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Gina Ferrari's avatar

I loved this book and like you was sent down many avenues of research about things I previously knew nothing about. I was also fortunate enough to hear Elif in conversation about the book in Cambridge and she signed my copy.

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Christine Beck's avatar

Gina, I'm jealous. But sure I will meet her someday.

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Barbara Bomes's avatar

I’ve had this book on my waiting list on Libby since you wrote this review. I am now at the midpoint of the book and find it as compelling and fascinating as you promised. Now I want to read Elif’s other works

Thank you again

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Christine Beck's avatar

Barbara, my book group chose it for June. I’m leading the session. I hope to have your reaction by then! I liked The Island of Missing Trees but not as much. It’s on a smaller scale. The Bastard of Istanbul bogged down. I started reading it because she said in one of her sub stack posts that she had been sued as a result of her portrayal of religion in the book so I want to see what all the fuss was about.

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Tom Janiak's avatar

Thanks Christine for your personal and insightful review of "There are rivers in the sky" . Let me recommend you my lines about "The Island of missing trees". https://elifshafak.substack.com/p/story-time-tree-time-and-human-time?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2

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Hastie salih's avatar

Hi Christine. I loved this book too and was at Elif’s book launch in Southbank, London. I’ve met her in Cambridge too. She’s very compassionate and an excellent writer. I visited the British Museum where you can see the cuneiform tablets. And I even visited the Museum in Sulaymaniyah where the tablets were closely guarded! Thanks for your extensive analysis of Elif’s book. Best wishes. Hastie Salih.

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Christine Beck's avatar

Thank you Hastie. Nice to meet another fan.

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Mary Russell's avatar

I came to Elif Shafak's book "there are rivers..." solely on a chance remark by a friend. Once I had it in hand, I knew that a book of this size was beyond my attention span. How wrong I was.

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