There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

Editor and Engagement Manager Sophia Dramm shares:

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

I read There Are Rivers in the Sky a year ago and I still think about it. The book tells the stories of three characters: a boy in Victorian-era London (think: “Please, sir, may I have some more?”), a girl in 2014 Turkey, and a woman in 2018 London. These seemingly disconnected characters are connected by a droplet of water. The book is beautifully written, immersive, and riddled with historic detail—the reasons why I love this author.

My favorite storyline is that of the boy, Arthur. I love me a Victorian London story! I was living in London when I read the book, and it was so cool to know the locations mentioned, like the British Museum. Arthur eventually works for a book publisher, which made me adore his story even more.

I’m a big fan of Elif Shafak. The first book of hers that I read was The Island of Missing Trees, which is partially narrated by a tree (yes, a tree—her storytelling is so creative). I recently read 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World, but I didn’t care for it. It was dark for me, and I expected it to have more creative elements / magical realism like the narrator tree and water droplet. That said, I still want to read all of Shafak’s books because I love her writing. It’s a treat to read.