I find that with Elif Shafak's books I either love them or just can't get into them. Sadly this one falls into the latter category. This is a parallel story featuring Ella in the modern day and Rumi in the thirteenth century. Ella's story is told in the third person whilst the thirteenth century story is told from the first person perspective of a number of characters. The theme is love and it should have been an interesting read. Unfortunately, I found the switches between the various characters all very disjointed and confusing. The story didn't flow and I couldn't relate to any of the characters in the story. Ella's romance was poorly portrayed. A disappointing read.

Forty Rules of Love weaves together two stories set thousands of miles and many centuries apart.
Thankyou to Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business | Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC. My review is given voluntarily.
This is a beautifully written book. The cadence of Ellie's story captures the rhythms of modern life. The story of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz has an aptly poetical quality. I loved both strands of of the story equally, the contrast between the two and the way the author so deftly brings them together through themes that are universal across time and place. I learnt about Sufism and Rumi, subjects I would not have explored if it was not for this book. For this alone, the book was worth reading.
So who would enjoy this book? The Forty Rules of Love reminds me of Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (my favourite book ever). Although Shafak's book is an easier read than Mitchell's, both use stories set in different times and places and told in different styles to explore the fundamental characteristics of mankind .

☪️ The Forty Rules Of Love ☪️

This is an arc review and this book releases July 3rd.

The Forty Rules of Love is a historical fiction novel that weaves together two parallel narratives, one set in the 13th century and the other in the 21st. Ella Rubinstein is a middle aged American housewife stuck in a loveless marriage until her life takes a turn when she begins reading a manuscript titled Sweet Blasphemy, written by a mysterious author. The manuscript tells the story of Rumi, the renowned Persian poet, and his transformative spiritual friendship with the wandering dervish Shams of Tabriz. Ella is drawn into the world of Sufism, a branch of Islam that emphasises love, tolerance, and spiritual awakening that leads Ella to begin to question her own life, beliefs, and emotional boundaries.

This was so beautifully written and different to anything I’ve read before. The writing was almost lyrical and the characters and story so rich and I loved how this was a novel inside a novel.

The Forty Rules of Love follows Ella Rubenstein, a married mother of three who lives a settled but unfulfilled life in suburbia. One day, she’s sent a manuscript to evaluate, telling the tale of the thirteenth-century Sufi poet Rumi and his bond with Shams of Tabriz, a wandering dervish who lives by the forty rules of life and love. Suddenly, everything comes into focus; Ella wants something more. She wants to find love again, leading her to connect with the author of the manuscript and embark on a deeply emotional journey.

Told by a rotating set of narrators, The Forty Rules of Love weaves a rich tapestry of the different kinds of love, guided by Shams’ forty rules. Alongside Ella’s story in modern day, we’re seamlessly transported back to thirteenth century Turkey to explore Shams’ journey to becoming the peaceful and wise dervish who enraptured Rumi. We also see through Rumi’s eyes as he learns to become something more than a scholar, as well as through the eyes of his family and the townsfolk of Konya, who each have their own complicated reactions to Shams’ sudden appearance in their lives.

With so many perspectives, it’d be easy to get lost, but Elif Shafak leads us with a steady hand. Her skillful blending of histories, lands, and cultures is captivating, and with The Forty Rules of Love, she paints Rumi’s life in vibrant hues. Rumi’s poems are legendary and much beloved, often emulated and passed through generations, but many of us may not know the profound relationship that shaped his voice. I certainly didn’t, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for Rumi’s poems; Shafak’s meticulous research and framing are as much a lesson in history as they are in humanity. She has a way of capturing the past through a delicate and compassionate lens and bringing it to the present in imaginative ways.

It doesn’t matter how brief a time each character may have to tell their slice of the story; they always manage to pull you into their thrall, even if their words are ones of violence. But the prevailing theme of love is never far from wrapping you up in its warm embrace, making your heart ache with a future you know is coming. Her lyrical yet unflinching prose sweeps you away through time and place to lay bare how human emotions connect us all.

As one of Shafak’s earlier novels, you can see the DNA of her narrative techniques that will one day trickle down into her later works; the melding of timelines, the stoic seeds of hope, the spiritualism on the quest for something greater than the self. Starting each chapter with the letter “b” in an homage to Sufism is a lovely touch and always grounds you within this story’s connection to its faith. Her explorations of spirituality and the religious practice of Sufism is beautiful and fascinating. And each drop of wisdom is soaked in everything that came before it, connecting intimately in ways that come together before you even realise what’s happening.

Whether you’re a longtime student of Shafak or you’re a newcomer like myself, The Forty Rules of Love is a magnificent tale to visit or revisit; in the fifteen years since it was published, the poignant themes and messaging seem more vital than ever. And it’s safe to say, no matter what stage you’re at in life, you’ll find that one of those rules of love will speak directly to your heart.

Two stories in two times and as is usually the case I found myself vastly preferring one timeline. In this book, the historical story of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz. This part was beautifully told and was pieced together through many viewpoints giving a broad, balanced story. The direction the tale was going in was never in doubt, but the journey was wonderfully unfolded.

The modern part was thankfully shorter and whilst I see why it was there, and that each generation has its own version of Shams, it was a much less engaging and often irritating story. Ella was simply dull. Aziz, less so but as he was part of this section if the book he was also hurried through so I could get back to Shams. I suspect Elif Sharak didn’t like this part as much either as it didn’t feel it had her magical storytelling power applied!

Overall a good read but Ella lost it some stars for me. 3.5* rounded up.

Probably not many authors would attempt to write about Sufism interlaced with a tale of a finding love in modern day US. Ella is returning to work after having her 3 children and wanting to do something for herself. She is questioning her life and the concept of love and wondering, as we all do, is there something else out there. The first manuscript she receives is one about a Sufi poet Rumi and Shams of Tabriz from the 13th century with his forty rules of love. The story flits back and forth between the two strands and explores love. Exquisitely written and reminded me of Siddhartha and quite a prescient read in the current climate.

This book was an unexpected hit for me it really resonated and got inside my mind. Loved the flow of the story and the characters really stuck in my mind. This was a high star rate read for me and recommend to everyone to give it a try!

Over the last few years Elif Shafak has become one of the most celebrated writers writing novels of beauty and depth and multi layered with historical and cultural reflection and meaning.

The Forty Rules of Love was first published in 2011 and is now being republished.

What a beautiful story exploring faith, personal development and the ultimately love.

Ella Rubenstein has the perfect life- or so it appears from the outside- a successful husband, three children ,a wonderful home, works part time for a publisher and a supposedly full life - but upon the arrival of pre published manuscript by an unknown author known as Aziz, Ella's life begins to change as she reflects upon what is love.

The manuscript she is reading tells the story of Shams of Tabriz- a travelling dervish /wiseman; a man with an aura of calm and deep reflection about life, religious differences and love living in the 13th century.

Life takes him to the home of Rumi ( the celebrated Persian poet ) who in his in Konya is a much admired orator to the local population; but the arrival of Shams changes Rumi's life and for the people around him to in dramatic ways

Elif Shafak is very much a modern day Sherherazade weaving tales of wisdom and deep thought throughout a wonderful novel as The Forty Rules of Love are revealed.. The prose is hypnotic and no reader can fail to personally reflect about themselves and their interaction with family and friends as well how religious groups fail to understand one another when love should be the goal for all.

In a world that feels so divided and polarised, this novel is as much needed in 2025 as it was in 2011- probably more so.

Now with wider acknowledgement, this republication should bring this book to a wider audience and consider to show the incredible writing of Elif Shafak

Thank you for the ARC from Netgalley and the publishers.

This is not my usual genre to read, but after falling in love with The Island of Missing Trees, I couldn’t wait to dive into another of Elif Shafak’s books. The Forty Rules of Love did not disappoint. This is seriously book hangover worthy.

This novel is beautiful in so many ways. It’s like two books in one, with parallel stories unfolding simultaneously: one set in the 13th century following the spiritual bond between Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, and the other set in the modern day, following Ella, a woman whose life begins to transform as she reads about theirs. The way these narratives are woven together is just beyond clever.

It’s complex, rich, and written so well that I had to pause to savour the lines and highlight them to save for later. Shafak captures the depth of love, life, and faith in a way that’s impossible to summarise in a review - that’s probably the point. I feel this story on the feel that be explained.

This book will stay with me for a long time, and I’ll be highly recommending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin General UK - Fig Tree for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Elif Shafak is a brilliant author who clearly puts a lot of research and love into all her books. I have enjoyed several of her more recent books so was intrigued to pick this one up. Unfortunately it didn't have the same impact as other books I have read by this author although that may be a right book wrong time from me and I hope to pick it up again in the future when in the right mood for this type of book. Nevertheless this is clearly very well written and has a lot of interesting points to make on culture and spirituality.

A fantastic book. The research Elia must have put in shows throughout the book. I particularly enjoyed the mix of past and present. I was sad when it ended because injustice wanted to keep on reading.

I was excited to read this novel as I have loved others that I have read by Elif Shafak. Unfortunately I had to persevere to finish it. I found the story of Shams and Rumi really interesting and I appreciate the level of research that has gone into the subject. Ellas’s story however irritated me as I found it to be totally unrealistic.

This book gives a very deep understanding of the cultural differences between two continents.
Elif has applied massive research and woven a tale that people on a spiritual journey will appreciate and follow the cultural details to the letter ,understanding to each human ,will be different to many and influence those who search. There are amazing insights of life truths, in this book.well done to Elif Shafak for giving us a valuable lesson on life and love.

I really wanted to enjoy this book as I’ve read other books by Elif Shafak and loved them but sadly The Forty Rules of Love just didn’t work for me and I DNF’d at 30%. Personally I found the switching between the two story’s to be very jarring and it kept interrupting my flow.

I’d be willing to give it another go when I have longer to sit down and focus on it so I’ll try again on holiday!

Thank you for a copy of the book.

The Forty Rules of Love is a story that moves between two worlds — present-day and the 13th century. In modern times, we follow Ella, a woman stuck in a dull marriage who starts reading a book about the famous poet Rumi and his spiritual guide, Shams of Tabriz. As Ella reads, she begins to change, opening her heart to new ideas about love and life.

The historical part tells the powerful friendship between Rumi and Shams, showing how their connection challenges old traditions and brings new understanding about what love really means — not just romantic love, but spiritual love and connection to everything around us.

What I loved about this book is how it mixes the past and present to show that love is timeless. The “forty rules” are little lessons that pop up throughout the story, each one making you think about love in a deeper way.

Elif Shafak’s writing is gentle and wise, with lots of beautiful moments and meaningful insights. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after you finish it, encouraging you to see love differently — as a force that can heal, free, and transform.

If you like stories about personal growth, spirituality, and deep friendships, this is a really rewarding read. It’s not a fast-paced thriller, but more a thoughtful journey about opening your heart.

In short:
A heartfelt, poetic novel about discovering love in all its forms — spiritual, romantic, and self-love — through two stories that connect across time. It’s a beautiful reminder that love changes everything.

I enjoyed reading this novel set in 2008 Massachusetts and Turkey of the 13th century. I took off a star because I got lost reading all the proverbs and also the way in which there is God and nothing else.
Ella is in the 21st century reading a novel by Aziz about Rumi, the poet and the several characters involved in his life. Gradually, Ella’s life begins to change and to say more would be a spoiler.
Aziz’s novel is recounted and it is involving. Nevertheless, I found myself wanting to go back to Ella’s story.
I read an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publishers.

Rumi, know there is a name i know well. and i was delighted to let this book follow me everywhere for a while. i wanted to read this book so much because i found the premise of it so interesting and one ive never seen done before. for me it was such a clever way to tell this story. it was what i was expecting but also not and i kind of liked it all the more for that.
the things i learnt from this books, the way i wanted to highlight a paragraph or screen shot a certain moments was all i needed to know about how i felt during my reading. and i would go to bed after reading(for far too long) with thoughts on my mind and a different feeling to my heart after reading some of the almost poetic verses inside.
im so glad i got to read this book. i first didn't think i was clever enough to do so. but it meant something to me in the way that i could take it in.
i could sit here all day and quote some of the paragraphs. and i might want to keep them in a book somewhere myself.
i really enjoyed this book.

I enjoyed this book as much as I could despite a lack of understanding of a lot of the details behind the book - this wasn’t the book’s fault, to clarify, bur I felt I would have had a better experience were I a bit more versed in Islam?

I enjoyed the Rumi chapters more than the Ella chapters, but overall don’t think I’d read this again.

The Forty Rules of Love is a dual narrative book with 2 timelines. The book is well-written with short chapters that make for easy reading.
In the present day we follow Ella Rubinstein, an American housewife and mother of 3, who takes a job as a reader for a literary agency. She is sent a manuscript by A. Z. Zahara entitled 'Sweet Blasphemy'. This tells the story of the poet Rumi and the sufi Shams of Tabriz in the thirteenth century. This part has a large cast of colourful characters and is the more interesting narrative. There is a useful glossary at the end of the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

There are few things more tedious than a book about a woman having a mid-life crisis, and I say that as a middle-aged woman myself. In 'The Forty Rules of Love', Elif Shafak bizarrely combines just that with a story of 13th century Sufi dervish, full of philosophising, parables and religious musing. It's a brave idea, and I always want to give credit to authors for original and unusual concepts. But that doesn't always equal a readable book - and that's despite Shafak being a really excellent writer with some other exceptional novels to her name.

In one part of the story, a bored housewife about to turn forty starts reading the manuscript of a novel about the Persian poet Rumi and his muse, a wandering dervish named Shams. This book-within-a-book is considerably better, more interesting and compelling than the wrap-around tale, but it does contain a lot of philosophical stuff which personally I didn't find terribly fun to read. In between chapters about the relationship between Rumi and Shams, Ella the angsty American starts up a relationship over email with the author of the book and ultimately turns her whole life upside down (it tells you she will at the start, so that's not a spoiler).

I suppose it would be fair to say I enjoyed and was absorbed in one third of this novel - the story about Rumi. The other thirds - the story about Ella, and the religious/poetical/mystical stuff - I wasn't engaged by. Ella I found an incredibly irritating character and I had no sympathy or respect for her despite being of the same gender and a similar age. I thought the relationship with the author was very unrealistic.

It's hard to know who to recommend this to, because of the strange juxtaposition of two very different kinds of books. People who like philosophical meaning-of-life novels are less likely to be interested in a woman with first-world problems having an affair, and vice versa. The thin slice of the Venn diagram that enjoy both might be in for a real treat. For everyone else, I'd steer clear and read one of Shafak's other novels instead which are much, much better.