writing my review late but, I enjoyed another book by Elif Shafak and her writing can be detailed and I did not want to rush through the book. There are Rivers in the Sky was a detailed book of stories that involved two rivers the Thames and the Tigris river. When I read a book by this author I no I will learn something and this time I learned about Turkish culture. Zaleeka was a fascinating character who finds happiness in water and researches. I think this book could of been a little shorter. I do look forward to reading another book by this author.

This is a beautifully written and thought provoking book. I enjoyed the plot lines of the three characters and how they were tied together. The book is so full of ancient and modern history that was well researched.
If you enjoy history and interconnected timelines, I recommend There Are Rivers in the Sky.

A stunning narrative unearthing the deep and layered complexity of simplicity. Shafak is a poetic historian that binds and unwinds stories that live within humanity. Shafak is one of the few writers who can slow down, expand and redirect a heart attack in the literary sense of course. Gorgeous and you will be better for committing your precious minutes to this work.

There are three POVs: Arthur in the mid-1800s from London, also Zaleekhah in London, but modern times, then finally Narin, a young girl in Turkey and Iraq in 2014.
All of the characters stories revolve around Mesopotamia, and the epic poem of Gilgamesh. There is only a slight intertwining of the three stories.
Much of the novel is based in historical fact, which makes it all the more poignant, particularly with the tragedies. This was good storytelling and well written.

Elif Shafak's There Are Rivers in the Sky was an absolutely captivating read. That sounds a bit over the top but I really couldn't put it down. Shafak intertwines multiple timelines and characters into a tapestry that spans from ancient Mesopotamia to modern-day London. I'm a bit shocked I followed so easily considering my ADHD but my book club picked it so I was determined. One of the best aspects of the novel is how water is used as a central motif, symbolizing connection and continuity across different eras and cultures. This thematic element adds depth that made me reflect on the lasting nature of our human experiences.

The characters are well-developed, each with their unique struggles and growth, making their journeys relatable and sometimes profound. The eloquent prose and intricate structure meant I'd have to take it in doses but I fell back into it easily every time. Overall, this is a beautifully written novel that explores our interconnectedness through the ages, with thought-provoking ideas. I highly recommend it.

An epic tale told over centuries, all connected by a single drop of water. It begins in the fertile birthplace of Mesopotamia, when a king builds a great library, however, it is destroyed. Yet, his beloved poem about Gilgamesh is saved. This poem is discovered again in the late 19th C by Arthur who is born as king of the sewers, along the Thames. As he is beaten one day, he focuses on a book. As he becomes an apprentice at a publishing company, his genius at deciphering cuneiform is revealed.
Narin is a young girl who goes deaf at an early age. But, her grandmother wants to baptize her and teach her the traditions of their family. However ISIS and its cruel regime take its toll and there is a massacre in 2014. Finally, Zaleekah, who studies water, divorces her husband. Her uncle who raised her is disappointed. She discovers what he wants to do to save his grandchild, and she rebels against it.
An absolutely beautiful story and the connection we have to water.
An interesting author's note at the end, also mentioning the history behind the story.

I’ve been a long time fan of Elif Shafak’s books and typically enjoy discovering how her multiple plot lines are connected. However, I found the theme of water connecting all of us too tenuous a connection for the three plot lines. I remember being 65% into the book and still not being 100% sure how the different characters were connected. My favorite parts of the book were Shafak’s exploration of British imperialism and how it still plays a major role in the art world and learning about the culture of the Yazidi. As a hearing care professional, I was also impressed by Shafak’s accurate depiction of hearing loss. Despite these factors, the overall story failed to hook me and I think fewer plot lines would have made the story more enjoyable

I savored the lush writing in this epic tale that ushered me to other worlds and times through one drop of water. Profound storytelling!

--Dianna Rostad USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of You Belong Here Now

Sometimes you read a book and you know you are reading a future classic. That's what it felt like reading this book and even weeks/months later, I still find myself thinking about the story and its characters. There was something so immersive about the book while also informative and empathetic and moving. All of the characters felt real, like they sat with me as I read the book and moved through their stories. I think the pacing was good and kept the story moving decently. I loved the historical parts that dealt with Ashurbanipal and his library, bringing someone so ancient into such a modern story.

The Yazidi are a people I knew nothing about before I read this book. I would love to know more about these people and their culture! I absolutely LOVED everything about this book, and the people interwoven throughout. Thank you so much for allowing me to read this beautiful, wonderful story! 5+ stars.

I was interested in this one with the subject matter and the ancient/modern timelines. In the end, it fell a bit short for me. Interesting premise with water being the connection between past and present.

Multiple storylines are masterfully woven together in this monumental story. It all begins in Ancient Mesopotamia when a powerful King built a fabulous library along the River Tigris. One important artifact in the library was the tale of Gilgamesh, an epic poem. The library was destroyed but parts of the poem were later recovered.

In 1840 a boy is born in the slums of London. His name is Arthur and he has a photographic memory, leading his neighbors to call him King Arthur of the Slums. He is fascinated when the Lamassus are delivered to the British Museum. These ancient sculptures captivate young Arthur and eventually bring him to a job at the museum where he works assiduously at translating the cuneiforms.

In 2014 Turkey, Narin, a young girl is losing her hearing. Her grandmother wants her baptized at a temple in Iraq. The girl is Yazidi and this brings trouble for the family. Plus, ISIS is establishing its influence and causing problems throughout the area.

The last timeline is set in 2018 and involves Zaleekah, a hydrologist who has moved into a houseboat on the Thames in London. She studies climate change and the world of water. Her section includes information on underground rivers, and the changing landscape of waterways with dams built and valleys submerged.

What brings all the stories together is a single drop of water. There’s a flow to the plot that follows the cycle of water as it falls from the sky, slips down people’s skin and travels through rivers, into the earth and eventually returning to the sky. The imagery is stunning and Shafak’s language is poetic. Her characters are imaginative and rich. This is a book to be savored for the vastness of the story and the exquisite writing.

Arthur’s tale is the most compelling but the way these disparate plotlines ae woven together through water is masterful. There’s a lot of history from the Ancient World to a Dickensian time all the way up to the Middle East threats from ISIS. This is a spectacular book that flows through time just as the rich imagery of water flows through our lives.

This is probably my fifth Elif Shafak book, and I’m continually in awe of how she weaves disparate stories across time and space so seamlessly. Her characters are rich, vibrant, and utterly unique, making this yet another novel I could completely lose myself in. The writing is beautiful, the story stunning—an absolutely transportive read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak!