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The Forty Rules of Love

The magical tale of love and self-discovery from the bestselling author of The Island of Missing Trees

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The Forty Rules of Love

By: Elif Shafak
Narrated by: George Blagden
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The international bestseller from the Booker-shortlisted author of The Island of Missing Trees and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World

* One of the BBC's '100 Novels that Shaped the World'*

"Every true love and friendship is a story of unexpected transformation. If we are the same person before and after we loved, that means we haven't loved enough..."

Ella Rubinstein has a husband, three teenage children, and a pleasant home. Everything that should make her confident and fulfilled. Yet there is an emptiness at the heart of Ella's life - an emptiness once filled by love.

So when Ella reads a manuscript about the thirteenth-century Sufi poet Rumi and his mentor Shams of Tabriz, and his forty rules of life and love, she is ready to look at her life anew. Compelled to embrace change, she embarks on a journey to meet the mysterious author. It is a quest infused with Sufi mysticism and verse, taking Ella and us into a faraway world where faith and doubt are heartbreakingly explored. The Forty Rules of Love is a mesmerising tale of discovery, language, truth and, of course, love itself.

'Enlightening, enthralling. An affecting paean to faith and love' Metro

'Colourfully woven and beguilingly intelligent' Daily Telegraph

'The past and present fit together beautifully in a passionate defence of passion itself' The Times

© Elif Shafak 2010 (P) Penguin Audio 2019

 Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction World Literature Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking
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Critic reviews

A gorgeous, jeweled, luxurious book
With its timely, thought-provoking message . . . The Forty Rules of Love deserves to be a global publishing phenomenon
Enlightening, enthralling. An affecting paean to faith and love

Colourfully woven and beguilingly intelligent
The past and present fit together beautifully in a passionate defence of passion itself
All stars
Most relevant
Astonishingly beautiful and readable love story, mystical poem and historical adventure. I can't remember when I last read a novel that impressed me so much.

"The Embodiment of Nothingness"

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Narrated with warmth and compassion.
The narrator gently illustrates many different characters subtly and effectively.

An intricate web of colourful characters, this beautifully written book carries you through history and brings to life timeless truths that are needed today more than ever.
So grateful to have received this precious gift.

Beautiful and full of wisdom

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I’ve been hesitant to read this book as I didn’t quite like the layout. The writer attends to different narratives side by side, cutting off one story piece, to then, directly delve into the other, when In fact, I would have just preferred reading one story. However, having given the title, an easy listen on audio books helped me understand that the importance here is given to the “Forty Rules of Love” that is the essence of the book, and not so much the unnecessary details of story there for superficial entertainment. I soon looked forward to learning about the 40 rules of love and trusted the way the writer had chose to deliver them, despite her going back and forth in time changing the narrative. The point is that the rules of Love are not bound by time. Having always been present in the universe, these rules are here for human beings uncover and live by. A must read for anyone soul searching. Great read, highly recommend 💝. Thank You Elif 💕.

Great Read

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To be honest I’m a bit spellbound on finishing this. I’m amazed that the Sufi traditions are being wiped out and feel sad. It’s all so correct and in line with other peaceful edicts.

I’m not religious and so the whole undertone of love that permeates this, is just so nourishing and wholesome. Absolutely fantastic. Thanks to the author and the narrator as well. Superb accents and tonality

Absolutely superb and gripping

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enjoyed every minute of it, lots of brain food, well read, very interesting .

so sad the book I finished 😢

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