I have mixed feelings about this one. As a huge fan of Elif Shafak I regret having to mention a few negative points, but I also want to be honest.
I jumped at the chance of reading this via Netgalley as it was one of only two books of hers I had yet to read. Obviously the author was the greatest pull, but I also own a beautifully illustrated and antique copy of Rumi's poetry, which was another draw.
This one just didn't sustain my interest like her other novels though, and I struggled with it a few times. I think, in large, this was because of the frequent POV changes which on occasion made it difficult to keep up with the characters' voices in my head.
Nevertheless a clever novel and I would still recommend it.
P.S. My all time favourite of Shafak's is 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World. It's one of those books you want everyone to read.

I have read a number of Elif Shafak books over the years, some I really love but others I find a bit of a struggle. Unfortunately this was one of the latter. I found the pacing of the book slow in places and I did not really 'connect' with the characters or the timelines. I found myself getting rather bored. Not for me I am afraid.
Thank you to NetGalley Penguin General UK and for the advance copy of this book.

The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars
Publication date: 3 July 2025 (originally published in 2010)

Thank you to Viking Books and Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ella Rubenstein is forty years old and unhappily married when she takes a job as a reader for a literary agent. Her first assignment is to read and report on Sweet Blasphemy, a novel written by a man named Aziz Zahara. Ella is mesmerized by his tale of Shams’s search for Rumi and the dervish’s role in transforming the successful but unhappy cleric into a committed mystic, passionate poet, and advocate of love.

Elif Shafak has really established herself as a favourite author of mine, and it was an absolute pleasure to dive into one of her earlier books. I loved the book within a book structure, and I much preferred reading the story of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz through a range of various POVs. The main story, or present timeline, wasn't quite as compelling for me and Ella is a difficult character to get on with or empathise with.
However, this is a minor grumble because Shafak’s prose is ultimately so beautiful, so evocative that I was transported, especially in Rumi and Shams’ story which I was always happy to go back to. This is a very spiritual and philosophical book, almost mystical, and I'm honest enough with myself to admit that I probably didn't grasp all the nuances of Shafak's writing. It is about love in its multitude: romantic, religious, from friends or soulmates, about the importance of living a purposeful life seeking, understanding and accepting these different kinds of love. I just lost myself in the beautiful writing and the beautiful quotes, and I absolutely want to read everything Shafak has ever written and is going to write in the future.

I will willingly read anything Elif Shafak writes! Gosh, she has some of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever read. I was immersed in the story and the characters that I couldn’t put this down. As we celebrate 15 years of The Forty Years Of Love, they have reissued 9 of her books.

Ella Rubinstein is a forty-year-old Jewish housewife whose life feels stagnant, her marriage loveless, her children distant, and her sense of self fading. When she takes a job as a reader for a literary agency, her first assignment is a novel titled Sweet Blasphemy by Aziz Zahara. As she reads, she’s drawn into the story of Shams of Tabriz, a wandering Sufi dervish, and his spiritual bond with the poet Rumi.

“Whatever happens in your life, no matter how troubling things might seem, do not enter the neighbourhood of despair. Even when all doors remain closed, God will open up a new path only for you. Be thankful!”

This wasn’t just a story, it was a deeply spiritual, emotional, and almost meditative experience. This beautifully written novel will take you on a journey through one of the most tumultuous periods in human history while also guiding you on a journey of the soul. Certain truths transcend religion, culture, or time, and this book is filled with them. I highly recommend this book! Maybe a book you should read when you reach the age of forty.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC.

Two parallel stories set on two very different timelines and in very different cultures, this book was a bit of a challenge for me ( I love Elif Shafak's books - 'The Island of Trees' sits firmly in my top 10 of all time).

Ella, a middle-aged woman, looking for meaning and fulfilment in her life, returns to work as a reader for a literary agent. She reads a manuscript based on the life of a 13th century Sufi poet and his companion, Shamo and finds herself immersed in their story, as she finds love herself. For me personally, the parallel stories didn't work and I found the novel too philosophical in its exploration of the meaning of love to keep me engaged. I did however, enjoy the cultural aspects of the novel immensely.

I will buy the book as I feel that this may have been a book that I encountered in the wrong headspace.

The Forty Rules of Love blends two timelines. One follows Ella, a modern-day woman questioning her life and marriage. The other reimagines the spiritual friendship between Rumi and Shams of Tabriz in thirteenth-century Persia. The historical chapters were far more engaging for me, full of lyrical prose and moving reflections on love and faith. Shams’s spiritual rules were beautifully written and often thought-provoking.

However, the modern storyline felt underdeveloped and emotionally distant. Ella’s transformation lacked depth, and the constant shift in perspectives made the pacing feel uneven at times. While I appreciated the themes and philosophical messages, it did not quite live up to my expectations. A meaningful read for those drawn to spiritual fiction and poetic narratives, but not as powerful as I hoped.

I enjoyed the book. It blends two stories of love from thirteenth century Turkey and modern day America. Throughout is Sufi thinking on love and mysticism.

The story is told from the perspective of Ella, the person reviewing a book about the forty rules of love. Within the book, it shares the story of Rumi and Shams, and what is feels like when you meet someone you are meant to be with.

In both eras you see what happens to those surrounding these couples, along with the jealousy, loss and hatred it generates. This is told through multiple narrators that switch each chapter, where one sees the positive and negative effects of love.

What a beautiful book! Superbly written with a diverse cast of characters, each individual narrative combining to make a whole. The reader feels as if they are in the room with the characters.

I really like Elif Shafak books but this one was unfortunately a bit of a struggle for me. I enjoyed parts of it but it was too philosophical for me and I would get bored in some parts.
It has a dual timeline, and being a big fan of historical fiction I did find the jump back to 1200's interesting in parts, but others it just felt a bit off. I struggled to then see the relevane of the modern day timeline, a wife that begins an emotional affair with an author of a book she's writing a report on and it goes on from there. I actually found it quite hard to like most of the characters.

I absolutely love Elif Shafak's writing, but this one wasn't my favourite unfortunately. Although the writing and the idea was very intersting, I struggled with the pacing of it and the philosophical aspect especially with the dual timelines.

Ella Rubinstein works for a publishing company and is reading a new submission and finds it shines a light on her own loveless marriage even though it is written about a scholar and a mystic who lived in the thirteenth-century. It describes the life of Shams of Tabriz, and his forty rules of life and love. Ella fills her time by making elaborate meals but can't find fulfilment. She contacts the author and finds corresponding with him even more intriguing than reading the manuscript. I found this story interesting as I really don't know much about this area of religion and it left me with a lot of questions that I need to research. I can't judge the amount of blasphemy and opposing views described but I found it intriguing.

I've read a few books by this author and loved them. So I expected to love this one too and I did love some of it, but not all of it.

This book has a dual timeline. There is the story of Ella and Aziz in a modern day setting and the story of Shams and Rumi based in the 1200s. I enjoyed the modern timeline story and struggled a bit with the older timeline, mainly throughout the middle of the book. I felt that the writing in the older timeline was not of it's time - that may have been intentional by the author to make it more 'readable' but it kept bothering me and distracting me from the storyline. The cast of characters in the older timeline was also tricky to keep track of at times.

However, during the last 20% of the novel everything came together and I loved it all. The ending is emotional and I liked the way that the book ended with the fortieth rule.

This book is already a bestseller and one of the BBC's '100 books that shaped the world'. It was recently re-released. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the UK publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Shafak has a beautiful writing style. It flows well and is very easy to read. If you are a fan of the book within a book trope, this may be the book for you. It delves into topics such as morals and different cultural norms and expectations, and I found that aspect interesting.

I just had a hard time with the 1200s timeline. I didn't feel like it read particularly like that period, and it felt like the events could be happening in any time. I also struggled to see the relevance of those chapters to the current timeline. This led to me losing interest and being desperate to get back to the current timeline

I fall more & more in love with Elif Shafak’s writing with every book I read. There’s something so poignant & poetic about her style it completely pulls you in & before you know it you’re completely immersed in the story.
I really loved the use of multiple POVs across different timelines it added so many layers & gave the story such depth. That said I definitely found myself more drawn to Rumi + Shams’ journey than Ella + Aziz’s. Their story felt deeper & somehow more powerful.
Normally I steer clear of books that lean heavily into religion but I feel like this one offered something different. There are so many beautiful quotes within these pages but this one really stood out to me:

*“If you want to change the way others treat you, you should first change the way you treat yourself. Unless you learn to love yourself fully and sincerely, there is no way you can be loved. Once you achieve that stage, however, be thankful for every thorn that others might throw at you. It is a sign that you will soon be showered in roses.”*

It’s one of those books that lingers in your mind long after the final page. 💫

★★★★½ ROUNDED UP ⬆️⭐️

I've read Elif Shafak books before but unfortunately "The Forty Rules of Love" really didn't click with me. I was happy with the narrative but I didn't realise I'd have to read the book that the main character was reviewing too. I know it tied in with the plot but it was far too poetic for me.

I requested this book as it sounded so interesting. I was nt wrong. It was everything! I read it with such fascination and wonder. It made me think too about life itself. It really was a journey!
I would recommend this book to everyone! It’s written beautifully and I found it extremely easy to read. It’s just wonderful

The Forty Rules of Love has undeniably beautiful prose—Elif Shafak writes with lyrical elegance that’s hard to ignore. However, the story itself just didn’t work for me. I struggled to connect with the characters and found the pacing slow. While the themes of love and spirituality are rich and meaningful, the dual timelines and the philosophical tone didn’t quite hold my interest. A book that others may find profound, but unfortunately, it missed the mark for me.

My first book by Elif Shafak and I'm very, very much impressed by the themes from part of the story set in 1244 that are currently very much alive. The exclusion of people simply because they are considered to be less, things that the beggar en the harlot were dealing with, are making me so angry I am almost crying because ableism and misogyny are still painfully embedded in today's society.

However, for me Shams was a very difficult character. He might have been humble and attentive to so-called common people, he also knew exactly what to say, never stumbling with words, hardly erring to make his point. It occurred to me that he as well felt himself better than others, there was an air around him as if he could do no wrong.
And if that wasn't hard enough to deal with, I don't even know what to make of Rumi... But perhaps that is just me being judgmental :)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

Just wonderful. A beautiful, poetic quest to find the meaning of life and love. Reading this filled me with joy!

I like Shafak's writing so was excited to read this.
Shafak's writing is excellent although I find some of her characters hit and miss and felt this way about this book, much less compelling than characters in stories such as The Island of Missing Trees.