BOOK REVIEW: THE FORTY RULES OF LOVE BY ELIF SHAFAK ★★★★☆

 

PROS:

• I preferred the story within the story, Rumi and Shams storyline told by Aziz Zahara. Had more spiritualism to it. Like the prostitute trying to leave her brothel, the leper begging outside the mosque and Rumi’s family’s mixed feelings towards Shams.
• A radical transformation of Rumi. It was through loss and heartbreak did Rumi go from scholar to poet, thus passing down his philosophy.
• A study in opposites- discipline vs. spontaneity, reason vs. love, perspective vs. acceptance, wisdom vs. youth, and foundation vs. risk. My take is finding the balance between the extremes.

 CONS:

• It read like a translated story so some parts felt awkward with jarring flow.
• Little historical inaccuracies that I should forget but it itched at me, like why would Rumi use the Gregorian calendar when he should have used the Islamic one and so on?
• Sufiism is about the pure, spiritual love for your Creator, but Shafak makes is more about physical love. Morally didn’t set right with me.
• *spoiler sorry* The romantic notion of leaving everything behind for a stranger should only remain in fiction. Does not work in real life. Aziz could have been a serial killer. It dishonours Elle’s character to have an affair with a man teaching Sufism.

SO, IN CONCLUSION...

The Forty Rules of Love invites us to explore love, spirituality, and the interconnectedness of souls across centuries. However, it left me with, how can someone wanting to spread so much love, leave so many broken hearts?

Probably the start of my journey to read Sufi and mysticism novels  Go and read some Rumi.