Play Book Tag discussion

This book is a 5-star read for me and it keeps getting better! Now that I have closed the book and put the storylines to rest, I have been thinking about the characters, their connections across time, and the world then and now. The author has put so many thoughts and ideas into this book that I am still digging up, much as Arthur was digging for tablets containing the missing lines of the epic poem. And of course I had to do some digital digging, to learn more about Nineveh, Gilgamesh, and the Yazidi.
I loved how the characters were connected across centuries by water. A drop of water that fell on King Ashurbanipal in ancient Mesopotamia returns as a snowflake that falls on Arthur as he is born on the banks of the Thames. Narin and Zakeelah both understand the power of water, to sustain life and to kill. Water has memory and yet, some things never change. There is still hate and genocide. There is still environmental degradation. There are still people being bought and sold, like ancient artifacts that fill the libraries of the rich. OK, I seem to have moved from a book review to a rant! But the book is also filled with love. The writing is beautiful. I am sure it will be in my Top 10 for the year.

So glad to see you loved it too, Shelly!

Didn't work for me, but I always had a very poor record with the most popular books here. I'm glad Shafak's particular style has found a resonance with your own sensibilities and expectations.