A gorgeous, jeweled, luxurious book The Times Shafak will challenge Paulo Coelho's dominance. With its timely, thought-provoking message ... The Forty Rules of Love deserves to be a global publishing phenomenon Independent Enlightening, enthralling. An affecting paean to faith and love Metro Colourfully woven and beguilingly intelligent Daily Telegraph The past and present fit together beautifully in a passionate defence of passion itself The Times

Elif Shafak was born in Strasbourg, France, in 1971. She is an award-winning novelist and the most widely read female writer in Turkey. Critics have acclaimed her as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary literature in both Turkish and English. Her novels include The Bastard of Istanbul which was longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction. Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages. She is married with two children, and divides her time between London and Istanbul. Her website is www.elifshafak.com.