
Let me first talk about the never-ending chokehold this book has on Delhi wholesale booksellers, you’ll find this book in every second stall. Due to this free publicity, I ended up picking this book and giving it a try. I’ll first talk about the things I really liked - its attention to detail and the structure of the book. There are two timelines going on - one in 1240s and the other one in 2000s. There’s a spiritual connection between the two, which is depicted very well. The attention to detail can be seen in even something as small as choosing to begin every chapter with the letter ‘B’ because it is the first letter in Bismillah, an Arabic phrase said before beginning any work for good luck, blessing, etc. whatever strikes your fancy.
Yet, even after all this the characters and the overall plot is too surface level and can be summarised in one sentence (imagine this being said in a wise, melancholy, mystical voice) - “If you want something, it is you who can get it for you. Everything can be solved if you look inwards instead of outwards.” I just came up with this tidbit of knowledge in under a minute but that’s what all the 40 rules in “40 rules of love” sound like and are trying to say. So yeaaah the books tends to get repetitive and sounds very parable-like. I will admit I liked some of the characters but they were just not given enough time for me to actually be invested in them and they were dropped as soon as the lesson in the parable was completed.
Let me first talk about the never-ending chokehold this book has on Delhi wholesale booksellers, you’ll find this book in every second stall. Due to this free publicity, I ended up picking this book and giving it a try. I’ll first talk about the things I really liked - its attention to detail and the structure of the book. There are two timelines going on - one in 1240s and the other one in 2000s. There’s a spiritual connection between the two, which is depicted very well. The attention to detail can be seen in even something as small as choosing to begin every chapter with the letter ‘B’ because it is the first letter in Bismillah, an Arabic phrase said before beginning any work for good luck, blessing, etc. whatever strikes your fancy.
Yet, even after all this the characters and the overall plot is too surface level and can be summarised in one sentence (imagine this being said in a wise, melancholy, mystical voice) - “If you want something, it is you who can get it for you. Everything can be solved if you look inwards instead of outwards.” I just came up with this tidbit of knowledge in under a minute but that’s what all the 40 rules in “40 rules of love” sound like and are trying to say. So yeaaah the books tends to get repetitive and sounds very parable-like. I will admit I liked some of the characters but they were just not given enough time for me to actually be invested in them and they were dropped as soon as the lesson in the parable was completed.