"10 minutes 38 seconds in this strange world" by Elif Shafak - It’s different!
This book is published by Penguin in 2020 and has 320 pages.
Tequila Laila, a prostitute, is dumped in a waste bin in Istanbul. She is dead. But it is said that even when your heart stops and body dies, your brain remains active for 10 minutes and 38 seconds. In this time Laila reminisces her life.
What is Laila’s story? How does she die? Will she get a decent burial? Does her rag tag group of friends care for her? Does she have a family?
Laila has no friends other than Hollywood Humeria (a night club singer fighting depression), Nostalgia Nalan (Born male and becomes female), Zeinab 122 (a dwarf), Jameela (a weak African prostitute) and Sabotage Sinan (her timid childhood friend). Love finds its way to Laila and she gets married eventually to get back on the streets.
It’s a tragedy. However, the suffering, the injustice doesn’t break Laila’s spirit. She lives a life on her own terms, until she dies. This is when she is buried into cemetery of unknowns and her friends decide to give her a heart felt and decent burial.
It’s a very slow story but it’s also poignant. It makes you think. Credit to author for conceiving the idea and giving birth to the book.
This book was shortlisted for Booker prize.
Why did I read this book? Author.
What I didn't like? Pace.
What did I like? The concept.
Recommend reading.
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