10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in this Strange World Book Review

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For fans of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and Girl, Woman, Other

Set in Istanbul, 10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in this Strange World is a love letter to the city and its people while also exposing its dark and fetid underbelly. Our protagonist Leila dies at the beginning and we follow as she reminisces about her life and the people in it for the 10 minutes and 38 seconds after she dies. Using smells, sounds, and her senses as triggers, we are swept up in her visceral memories – both the pleasant and shocking.

Firstly, this premise is so unique and intriguing that I think you’d struggle to find anyone whose interest isn’t at least a little bit piqued. Far from being a whimsical story with an other worldly feel, this book is very much grounded in reality and undulates through Istanbul telling the stories of Leila but also a plethora of eclectic characters too.

Leila, or Tequila Leila, being the protagonist was obviously fascinating; a lot of her story is tragic, but I got the sense while reading that Shafak didn’t want her death to be sad – rather she used it to tell her story and celebrate her life instead. The dichotomy of the narrative fluctuating from the murder and violence rife in Istanbul, to the beauty of the individuality those existing there can find, overall it was a beautiful book and one I found hard to put down.

I loved the recurring motif of ‘The Five’ that Leila kept mentioning – these were her groups of friends while she was alive and despite the injustices and abuse she faced, any mention of them felt instantly familiar and safe. Being a book about family, friendship, love, sex, and life 10 Minutes attempts to tackle many themes and issues and its a beautiful collage of them all.

A moving novel with moments of true anguish, by the end of this book the joy does outshine the grief. I’m very excited to read more from Shafak as her writing is a testament to her passion for storytelling and love for Turkey.