Is book grief a thing? I’m struggling to move on from this one…

There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak tells the haunting story of three individuals whose lives swirl around water, specifically water that has in some way been connected with the River Tigris and the story of the Epic of Gilgamesh.

The narrative takes place between the nineteenth century and the present day, with some of its most devastating chapters reflecting on the heartbreaking attacks on Yazidis in 2014. This I remember so startlingly from the news at the time, seeing images of people desperately hiding on a mountaintop to escape their pursuers; Shafak’s account was devastatingly gripping.

I loved that this book entwined ancient history with a contemporary narrative, opening up a whole new world of ancient Assyrian history to this very medieval historian. I find myself wanting to read and learn more, the sign for sure of an excellent book. Perhaps I need to take (another) trip to the British Museum to see those statues for myself (again…).