Water remembers. It is humans who forget. These words, echoing through Elif Shafak’s latest masterpiece, “There Are Rivers in the Sky,” serve as both a haunting refrain and a poignant reminder of our complex relationship with the most essential element on Earth. In this sprawling, ambitious novel, Shafak weaves together three seemingly disparate lives across centuries and continents, all connected by the ebb and flow of two mighty rivers: the Thames and the Tigris.
A River of Words
From the very first page, Shafak’s prose flows like the rivers she describes—sometimes languid and reflective, other times rushing with urgency. Her words have a hypnotic quality, drawing readers into a world where the boundaries between past and present, myth and reality, blur like watercolors on a damp canvas.
As I meandered through the pages, I found myself lost in the author’s vivid descriptions. The stench of the polluted Thames in Victorian London, the scorching heat of the Iraqi desert, the gentle lapping of water against a houseboat in modern-day Chelsea—each scene is rendered with such exquisite detail that I could almost feel the grime on my skin, taste the dust in my mouth, hear the river’s whispers.
Three Lives, Two Rivers, One Epic
At the heart of this novel are three unforgettable characters:
Arthur: The Boy Who Remembered Everything
Born in the slums of 1840s London, Arthur Smyth is a child prodigy with an extraordinary gift—he never forgets anything. His journey from the sewage-filled banks of the Thames to the hallowed halls of the British Museum is both inspiring and heartbreaking. Through Arthur’s eyes, we witness the cruelty and wonder of Victorian England, and the birth of modern archaeology.
Narin: The Girl Who Will Lose Her Hearing
In 2014, young Narin, a Yazidi girl living near the Tigris, faces an impending silence. Diagnosed with a rare disorder that will soon rob her of her hearing, she embarks on a perilous journey with her grandmother to be baptized in a sacred temple. Their story, set against the backdrop of rising ISIS threats, is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of cultural memory.
Zaleekah: The Woman on the Verge
In present-day London, hydrologist Zaleekha seeks refuge on a houseboat on the Thames, grappling with a failed marriage and a deep-seated melancholy. Her discovery of a mysterious book about her homeland sets her on a path of self-discovery and unexpected connection.
A Tapestry of Time and Water
Shafak’s genius lies in her ability to weave these disparate threads into a cohesive whole. As the stories unfold, we begin to see the invisible connections—a single drop of water that travels through time, carrying memories and stories from one era to the next.
The author’s exploration of water as both life-giver and destroyer is particularly poignant. In one breathtaking passage, she writes:
“Water is the consummate immigrant, trapped in transit, never able to settle. It remained hidden under the fossil-filled earth for tens if not thousands of years, climbed up to the skies and returned to earth in mist, fog, monsoon or hailstorm, perpetually displaced and relocated.”
This metaphor not only applies to the element itself but also to the characters in the novel, each of whom is, in their own way, displaced and searching for belonging.
Echoes of the Epic
Looming large over the entire narrative is the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest known works of literature. Shafak skillfully interweaves elements of this ancient Mesopotamian poem throughout the novel, using it as a touchstone to explore themes of mortality, friendship, and the human quest for meaning.
Arthur’s obsession with deciphering the cuneiform tablets containing the epic, Narin’s connection to the Yazidi oral traditions that echo its themes, and Zaleekah’s unexpected encounter with its modern incarnations all serve to highlight the enduring power of storytelling across millennia.
A Symphony of Voices
One of the most striking aspects of “There Are Rivers in the Sky” is Shafak’s ability to inhabit such diverse characters. Each voice is distinct and authentic, from Arthur’s formal Victorian cadences to Narin’s innocent yet perceptive observations, to Zaleekah’s introspective musings.
The supporting cast is equally well-drawn. I was particularly moved by the character of Grandma Besma, Narin’s grandmother, whose quiet strength and deep connection to her Yazidi heritage form the emotional core of their storyline.
A River of Themes
As with her previous works, Shafak doesn’t shy away from tackling big themes. “There Are Rivers in the Sky” explores:
- The nature of memory and forgetting
- The impact of colonialism and cultural appropriation
- The plight of marginalized communities
- The environmental crisis and our relationship with water
- The power of storytelling and oral traditions
- The search for identity and belonging
While these themes could easily become overwhelming in less skilled hands, Shafak navigates them with grace and nuance, never allowing the message to overshadow the story.
A Few Turbulent Currents
No river flows without a few rapids, and “There Are Rivers in the Sky” is not without its challenges. At times, the sheer scope of the novel can feel daunting, and some readers may find themselves struggling to keep up with the multiple timelines and interconnected plotlines.
Additionally, Shafak’s lyrical prose, while beautiful, occasionally threatens to overwhelm the narrative. There were moments when I found myself so lost in the language that I had to backtrack to follow the plot.
These are minor quibbles, however, in what is otherwise a stunning achievement.
In the Company of Giants
“There Are Rivers in the Sky” solidifies Shafak’s place among the great contemporary novelists. Her ability to blend historical fact with imaginative storytelling brings to mind the works of Salman Rushdie and Gabriel García Márquez.
Fans of David Mitchell’s “Cloud Atlas” will appreciate the novel’s intricate structure and interconnected narratives, while those who enjoyed Anthony Doerr’s “Cloud Cuckoo Land” will find similar themes of resilience and the power of stories to transcend time.
A Lasting Impression
As I turned the final page of “There Are Rivers in the Sky,” I felt as if I had emerged from a deep dive into the collective unconscious of humanity. Shafak’s novel is not just a story – it’s an experience, a journey through time and space that leaves an indelible mark on the reader’s psyche.
Days after finishing the book, I found myself looking at rivers differently, wondering about the memories they carry, the stories they could tell if only we knew how to listen. And isn’t that the mark of truly great literature? To change the way we see the world around us?
In Conclusion: A River Worth Following
“There Are Rivers in the Sky” is a triumph of storytelling, a novel that manages to be both intimately personal and sweepingly epic. Elif Shafak has given us a work that is at once a love letter to the power of narrative, a plea for environmental and cultural preservation, and a deeply moving exploration of what it means to be human in a world that often seems bent on forgetting its past.
Like the rivers it celebrates, this book will carry you along on its current, sometimes gently, sometimes with heart-pounding intensity, but always towards something profound and beautiful. It’s a journey well worth taking.
For fans of Shafak’s previous works like “The Forty Rules of Love” and “The Island of Missing Trees,” this novel will feel like coming home to a familiar yet ever-changing landscape. For those new to her writing, prepare to be swept away by one of the most original and compelling voices in contemporary literature.
“There Are Rivers in the Sky” is not just a book to be read – it’s a book to be experienced, savored, and remembered. Like water, it will find its way into the cracks and crevices of your mind, nourishing your imagination and leaving you forever changed.