There Are Rivers in the Sky is sweeping, ambitious, and unfortunately a bit of a slog. Many of the stories felt grim and perhaps overly violent, and it definitely felt more like high brow literary fiction than historical fiction. The switches between the alternating three characters made the storyline confusing and at times jarring hard to follow. It could have been edited more thoroughly as it felt like they were sections that were overly descriptive and did not advance the plot. I was interested in the concept and excited to read this book, but unfortunately I struggled to finish it and skimmed large sections trying to find the story within the all the exposition.

I'm ashamed to tell how long it took me to figure out the Hs and Os on top of chapter titles, even after after reading composition of water at the beginning of the book and being a damn chemical engineer. Two woman, one man, two hydrogens, one oxygen.... One way or the other they were connected by the waters of the rivers and rain. I saw the H2O at the beginning of the last combined chapter and I was like ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Three people were connected by the water. One was living in 1840s, amazed by the Mesopotamian ruin brought to the British Museum, made it his life's mission to translate the Epic of Gilgamesh and story of the flood. One was a little girl living in 2010s on the shores of the River Tigris, fighting a war that wasn't supposed to be hers, watching her family getting destroyed for their beliefs. The other was an adult woman contemporary to the girl but in London, studying water while being so afraid of it, trying to live a life that was not dependent on mercy of others. All connected by a single drop of water. Like energy never disappearing but being converted into another kind, their stories convert to each other.

Elif Shafak masterfully told another story of my land and Mesopotamia that was not widely told and reminded me it was not Firat (Euphrates) but Dicle (Tigris) that was wild. She showed me that it was not weird to be this connected to the water as we can simply put water is life. This book was an experience and I'm glad that I went through it.

There Are Rivers in the Sky follows three extraordinary characters linked through the centuries by a single drop of water. In mid-1800s London we follow Arthur, a boy from the slums with a remarkable memory and a keen interest in the ancient city of Nineveh. In 2014 we follow Narin, a young girl living in Turkey whose grandmother is determined to have her baptized in the holy city of Lalish in Iraq. Finally, in 2018 we follow Zaleekah, a water scientist contemplating her life as she moves into a houseboat on the Thames. Shafak brilliantly weaves the stories of these characters together with fascinating history about Mesopotamia, ancient artifacts, and the mighty rivers of our world. I loved this so much and was completely blown away by Shafak’s lyrical writing and phenomenal storytelling.

Elif Shafak is one of my favorite writers. This novel is set across countries and time. Following a drop of water from Mesopotamia to England, Shafak explores themes of scarcity and transformation through the characters in the novel. The transition between countries and time was a little clunky and confusing, but once I was into the story, Shafak told a beautiful story. The hydrologist main character becomes obsessed with the idea that water carries memories. While the three narratives are distinct, they converge at the end beautifully.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Elif Shafak’s “There Are Rivers in the Sky” is a mesmerizing novel that seamlessly intertwines historical fiction with contemporary drama, creating a rich tapestry of interconnected lives and timeless themes. Set against the backdrop of two iconic rivers—the Thames and the Tigris—this novel explores the profound impact of memory, loss, and the enduring power of stories.

The story follows three distinct characters separated by time and geography, yet bound together by the ancient epic of Gilgamesh and the elemental force of water. In 19th-century London, we meet a young woman grappling with societal constraints and personal grief. In modern-day Baghdad, a scholar searches for meaning amidst the chaos of war. And in contemporary Istanbul, a journalist uncovers hidden truths that challenge her understanding of history and identity.

Shafak’s writing is both lyrical and evocative, capturing the essence of each setting with vivid detail and emotional resonance. Her characters are deeply human, each struggling with their own demons and desires. The way their stories gradually converge is masterfully handled, revealing the intricate connections that bind us across time and space.

One of the novel’s most compelling aspects is its exploration of water as a symbol of both life and destruction. Shafak uses the rivers as metaphors for the flow of history and the persistence of memory, reminding us that “water remembers; it is humans who forget.” This theme is beautifully woven into the narrative, adding layers of meaning and depth.

“There Are Rivers in the Sky” is a testament to Shafak’s storytelling prowess. It is a book that demands to be savored, with each chapter offering new insights and revelations. The novel’s blend of historical and contemporary elements creates a timeless quality, making it a poignant reflection on the human condition.

“There Are Rivers in the Sky” is a captivating and thought-provoking read that will resonate with fans of literary fiction and historical narratives. Elif Shafak has crafted a novel that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally moving, a true testament to her skill as a writer. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a profound and beautifully written story.

Wow, this is an astonishing book. I just finished it and I admit, it took a bit longer than most books I read—possibly because it was longer, but also because I wanted to savor it. The writing is lush and lyrical, though the story Shafak tells is often educational (at least for me), moving, inspiring, alarming, and sometimes violent. I really can't do this book any favors by writing more than that. Don't waste time reading about it, just read it.

i loved the start of this book, which follows a drop of water across historical figures of significance to our story and the characters that will make up our plot.
i enjoyed the middle of this book, which alternates between three characters by rivers.
i eventually got tired of the constantly switching perspectives, but then i'm a multi pov hater so it's not a surprise.
i did not anticipate the dark ground this story would tread, and i feel the first half of the book did not quite equip it for the solemnity it would take on. but maybe that was just because i'm surprised. regardless, this is good.

Beautifully and deftly written, this is one of the best literary novels I've read in a long time. The author weaves stories from vastly different times and circumstances into one lovely piece of fiction, all based around the theme of water. Does an individual drop of water have a memory? I'm not convinced, but this premise worked well nonetheless and gives readers something to think about. The characters are well drawn, and the prose is gorgeous.

Highly recommended. A terrific novel.

Three stories tied together by a drop of water... Lyrical, beautiful, and heartbreaking - this book is a work of art!

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this ARC.

I was really really excited about this one because I LOVED The Island of Missing Trees. This one was a bit harder to get into and to follow. I do love books that follow different characters and even in different times of life, but for some reason I struggled with this one. I also was mostly only interested in one of the storylines: Arthur. I loved his character and his story. The other two weren't as exciting. I also struggled with the water/river metaphors. It didn't seem as strong as a theme as I would have thought, based on the title. With all of that said, Elif is an amazing writer. She puts so much thought and time into her characters and worlds and story building. I think I was just a little disappointed because I loved The Island of Missing Trees so much

Another absolutely stunning novel from Elif Shafak. The symbolism in this book is so smart and intricate, and the way each of the character POVs weave together is perfect.

"There Are Rivers in the Sky" by Elif Shafak is a brilliant, lovely novel, stringing together the past and present in a beautiful manner, illustrating how we are all connected, and the smallest shifts can make a big difference. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Knopf Publishing, and Elif Shafak for allowing me to review this masterpiece. WOW! I absolutely love this beautiful book. It is truly a work of art. I love the idea of following a drop of water through history. The multiple storylines were each fascinating and I enjoyed my time with all of them. This was my first book by this author, but it will not be my last. I can’t wait to read everything they have written and will write in the future! I absolutely adored the writing style and storytelling. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a well crafted and well researched novel. Thank you again for allowing me to read this beautiful book.

What a beautiful beautiful book. Though the story moved a bit slowly, it was handled with such well-crafted lyrical complexity, I kept turning pages well past my bedtime. I loved the three separate story lines, I loved how the characters were connected, I loved the drop of water throughout history. This story was heartbreaking and will absolutely stay with me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

“This novel is the work of a junior scribe,
One of the many bards, balladeers and storytellers who walk the earth.
We weave poems, songs and stories out of every breath.
May you remember us.
Now and always.
Praise be to Nasiba.”

It begins with a drop of water that falls from the sky onto the head of King Ashurbanipal by the Tigris River in “olden times”, where it becomes part of the cycle of time that sees the same drop travel over and over again.

There Are Rivers in the Sky is a big book that tackles big ideas and does so with big success. With a staggering amount of research, Elif Shafak (The Island of the Missing Trees) weaves concepts steeped in history (King Ashurbanipal, Mesopotamia, Napoleon), culture (Middle East), science (hydrology, ecology, epidemiology), religion (Yazidi, Kurdish, Christianity) and literature (Epic of Gilgamesh) into a beautiful story that ebbs and flows through three distinct timelines all connected by and through water -- and Nineveh. King Arthur of the Sewers and slums enters the world beside the River Thames in 1840 into a life of poverty and hardship, but chance gives him opportunities to escape to the land of his dreams. Narin, a 9-year-old Yazidi girl and daughter of a popular musician, comes from a line of female water-dowsers and travels with her father and story-telling grandmother to be baptized in her motherland only to face persecution for her faith and imprisonment by ISIS in 2014. In 2018 Zaleekhah, a hydrologist, lives in a houseboat on the River Thames, with her marriage ending and her journey of self-discovery just beginning.

Shafak not only writes with exquisite beauty, but she also creates incredibly detailed art. Through the time periods she seamlessly features recurring items like a chandelier, a lamassus with a charred front hoof, fragments of tablets, written symbols, and a shared malady called “restlessness”. Zaleekhah meets a cuneiform-obsessed friend named Brennen, a name that means “little drop of water”. And for her fans who read The Island of the Missing Trees with its list of instructions for “How to Bury a Tree”, Shafak includes a list of instructions for “How to Bury a River”. These are but a few of the pieces of an incredibly woven tapestry.

Throughout the novel, water is the constant. It nourishes, provides the white noise, gives life, and is the utmost metaphor.

“In the end, perhaps what separates one individual from another is not talent but passion. And what is passion if not a restlessness of the heart, an intense yearning to surpass your limits, like a river overflowing its banks?”

I highly recommend There Are Rivers in the Sky, especially to avid readers of literary fiction. It is timely, it is enlightening, and it is memorable. I won’t soon forget Arthur, Narin nor Zaleekhah and consider this my favorite book of 2024.

“Cousins, friends, books, songs, poems, trees . . . anything that brings meaning into our lives counts.”

“But it is harder to grasp the gradual evaporation of love, a loss so slow and subtle as to be barely detectable, until it if fully gone.”

Thank you to Knopf for the ARC of this book through Netgalley, which I received for my honest review.

There Are Rivers In The Sky by Elif Shafak, I was looking so forward to this book I love this author‘s book in his great way of discussing identity he has written some really great books one of them being one of my favorite books ever and that is The Flea Palace, but unfortunately this third person narrative about three people living around a river was hard to get into and to maintain my interest. I really was looking forward to this especially after a good friend of mine described it as a fairytale type story but again and a last it wasn’t my favorite book. #NetGalley,#ElifShafak,#ThereAreRiversInTheSky,

There is something (and I wish, friends, I deeply wish, I could do better here, for you) I cannot describe except as a joy or a sense of joy or a sense of inevitably that is equal parts unlimited possibility.

Elif Shafak is one of my favorite authors, ever since I fell in love with the Island of Missing Trees. This newest endeavor was just as beautiful and endearing!

Wow. I absolutely loved The Island of Missing Trees by this author, but I think I loved this book even more. 3 people connected in time and place by a single drop of water. Each had a singular story all their own, but in the telling of their stories, we are reminded again and again how we are all connected to each other, to the past, to our ancestors, to the ones who came before us, and to the land we inhabit. These characters come to life and I was entranced with every page. I listened to parts on audio and it was very well done. The ending was a bit quiet, not shocking at all. However, I felt that it fit very well with the book as a whole. Highly recommend to anyone who loves literary fiction.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Elif Shafak is quickly becoming an auto buy author for me. Did I like this book more than The Island of Missing Trees? Possibly.

I was quietly blown away by this historical fiction novel. It’s beautiful, elegant, and sad. The writing is luxurious, lyrical, and intoxicating. I took my time with this book and decided it deserved a slow read to let everything percolate and sink in.

Set in London, Turkey, and Iraq, the book is told in multiple timelines with three very different main characters, all united by the Epic of Gilgamesh and a single drop of water that has touched them all. Narin is a small girl in a Yazidi community being taught of the olden days by her water diviner grandmother, Zaleekhah is a scientist studying the memory of water who has just left her marriage and settled in a houseboat on the River Thames, and Arthur is a boy genius in poverty stricken Victorian London, named King Arthur of the Sewers and Slums by the mudlarkers who assist his birth on the banks of the Thames. While each character is on a journey of some kind, Arthur is the most interesting character to me, fascinated at a young age with ancient Mesopotamia and the artifacts of the ruined city of Nineveh. His brilliance will take him from the slums to the British Museum’s department of Mesopotamian acquisitions, and later around the world looking for lost knowledge.

I mean, COME ON. You had me at “King Arther of the Sewers and Slums,” but please also take me to lost cities, teach me about rivers, plagues, and war, and make me think about who should be the keepers of history!

Aside from its length, which is maybe 100 pages longer than it needs to be, this would make a great book club read, with so many topics to cover. I loved this book and cannot recommend it highly enough.
(chef’s kiss)