51 pages • 1 hour read
Elif ShafakThe Forty Rules of Love
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2009A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak intertwines the story of Ella Rubinstein, a discontented housewife, and her transformative journey sparked by reading a manuscript about the 13th-century Sufi dervish Shams of Tabriz and the poet Rumi. As Ella delves into their spiritual bond and teachings, she begins to reevaluate her own life and seeks a more passionate existence. Includes themes of terminal illness and death.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak intertwines a modern-day love story with the historical bond between Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, earning praise for its poetic language and spiritual depth. Criticisms target its predictable plot and occasionally didactic tone, but it remains celebrated for its rich cultural exploration and emotional resonance.
Who Should Read The Forty Rules of Love?
An ideal reader for Elif Shafak's The Forty Rules of Love enjoys deeply reflective and spiritual narratives with intertwining historical and contemporary storylines. Fans of Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist or Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner will find this book’s exploration of Sufism and transformative love appealing.