Powerful, stunningly beautiful

 

 ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ It is a difficult task reviewing a novel written by Elif Shafak. Trying to encapsulate the essence of culture, history, wisdom, love and pain woven throughout the text is no small thing. As powerful and enthralling as her stories are, the harder the task to do them justice with my words. I cannot praise her work highly enough and have said, previously, that if I could read only ten authors for the rest of my days, she would be on the list. More true now than ever.

There Are Rivers in the Sky takes us on a journey through time from king Ashurbanipal in Nineveh, of ancient Mesopotamia, to modern day London. We are transported with one drop of water and through its eternal cycle see the world from a new perspective. This drop of water links mighty Ashurbanipal to a newborn baby in Victorian London, a Yazidi girl in 2014 Turkey and a hydrologist named Zaleekhah in 2018 London. It is an exceptional achievement to bring such, seemingly, disparate times and cultures together but with unerring grace, our glorious author does just that. Deploying a delicate touch, she explores what makes cultural beliefs and ways of life beautifully different, the pain when cultures clash, are subjugated and conflict arises crushing the innocent. Issues as topical now as ever. Opening the readers eyes to the world and its prejudices whilst also giving voice to those who have been scattered the winds. Heartbreaking, but essential reading. We think living in the modern ages insulates us from hatred and violence but we see each night on the news how brutal humans really are.  

As ever, this book has left a mark on me and and I am so pleased to have learned a great deal about an amazing people and the unending quest for knowledge that burns in each of us. The magical spell Elif Shafak casts lingers long after the book has closed and I feel privileged to have shared this journey with that drop of water.