Elif Shafak has published 17 novels and 1 non-fiction book, beginning with The Gaze (1999). The best-known is The Forty Rules of Love (2009). The latest is There Are Rivers in the Sky (2024).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Elif Shafak
Start here
The Forty Rules of Love
Elif Shafak's most-read book.
Newest
There Are Rivers in the Sky
Published 2024.
Standalone novels in order
The Gaze (1999)
The Flea Palace (2002)
Araf (2004)
The Saint of Incipient Insanities (2004)
The Bastard of Istanbul (2006)
Black Milk (2007)
The Forty Rules of Love (2009)
The Flea Palace by Elif Shafak (2010)
Honour (2012)
Honor (2013)
The Architect's Apprentice (2013)
Ustam Ve Ben (2013)
Havvanin Üc Kizi (2016)
Three Daughters of Eve (2016)
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World (2019)
The Island of Missing Trees (2021)
There Are Rivers in the Sky (2024)
Non-fiction in order
How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division (Aug 2020)
About Elif Shafak
Elif Shafak is a Turkish-British novelist, essayist, public speaker, political scientist, and activist.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Elif Shafak FAQ
- How many books has Elif Shafak written?
- Elif Shafak has published 17 novels and 1 non-fiction book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Elif Shafak's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Forty Rules of Love.
- What is Elif Shafak's latest book?
- There Are Rivers in the Sky (2024).
- What is Elif Shafak's most famous book?
- The Forty Rules of Love (2009) is Elif Shafak's most widely read book.
Authors like Elif Shafak
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.