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.

I had written the longest review for this book, but I felt it would be best if I am as brief as I could be. I love the idea of the book and anted to learn more about Sufism. I was attracted to its format and found it a quick, easy read. I did however struggle with the informality of the language, especially in the historical chapters. Maybe it’s a British thing, I found it jarring. I greatly disliked Ella and her behaviour throughout was abhorrent to me. I also found the change in her behaviour towards the end wasn’t understandable, for me. I won’t write spoilers but I do recognise there were triggers for me in this book that exacerbated my negative response that others have obviously not experienced.

I wonder if I just missed the meaning and maybe if I had liked Ella or even Aziz I would reread the book and maybe found meaning. I have always struggled to understand Sufism and I wonder if that is why. Whilst I love Rumi any other Sufism based texts have been confusing so I wonder if that played a part in my response .

So in conclusion, not a book for me and I can see a lot of work has been put into it and many, many people love it.
Thank you to for providing this book for my consideration via NetGalley this is all my own rambling, honest and personal opinions. Even if it wasn’t for me I appreciated the opportunity to read it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Soul-Stirring Masterpiece That Transcends Time and Borders

The Forty Rules of Love is more than just a novel—it’s a spiritual odyssey, a poetic meditation, and a quiet revolution for the heart. Elif Shafak weaves together two parallel narratives—one set in the modern day and the other in 13th-century Persia—with exquisite finesse and emotional depth.

In the present-day storyline, we follow Ella, a woman who seemingly has everything yet feels empty, until she encounters the manuscript of a novel that will change her life. Intertwined is the mesmerizing tale of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, whose divine friendship and the mystical “forty rules” speak to the universal longing for love, connection, and spiritual awakening.

Shafak’s writing is luminous—both lyrical and accessible—and every sentence feels infused with the very love the book extols. She challenges the reader to rethink what love truly means: not just romantic love, but a boundless, transformative force that can dissolve ego, bridge divides, and awaken the soul.

This novel transcends cultural and religious boundaries with profound insight and grace. Whether or not you’re familiar with Sufism, Rumi’s poetry, or Middle Eastern philosophy, Shafak makes the themes resonate in a way that feels intimate and universally human.

A book to be underlined, revisited, and cherished, The Forty Rules of Love left me feeling both humbled and uplifted. It’s the kind of story that lingers in your spirit long after the final page.

Highly recommended for anyone seeking beauty, depth, and truth in fiction.

Elif Shafak is one of the greatest writers to ever live. I absolutely adore her work. Her talent is impeccable. So much emotion and depth in her writing. This book is absolutely gorgeous.

Review of ‘The Forty Rules of Love’ by Elif Shafak, due to be published on 3 July 2025 by Penguin General UK.

Ella is about to turn 40 with three children and a husband who is unfaithful to her. Wanting to make a change to her life, she embarks on a new job as a reader for a literary agency, with the first novel she is given, being set in the 13th Century exploring the relationship between a poet, Rumi, and Shams of Tabriz.

Ella finds herself embarking on a quest to find out everything she can about the author, which has a life changing impact on her.

A really well written story, about life and love.