by Elif Şafak
First published 2010
Shams, a wandering Sufi mystic, arrives in the stifling city of Konya and meets the renowned poet Rumi. As their intense friendship blossoms, Rumi's rigid world is upended, forcing him to confront the rules that have long governed his life. Meanwhile, in modern-day Boston, a housewife named Ella embarks on her own spiritual journey after stumbling upon an ancient book about the forty rules of love. As Ella's perspective on life transforms, the past and present intertwine, revealing the timeless power of openness, compassion, and the pursuit of the divine.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, spiritual-journey
Setting: Boston, Konya
Period: Modern Day, Sufi Mystic Era
368 pages · Paperback · Penguin UK