Our book group choice for February 2025 is The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak. A 40-year-old housewife, is hired to read a novel called Sweet Blasphemy by Aziz Zahara. The novel tells the story of Shams of Tabriz, a wandering dervish, and his meeting with the renowned poet Rumi in 13th-century Konya.
As Ella delves deeper into the manuscript, she finds herself captivated by Shams’s teachings on love, spirituality, and the search for truth. His forty rules challenge Ella’s conventional beliefs and inspire her to re-evaluate her own life and marriage.
The novel alternates between Ella’s present-day experiences and the historical tale of Rumi and Shams. Through their intertwined narratives, Shafak explores the transformative power of love, the universality of human connection, and the timeless wisdom of Sufi mysticism.
As Ella becomes increasingly immersed in the world of Rumi and Shams, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, questioning her past choices and embracing the possibility of a new beginning.
Discussion Questions
To come
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