There Are Rivers in the Sky is a powerful and ambitious novel tackling themes of poverty, religion, genocide, human trafficking, colonialism, and the many ways water impacts generations.

There are three main storylines in There Are Rivers in the Sky. The main connection between the three stories is a single droplet of water that we follow throughout the novel.
Arthur’s character and storyline was by far the most developed. I learned a lot about various points in history that I hadn’t known about prior to this book. Arthur was an extremely likable main character, and his quirks, passion, and heart made his point of view even more emotional than the subject matter already lead it to be.
However, my favorite storyline was Narin’s! I learned so much about the Yazidi religion and their culture. I also absolutely loved the conversations Narin had with her grandma. My only complaint is that I wish we were able to follow them for longer, as we did with Arthur. My heart was not prepared for the way Narin’s story concludes, and will continue to think about her and the girls in our world that she represents.
The last storyline follows Zaleekah, and while her storyline feels the most modern, it also felt the least fleshed out.

While there were small details throughout the novel that connected our three storylines, such as water and pieces of culture, I was waiting for it to all come together at the end. For how much depth and detail the author provided, especially on Arthur, I was anticipating a much larger connection between the three, and was ultimately left disappointed and unsatisfied.

Elif Shafak writes beautifully, and her prose often feels like poetry. The writing is by far my favorite part of this book, and I have many lines highlighted throughout.

I think readers who enjoy history, culture, a melancholic tone, and stunning prose will be fans of this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Publishing Group for the eARC to read and review!

This is an effortful epic, ambitious and sincere-seeming. At times, Shafak reaches the heights to which she aspires, in this story of water, history, civilization and loss. The book ends with a sense of achievement and tragedy. And at times, mainly in the story threads of Smyth and contemporary London, there’s a narrative which holds and intrigues. At other times, the research is rather too close to the surface. Lists, blocks of historical fact and opinion occur regularly. And after all, Shafak is no Dickens. Her ability to evoke Victorian London or even the seaports of the East can seem pedestrian, more committed than ethereal.
Nevertheless, I admire her for the range and concept of this book. Its heart is in the right place and its integrity deserves respect. She comes across as a truthful writer. Bravo.

This novel is ambitious, epic. Told from the perspectives of three characters separated by time and distance who seemingly have nothing to do with one another, it is the story of how we all came from the same place, a place that has been pillaged and largely forgotten. People don’t use the term ‘citizen of the world’ anymore and there’s probably good reason for that, but this book is an excellent reminder that we all live on this planet, share resources and passions, and have more in common with one another than not. Sometimes literature makes you a better person, and this is one of those times.

The book was beautifully, powerfully written, and I learned so much from it that I’m shocked I didn’t know. I will now proceed to do a great deal of research to educate myself. In style it reminds me of Homegoing and a touch of All the Light We Cannot See, but it is very much a force of its own.

I almost DNFd this multiple times. The writing style was beautiful and I was really intrigued by the topic especially with the way it started. It just ended up feeling too long, had too many characters that didn’t really fully connect and was trying to address too many issues including global warming, genocide, human trafficking, colonialism and religious extremism. While I understand that all of these affect the Middle East, trying to address all of them just dragged down the story.

Finally, I did not know anything about the Yazidi genocide so I would like to thank the author of bringing attention to what is happening.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for an advanced copy.

If you read one book this year, read this one. It is about two rivers - the Thames and the Tigris, and the civilizations near these rivers that flourished, decayed, and either disappeared or were reborn. This book spans thousands of years, from ancient Mesopotamia to London in the 19th century to the present day. The characters include ancient kings, a boy with a phenomenal memory born into dire poverty in 1840's London, a girl in 2014 Turkey whose grandmother wants her baptized in an ancient temple, and a woman in 2018 London who lives on a houseboat. Water connects them all.

I received an e-arc of this book from publisher Knopf via Netgalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

There Are Rivers in The Sky, byElif Shabaka, is an unusual book. It is part history, part storytelling, and part environmental manifesto. It looks at the importance of water in the story of civilization through the eyes of an ancient king of Nineveh, a line of Yazidi women who have a gift of healing, a poor boy with an extraordinary gift to read cuneiform tablets at the British museum, and a hydrologist in London whose family ties go back to Mesopotamia. He finally ties all these threads together using a drop of water.
If I had not recently been to the British Museum and seen the reliefs from Nineveh, I would not have finished the book. It is not an easy read. I found it difficult to tell what part of the book is based on facts and what is the author’s imagination. I’m sure this will be praised as a great literary work, but it was difficult for me to finish.

So many thought-provoking themes and ideas run through this marvelous novel. These are just a few:
*Memory, in both nature and people, should be valued and heeded. Arthur is the only character that spans the entirety of the book and he has the gift of remembering everything from his birth onward. A solitary man, he is born in abject poverty and ends up devoting his life to translating THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH from cuneiform on clay tablets recorded centuries BC.
* Ethical dilemmas appear throughout involving the theft of ancient artifacts from digs in Iraq and buying of human organs. Both seem to benefit those with money and harm/cheat those who don’t.
*Ethnic cleansing occurs regularly in history. In this novel it deals with a religious minority in Iraq with mentions of current dictators in the Middle East.
*Climate change is not new but this author incorporates it and pollution into the novel to demonstrate the peril facing our waterways today.

The language is very poetic. The land and its history come alive and the author’s message is powerful. This is truly a book deserving of awards and a wide readership.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC to read and review.

"If the spoken word is a trick of the gods, the written word is the triumph of humans."

Elif Shafak has the gift of language. Her extensive vocabulary is impressive . She writes with eloquence and it reads like poetry. I look forward to reading more of her books.

The novel involves three remarkable lives living on the banks of two great rivers, The River Thames and The River Tigris – all connected by a single drop of water and the lost sacred flood tablet from Ancient Mesopotamia from the Epic tale of Gilgamesh. The central theme being the importance of water as a source of life and a reminder of our earth’s finite resources and our role in preserving our environment and history.

I learned a lot about Mesopotamia, nineteenth century London, and the atrocities ISIS inflicted on the Yazidis, a religious minority found primarily in northern Iraq, southeastern Turkey, and northern Syria. Their storyline is heartbreaking and brutal, but necessary to tell.

Shafak does a great job connecting the storylines but I would have liked a little more of an "aha" moment. I also thought it was a bit too long, still, I enjoyed the reading experience and will recommend.

<i>‘Water remembers. It is humans who forget.’</i>

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on August 20, 2024.

There Are Rivers in the Sky is a beautiful, however complicated story. I enjoy reading Elif Shafak for her ability to seamlessly weave timelines together. This is the telling of three story lines, all interconnected with a drop of water. Her characters are well developed, her story lines full and complete. When you finish a book of this quality you feel as though you have really accomplished something. I would recommend this highly.

Elif Shafak’s "There Are Rivers in the Sky" is a masterpiece that beautifully intertwines the lives of three characters across different generations, creating a narrative as fluid as a river. Shafak's writing is nothing short of phenomenal, drawing readers into a world where past and present merge seamlessly, and every sentence flows with grace.

The novel follows three distinct yet interconnected characters, each living in a different era. Shafak’s ability to weave their stories together, despite the generational divides, is a testament to her storytelling prowess. The characters are richly developed, and their journeys are compelling, each one offering a unique perspective on life, love, and human connection.

What stands out most in "There Are Rivers in the Sky" is how thought-provoking it is. Shafak’s writing prompts deep reflection on themes such as identity, memory, and the passage of time. The narrative’s fluidity mirrors the ebb and flow of a river, carrying readers along on an unforgettable journey.

The book’s structure and pace make it incredibly difficult to put down. Each chapter unfolds with a sense of mystery and discovery, keeping you eagerly turning the pages. Shafak’s lyrical prose and vivid descriptions create a mesmerizing reading experience that stays with you long after the final page.

"There Are Rivers in the Sky" is more than just a novel; it’s a profound exploration of the human experience. It’s a captivating read that showcases Shafak’s extraordinary talent for crafting stories that are both intricate and accessible.

If you’re looking for a book that will engage your mind and touch your heart, look no further. Elif Shafak’s "There Are Rivers in the Sky" is a must-read that will leave you contemplating its beauty and depth long after you’ve finished.

This will definitely be on my "top books of the year" list!

The scope of the novel is an ambitious one: three timelines, each connected to Mesopotamia in a different way, woven together by water, memory, loss. In the 1800s, a boy with a brilliant mind named Arthur is born in the slums of London along the Thames river, with an uncanny interest in ancient Nineveh; in 2014, a Yazidi girl in Turkey named Narin travels up the Tigris river to Iraq with her grandmother to visit their ancestral village next to the ruins of Nineveh; and in 2018 a young hydrologist named Zaleekhah grapples with depression in a houseboat on the Thames.

The book opens with a drop of water falling on King Ashurbanipal's head in his Nineveh palace back in ancient times. That same droplet of water evaporates and rains back down to earth over and over across centuries, retaining small pieces of memory along the way. This is what begins to tie the three seemingly disconnected storylines together, though as we read on we find there are more connections between them than we initially knew.

The writing in this book is absolutely gorgeous, and I loved the musings about memory and meaning, and what water represents in Yazidi culture, and ancient wisdom and culture, and what lives on after civilizations crumble. It was stunningly beautiful at times.

I also loved getting to know the characters. I will admit that I found Zaleekhah to be a little less interesting than Narin and Arthur -- who I felt deeply emotionally invested in -- but I enjoyed all three plotlines nonetheless, and I think they all worked well together.

The settings were just as alive as the human characters, too, especially with the rich history they brought with them. Ancient Nineveh, where the story of the Ark took place, where ancient Mesopotamian scribes innovated cuneiform writing on clay tablets, was so interesting. The Yazidi villages, as well as their culture and traditions, were fascinating to learn about, too.

I should note that there are quite a lot of content warnings for this book. Suicidal thoughts, violence and armed conflict on-page, and discussions of sexual violence (which thankfully took place off-page) were all present.

5 stars 🌟

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing Group for this ARC to read and review.

This book includes 3 POVs with interrelated stories, but how they are related is explained later. I really enjoyed the descriptive writing in this. It honestly seemed like poetry to me. This book was amazing for the first 80%, but then came the issues with ISIS. While I realize ISIS is a major issue for people living out in that area this part was quite a bit too triggering for me. I considered putting it down and DNF'ing it a lot, but since I was so close to the end, I continued reading. If you aren't seriously triggered by mentions of rape, you will likely enjoy this book as it was beautifully written. It was just a little much for me.

This was an interesting read and a type of book that I ordinarily do not read. The author’s writing style is very descriptive and demonstrates a deep understanding of the basis for the book. It covers three different characters covering two different locations. The plot revolves around two rivers – the Thames and the Tigris. The stories intertwine at various points and the author ties it all up neatly with the ending. Overall, a good read.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.

This is an exceptional book. The characters are vividly drawn, the story is mesmerizing, the throughline of water beautifully links what might otherwise be a complicated plot, and the depth of detail (and associated research) renders realistic scenes, sometimes brutally so, while still managing to sprinkle the darkness (and remind readers) of the simple joys of a principled life founded in curiosity, love, and loyalty. This novel is worth every bit of effort it may take a reader to fully absorb its depth and impact. Not to be missed.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for an advance copy of this novel about how water is life and like water each time our lives are blocked, dammed or even polluted, water keeps flowing just as we have to to be true to ourselves.

Big novels, not just size, but ideas, have always been my thing. Doesn't matter the genre, try something new, present a reader like myself with a new way of looking at the world, or even better a look at the world I know little about, I will make the time, and effort to follow along. And shout out praise to everyone I can. There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak is a book that starts with a simple drop of rain, A rain drop that covers centuries, people, events-some horrible, some beautiful all told in a unique and stylish way.

A cloud moves slowly over the desert, a small cloud in the ancient past. The cloud stops over the city of Nineveh, on the bank of the River Tigris. A single drop of rain lands on the head of King Ashurbanipal, before a torrent of rain follows, forcing the King inside to his library that he will famed for. However he is a monarch and also capable of great cruelty, so upon hearing his mentor has betrayed him, the King orders the mentor to be burned alive, a punishment that stays with the rain drop, even as the centuries past. The story than follows three characters in different times. Arthur is born on the shores of the Thames in London in the 1840's. Arthur is a smart lad, quick to pick up things, but trapped by an abusive drunken father, and a mother with her own problems, and few opportunities for advancement, unless he makes them. Narin is ten years old living in Turkey in the year of 2014, and has a health issue that is slowly taking away her hearing. Narin's grandmother has a desire to bring her back to the ancestral lands in Iraq to be baptised in a mosque that means much to the Yazidi, of who she is. However ISIS is on the rise, and the lands of the Yazidi are being taken away. The year is 2018 and a hydrologist is hiding from her abusive husband living on a houseboat, and thinking of a fatal end. Zaleekah is orphaned, now divorced and depressed. So Zaleekah's decided she will give herself one month to live, before killing herself. Until she comes across something that gives her a reason to live.

An intermingling of stories, about people who seem so real, and going through horrible situations, and yet flowing, like rivers that don't know where they are going to quote a songwriter. Water unites these characters, from being born on the Thames, the damming of Narin's community, causing them to become refugees again, even Zaleekah's study of water, I've never seen an element so key to a story, and used in so many ways. The book flows well, no sudden rapids, the narratives all mix and never seem forced. Shafak also uses language well, there are phrases and sentences that one will stop and read a few times before moving on. And parts one will find very hard to forget.

A wonderful novel, a book to read in front of the fire, a big book full of ideas, that makes the reader think and feel. That's rare today. This is my first book by Elif Shafak. I am going to have to read more.

Elif Shafak holds a special place among my favorite authors, her vast knowledge illuminating each page she crafts. The narrative unfurls from ancient Mesopotamia, where a single drop of water initiates a tale woven around three distinct characters and two rivers. From the shores of Iraq to the bustling streets of London and back, the reader traverses through time and space.

Arthur, a figure born into destitution along the Thames in the 19th century, finds solace in translating the ancient tiles depicting the epic of Gilgamesh. Narin, a young Yazidi girl, becomes ensnared in a harrowing journey amidst the atrocities of the 2014 Tigris baptism and the ensuing genocide. Meanwhile, Zaleekhah, a Hydrologist dwelling on a houseboat along the Thames in 2018, grapples with her own intricate existence.

While the lives depicted are multifaceted, the novel's central theme remains steadfast: the intrinsic connection between humanity and water. Indeed, water emerges as a pivotal character, shaping the course of events and binding the narrative together.

Shafak's prose is exquisite, with certain chapters resonating like timeless fables. Through her storytelling, I gained invaluable insights into Iraq and the plight of the Yazidi people, previously unfamiliar to me. Though not a swift read, and at times yearning for a denser plot or deeper character connections, the novel remains a singular and remarkable achievement.

My heartfelt gratitude to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to engage with and review this extraordinary work.

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak weaves an intriguing story with the use of three very different characters. We meet Arthur in 1840, who overcomes poverty and abuse to become a world renowned scholar of Mesopotamia. Narin, in 2014, travels to Iraq with her grandmother to be baptized but ISIS completely changes her life trajectory. Zaleekah, in 2018, lives in London and is going through a divorce. Her life path will intertwine with the other characters and change her forever.
I would recommend this book for historical fiction and general fiction readers if you appreciate complex stories with varying timelines and characters. I did find the beginning of the book challenging at first because it takes several chapters to establish the backstories and to get to know the characters. Arthur was my anchor as I was reading, his story draws you in quickly because of his courage to rise above every obstacle that presents to him. Narin’s story is quite dire and heart wrenching, the genocide of the Yazidi people is an overwhelming, horrific story that needs to be heard. Zaleekah’s story shows how the choices you make can set you on a path to greater happiness by allowing yourself to connect with people.

Thank you Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

What a beautifully-written, wistful, hopeful, and emotionally touching novel. It is rare to read books that leave you feeling more knowledgeable, or at least more curious, about things you didn’t know before. This novel made me want to know more about the history of Ancient Mesopotamia, Yazidi culture, and current threats to water worldwide. all thanks to the engaging stories of three main characters that span centuries and locations. I was curious to read a novel by Elif Shafak and I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this one - I will for sure explore the rest of her bibliography now.

I was a huge fan of Elif Shafak’s previous book, so upon receiving this arc I was ecstatic to say the least.

This book was quite different than her previous book, but still maintained that rich writing that captures the story setting and world in a way that sucks you in from the first page. This book jumps around in timelines and periods, which is a trope that for me personally is hard to pull off—I ALWAYS end up connecting with one more than the other and wanting to skip chunks. In this book, it was handled masterfully as I truly connected with every time period and section.

The characterization was done subtly and artfully, with the setting almost feeling as if it had a soul of its own with the way Shafak explored it with the reader. While the plot was slow to pick up, I cared enough about this world I was in. And that’s what a good historical novel will do.

Thank you endlessly to Net Galley for this E-Arc!

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak was so wonderful and captivating. It’s complex but the writing flows so well that it sucks you right into the story. I couldn’t put this book down. I’ve read Shafak’s previous works and enjoyed them immensely but there was something real special about this one. It’s written so beautifully and the characters will stick with you for so long. I cannot wait to recommend this book to everyone I know.