There Are Rivers in the Sky: A novel

I must say , I am profoundly and forever changed by this book. If I could give it a 100 stars I would. How do I begin a review ? This book checked all boxes for me for what I adore in a story. Multiple protagonists and storylines that connect beautifully that I was deeply invested in their lives , I know I will think about their characters long after I finished the book. Extensively researched and based on true horrific events , I learnt so much new history that I embarrassingly had no idea about ; the Yazidi genocide, organ trafficking, ancient Mesopotamian culture and literature , the devastating effects of urbanization on rivers and waters of the world and the deploring plight and livelihoods of people burdened by poverty and mental illness. And what can I possibly say about the exquisite poetic incredibly lyrical writing except that if you ignore to read this book , it’s truly at your own loss. Usually I don’t read for the same author twice to be open to new reading territories but Elif Shafak is definitely an exception to this rule . Cheers

This is my first novel by Elif Shafak, and for much of it I was caught in its current. The novel explores three different lives in three different historic times, interweaving and interconnecting the three main characters' shared interests in Ninevah, Mesopotamia, The Epic of Gilgamesh, cuneiform and, most importantly, water. Rivers and water play a huge role in this novel, as do culture, the socioeconomics of time and place, and the negative impact that the human race has on our ecosystems, especially rivers. Arthur is born in Victorian London in the 1800's and is christened Arthur of the Sewers and Slums. Though he lives in squalor, he has an uncanny memory and is fascinated by cuneiform and The Epic of Gilgamesh. His journey from the Thames to the Tigris is a fascinating picture of obsession and diligence. In 2018 London, Zaleekah lives in a houseboat on the Thames. She is in the midst of a divorce and feels depressed and in limbo. She was raised by her aunt and uncle after the death of her parents when she was a child. Narin is a Yazidi girl in 2014 Turkey, waiting to complete her baptism. She is persecuted because of her religion and must flee her home. The Turkish population, especially ISIS, believe that Yazidis are devil worshipers. Narin and her grandmother have the gift for finding underground water wherever it flows. Their stories and gifts are passed down from generation to generation through oral narrative. The author writes beautifully. She carefully constructs her narrative, portraying everything that occurs as being related to the first drop of water that falls on Arthur's head shortly after his birth. Every character is touched by the same water, be it mist, a snowflake, or a splash from the river. Water is the universal sustenance. Though we may not be aware, it gives us all life and meaning. The reason for a rating of 4 instead of 5 is the length of the book and my personal belief that it needed more perspicacious and effective editing. Towards the end, it dragged on and my interest waned some.

A true piece of art from one of the most gifted writers of our time. I’ve read almost all of her books and I believe each one gets even better than the last. The imagery and powerful connection she draws between the characters, their history, and the evolving natural world around them is truly beautiful.

A while back I stumbled onto the book "The Architect's Apprentice" and loved it. I read a lot of literature books, and when I come across a author I like to read all their books. I jumped ahead to this book just so I could give her a great review. Her stories seem well researched, and I guess you could say she writes historical fiction, but whenever I see a book labeled historical fiction I first think that it might be boring. Not so with this author, her stories are fascinating and her characters are ones you get to know very well. This new book is excellent and I now want to read "The epic of Gilgamesh". She brings such clarity to history, religious strife and conflicts, of which I know a lot about by reading about 100 novels from India and middle East. Casual reader do not be afraid, Its such a great read, plus I learned a lot also. Also, I suggest looking at all her other books she has written and how many good reviews she has got over her career, top notch writer!

I commend the author for her research. It was interesting and saddening to learn of the Yazidis, something that was touched on in the news back in the days of ISIS, but not fully understood. And learning a bit about Ancient Mesopatamia and the Epic of Gilgamesh was fascinating. But the concept of a water drop traversing through time is a trite and gratuitous mechanism to use, and deliberately ignores the physics of water; meaning that a drop will not stay cohesive over time. Water evaporates and becomes a gas and the molecules scatter. The chances of even two molecules (out of billions) from water drops thousands of years apart remaining together is vanishingly remote. It seems like a nitpick but just makes the the whole thing seem amateurish or something a grade-schooler would come up with. Also, the author allows no opportunity to use a water analogy to go unpunished. Water, water, water. Water this and water that. Water analogies everywhere. And even when we know it's water due to describing a river, rain or snow, the author still has to tell us that it is water. She beats us over the head with water. It's too much! I found myself rolling my eyes more and more as I read the book. The book is too long and becomes a slog. I only finished it because we were reading it in a book club. And after all that effort the ending just fell completely flat. 5 stars for the research, 1 star for the story for an average of 3 stars.

If you've ever wondered about the history of a raindrop or the life of a river you'll find this novel an exquisite introduction to both. Told from 3 points of view across 3000 years and 2 continents, the huhprofound connections between time, spaces & water are intricate and many faceted. A great story told by a consummate writer, treat yourself to this engaging story. You will not be disappointed.

I've read another book by this author. She writes brilliantly. I loved ISLAND OF MISSING TREES. But I couldn't finish this one. It is so gritty. I couldn't read about what ISIS did. The novel is brilliantly conceived and written. I just couldn't finish it because of the subject matter.

I don't think there are words to adequately explain just how much this book affected me. I'm pretty sure this is the best historical fiction novel I've ever read. I kept talking about it the whole time I was reading it. I told my family. I posted about it in my Facebook groups. I shared it with friends. This is a must read! The amount of research this must have taken is astounding. The intricate way the three stories were woven together was breathtaking. I fell in love with Narin, Arthur, and Zakheelah. It's just such a moving story. Learning about London and the Thames during Victorian times. Learning about the history of the Yazidis. Learning about the Mesopotamian history. The clash of cultures. Who does history belong to? The responsibility of humanity. It is heartbreaking to realize there are horrors happening today. This book has profoundly affected me. It was heartbreaking and beautiful all at once. Read this if you like: - book club reads with lots of great topics for discussion - historical fiction - books that will break you and enlighten you