Another stunning novel from Elif Shafak. 

First drawn in by the author (I'm a huge fan of 'The Island of Missing Trees') then struck by the promising subject of ancient Mesopotamia, I knew 'There are rivers in the skies' was for me.  

Shafak masterfully weaves in themes of family, culture, climate crisis amongst multiple narrators. What was most unique about the novel is the interconnectedness of the narrators via a single drop of water despite time. 

I loved the use of language (my copy is covered in highlighter), the exploration of climate crisis and how much history was squeezed in to the novel. Whilst I did feel some of the character's relationships were under developed (Arthur and *spoiler*) and wanted a little more ancient world, I learnt so much through reading this novel and gained a perspective I wouldn't otherwise have - one of the many reasons why I love reading. 

I purchased by copy from Books at Stones during Love Your Bookshop Day 2024. 

"But the abuse of natural resources, the lust for power and dominance, and endless rivalries led to the decline of cities, and then came famine, flood and drought." pg441.