Ella
Rubinstein is a 40 year old stay-at-home mother and wife with a beautiful home,
3 children and a prosperous husband. Outwardly, Ella has everything one could
wish for, despite which she still feels an unnamed sense of discontent.
Agreeing to a
part time job as a reader to a literary agent, Ella’s first assignment is to
read a debut novel by an author called, Aziz Z Zahara.
The novel,
titled Sweet Blasphemy, is set in the 13th century Anatolia and Ella
finds herself reading about the fabled poet Rumi, whose life and views were
transformed by the whirling dervish Shams of Tabriz and his forty rules of love
and life. Both characters so diverse from
each other that only a miracle could have brought them together.
Along with
Ella we discover Rumi and Shams, and the journey of their friendship and love,
peppered with Shams Forty Rules and various characters, all diverse from the
other, who come together to form a tapestry that reveals itself in the end,
leaving you overwhelmed at the beauty of it.
As Ella’s
reading of Sweet Blasphemy progress, she starts an email correspondence with
the author. What begins with innocent emails soon turn into intimate exchanges,
deepening Ella and Aziz’s bond.
Much like
love, this book is many layered and requires patience and acceptance to be
understood. Much like love, it will make you smile and bring tears to your
eyes. Much like love, it will also be understood and interpreted differently.
Much like love, it will simplify itself when you stop trying to understand it.
Much like love, it will show you facets of yourself you never imagined you
possessed. Much like love, you will realise every lesson comes for a price. Much
like love, it will leave you humbled. Much like love, reading The Forty Rules
of Love was a spiritual experience. One that can only be felt and one that must
be felt.
P:S: The Forty
Rules of Love wasn’t an easy book to read. I lost patience many times during
the first 60 pages and also set it aside. But friends who have enjoyed reading
it asked me to be patient and read on. And I am glad I did.