Casablanca – Everyone has a favorite writer, or at least a favorite genre. Some people have many.

Elif Shafak is the kind of author who attracts a devoted following, though her style isn’t for everyone. Her novels are intricate, emotionally resonant, and intellectually stimulating.

Holding both British and Turkish nationality, she is one of the most widely read Turkish writers. Writing in both English and Turkish, she has won several literary awards and has also been nominated for major prizes. 

Shafak’s novels weave emotion, philosophy, and history into unforgettable tales that linger long after you close the book. Here are five of her works worth exploring

The Forty Rules of Love

This novel takes the reader into two dimensions. In the first, we follow Ella Rubenstein, a 40-year-old who has just started her first job at a literary agency. Her very first task? Reading a manuscript called Sweet Blasphemy.

From that moment, her life begins to change. The story also takes us to the 13th century, exploring the profound friendship between Jalal al-Din Rumi (known as Rumi,) the wandering mystic, and Shams of Tabriz, the unconventional dervish.

The book is about transformation, reflection, and discovering deeper meaning in life. Each chapter invites the reader to think, feel, and question, making it a perfect read for anyone seeking depth and inspiration.

Three Daughters of Eve

Always with the same spirituality and reflective thinking, “Three Daughters of Eve” takes us on another philosophical journey. 

Guess what? Shafak doesn’t try to make you believe in anything. Instead, she invites you to think, reflect, and form your own conclusions.

The story takes us to Oxford University, where three girls from very different religious backgrounds meet. One is deeply devout, another is more rebellious, and the third is caught in the middle, shaped by her parents’ contrasting beliefs. Through their friendship, the novel explores identity, faith, religion, and the choices that shape our lives.

10 Minutes 38 Seconds In This Strange World

In this novel, Shafak takes us inside the mind of Tequila Leila, who has been murdered, but her consciousness is still active. A study suggests the human mind stays aware for 10 minutes and 38 seconds after death, and that’s exactly where the story begins.

Leila, whose life circumstances led her to become a sex worker, recalls her childhood, friendships, love, and the streets of Istanbul that shaped her. Each memory is vivid, sometimes joyful, and mostly heartbreaking.

After those final 10 minutes and 38 seconds, the story moves to the world around Leila’s body. Her friends, the people who truly cared for her, gather to grieve, share memories, and make sure she isn’t forgotten. Through their conversations, we see love, loyalty, and the small acts that keep a person alive in memory even after they’re gone.

Honour

This story follows a Turkish-Kurdish family whose life falls apart because of a strict and violent act of honor.

It starts in 1970s London, when a young man, Ismael, is arrested for killing his mother, Pembe, in the name of honor. From there, we follow the family back to a small village in eastern Turkey and then through their struggles as immigrants in London. The book shows how tradition, culture, and isolation can shape a family (or sometimes destroy it!)

Black Milk

Black Milk is a personal story where Shafak shares a chapter of her own life. After giving birth to her first child, she went through postpartum depression that left her confused and unsure of herself. The life she had known as a free and creative artist suddenly felt far away, and she struggled to find her place as a mother.

In the book, Shafak talks about the many sides of herself. There is the ambitious side, the practical side, the spiritual side, the maternal side, and even the impulsive side. She also reflects on the experiences of other women writers, exploring how to balance creativity and motherhood and how to find a sense of harmony within yourself.

Intrigued? I know we are. If you’ve never taken a journey with this author, now is the time.