There are Rivers in the Sky is the latest novel from Elif Shafak, the bestselling author of The Island of Missing Trees. This novel delves into the human experience of displacement, migration, and the search for identity, while also exploring themes of love, loss, and resilience. Set against the backdrop of multiple landscapes and timelines, Shafak intertwines the lives of her characters with the natural world, symbolized by the flowing rivers in the sky—ethereal yet constant forces that connect different lives and stories.
Shafak’s prose is known for its lyrical beauty and depth, and in There are Rivers in the Sky, she continues to weave magical realism into the fabric of historical and emotional realities. Through its rich characters and layered narrative, the novel reflects on the fluidity of borders—whether geographic, cultural, or emotional—and challenges the idea of belonging in a world in constant motion.