10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World Hardcover – January 1, 2019

There is so much filled in this tale of fiction that weaves so much history, and sadness- particuarly when one realizes this area from which the author has set the scenery- a land that was somewhat a meeting of two worlds, where warlords usurped people who had been there for centuries and built something else; alongside a faith- one gets a peak into the window- istanbul. Her story crafts for the western reader a reality not known, a harshness of a male oriented society - people in the west thing they have it bad- but even where prostitutes have rights- its not anywhere on the scale of where this story is set. Being a historical buff; her stories echoes the sentiments of tragedy- tragedy is a symptom of such dogma and that dogma entrenched is where the protagonist is. It is the most unfortunate thing to be born a women in the middle of the east asia, most certainly, where nomads and warlords of unspeakable cruelty removed greek civilization and built something else- but this tale is superb, and crafted so well. I think this is her best book. I am starting to read the others- Turkey besides the Azeri state- locks up a significant amount of journalism, so pleasant to read her insights crafted into fiction but truth underlying the dark belly of the holy piety of this city so attributed, but so far from attained . She is a great author with full of similes and metaphors and deep insight. This was a joy to stumble upon.

This novel has a very captivating and fresh start and the first half is a pageturner. However the second half loses its momentum and the ending is poor and loose. I'd be more satisfying if the book just stopped in 10'38''. In the second half not only does the plot lose its momentum, but it seems as though the author intentionally attempts to relate the tragic personal story of our protagonist with the history of Istanbul, which is unnecessary to me.

This is a stunningly lyrical, yet down-to-earth elegy to a woman, Leila, who grew up mired in a society rife with oppression and injustice toward women (as so many are), but who would let the painful circumstances of her life break or embitter her. In the 10 minutes and 38 seconds after she has been murdered (no spoiler here; the book opens with this), her final lingering thoughts and memories bring to life the story a girl who whose fate was sealed, simply by being borne a female in a extremely patriarchal culture that relegated women to being breeders and handmaidens, unless they dared to escape, at their own peril. Leila's last few memories of her life's trajectory until that moment in time in turn brings to life the many women who were her devoted friends. Like Leila, they had faced hardships, oppression, and ostracism, and followed paths that led them to their destinies and to each other. They found their place in a treacherous world and made the most of it. Leila and every one of these women (and one man who never forgot or stopped loving his childhood friend), and the city and culture they live in, are brought to vivid life. They have all suffered and struggled, they have all been living on the edge, and in a chronic state of dodging danger, deprivation, dejection, and rejection. But they were all wonderful and brave in their own right, and devoted to Leila and each other. The author fleshes out each character fully...each is imperfect, like all of us, scarred in different ways by the struggles and hardships they have faced..and always will face. But they are brimming with humanity, sass, and inner strength and that's what shines through. Now that I have finished the book, I will miss them all.

From the story’s four-word opening sentence introducing Leila until the penultimate chapter that closes with “free at last,” Shafak’s prose captivates with fluid transitions in time and milieu. Leila, is the primary actor in this alternatingly violent, loving, oppressive tale. In her dying minutes, Leila cannot complete her story without revealing each player who had a significant effect on the situations in which she found herself, the choices she made, and the risks she undertook. Each actor is fully developed with recognizable personalities, special backstories, and are richly presented in the individual space allotted. Some are not sympathetic characters. The few walk-ons are essential to advancing the plot. Seemingly, one special person is not given enough space; but, it proves to be a rational literary decision. The significant friends have dedicated chapters that explain their connections to Leila and each other. The entire book is extraordinary. When you start reading this book, you will not be able to close it to sleep, to eat, to breathe.