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anusha_reads 's review for:
The Forty Rules of Love
by Elif Shafak
reflective
medium-paced
When one talks about love, why is it that people only look at the romantic aspect of it? Why don’t people ever look at the love a mother has towards her children or the love between two siblings, or even the love a dog has towards its master or just love for a fellow human?
Is love eternal or ephemeral?
“A LIFE WITHOUT LOVE IS OF NO ACCOUNT. DON’T ASK YOURSELF WHAT KIND OF LOVE YOU SHOULD SEEK, SPIRITUAL OR MATERIAL, DIVINE OR MUNDANE, EASTERN OR WESTERN. DIVISIONS ONLY LEAD TO MORE DIVISIONS. LOVE HAS NO LABELS, NO DEFINITIONS. IT IS WHAT IT IS, PURE AND SIMPLE. LOVE IS THE WATER OF LIFE. AND A LOVER IS A SOUL OF FIRE! THE UNIVERSE TURNS DIFFERENTLY WHEN FIRE LOVES WATER.”
One story is about a lady named Ella, who is a wife, a mother of three and who recently picked up a job as a part-time reader for a literary agent, a perfect-looking family, a dog, and a beautiful house. She reads a book which changes her outlook towards life completely. I admired Ella for her patience and spirit. It’s tough being a mother of teenagers and facing other multitudes of disappointments in life.
Another story is about Rumi and Shams. Rumi’s adopted daughter Kimya, loves Shams. The part that hurt me the most was when Shams dumps her on their first night after marriage and eventually Kimya dies due to the sadness inflicted upon her. Shams, being a person who could even foretell anybody’s future, couldn’t see how deeply Kimya loved Shams and longed for him. Moreover, Aladdin loved Kimya and wanted to marry her. Again, why couldn’t he foresee that?
The book is divided into five parts: Earth, water, wind, fire, and void. A beautifully written book, with multiple narratives, it is sprinkled with soulful quotes, which are worth pondering. The parallel narratives incite curiosity as one yearns to know what happens next in both stories.
“LOVE IS THE WATER OF LIFE. AND A LOVER IS A SOUL OF FIRE! THE UNIVERSE TURNS DIFFERENTLY WHEN FIRE LOVES WATER.”
I reread this book with the members of our book club and we had an amazing time dissecting the book.
Dive into this spiritual quest of Rumi and Shams that transforms Ella, the protagonist!
Is love eternal or ephemeral?
“A LIFE WITHOUT LOVE IS OF NO ACCOUNT. DON’T ASK YOURSELF WHAT KIND OF LOVE YOU SHOULD SEEK, SPIRITUAL OR MATERIAL, DIVINE OR MUNDANE, EASTERN OR WESTERN. DIVISIONS ONLY LEAD TO MORE DIVISIONS. LOVE HAS NO LABELS, NO DEFINITIONS. IT IS WHAT IT IS, PURE AND SIMPLE. LOVE IS THE WATER OF LIFE. AND A LOVER IS A SOUL OF FIRE! THE UNIVERSE TURNS DIFFERENTLY WHEN FIRE LOVES WATER.”
One story is about a lady named Ella, who is a wife, a mother of three and who recently picked up a job as a part-time reader for a literary agent, a perfect-looking family, a dog, and a beautiful house. She reads a book which changes her outlook towards life completely. I admired Ella for her patience and spirit. It’s tough being a mother of teenagers and facing other multitudes of disappointments in life.
Another story is about Rumi and Shams. Rumi’s adopted daughter Kimya, loves Shams. The part that hurt me the most was when Shams dumps her on their first night after marriage and eventually Kimya dies due to the sadness inflicted upon her. Shams, being a person who could even foretell anybody’s future, couldn’t see how deeply Kimya loved Shams and longed for him. Moreover, Aladdin loved Kimya and wanted to marry her. Again, why couldn’t he foresee that?
The book is divided into five parts: Earth, water, wind, fire, and void. A beautifully written book, with multiple narratives, it is sprinkled with soulful quotes, which are worth pondering. The parallel narratives incite curiosity as one yearns to know what happens next in both stories.
“LOVE IS THE WATER OF LIFE. AND A LOVER IS A SOUL OF FIRE! THE UNIVERSE TURNS DIFFERENTLY WHEN FIRE LOVES WATER.”
I reread this book with the members of our book club and we had an amazing time dissecting the book.
Dive into this spiritual quest of Rumi and Shams that transforms Ella, the protagonist!