10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak is a poignant read.
However, just like beauty, a book also falls under the knife of subjective scrutiny. I have read multiple reviews before proceeding to express my own. Some opined the book became preachy towards the end. Some thought it lacked catharsis, though the praise for Elif Shafak’s storytelling and her love for Istanbul overpowers these criticisms to a great extent.
Coming back to myself, I found Shafak’s story of a Turkish woman reminiscing about her life’s events before her subconscious mind shuts down completely to be compelling. Outside, she is a dead prostitute thrown in a large public dustbin somewhere in the city’s outskirts. But on the inside, even after her heart stops beating, her mind continues to wander through the alleyways of memories for her to see and feel them for one last time, both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
Set against the backdrop of 1940s-1990s Istanbul, Turkey, the novel tells the story of Tequila Leila and her journey from innocence to survival as a sex worker. Abused by her uncle and let down by her father and then her mother/aunt Binnaz, she was forced to understood the precarious position of women in her society at a young age. Yet, her earnest zest for life and her compassionate nature led her to forge strong connections with her five friends whom she regards as her precious water family–Sabotage Sinan, Nostalgia Nalan, Zaynab, Jameelah, and Hollywood Humeyra.
Through Leila’s friends, Shafak lends voice to the underdogs, immigrants, transgender individuals, and the outcasts. Each friendship allows us to understand Leila more intimately, in layers. Along with Leila, one of the most impressive characters is Nostalgia Nalan. She owns her sexuality and difference despite being scorned by society and passersby. She is practical yet tender, harsh yet considerate of her friends, especially for her beloved Leila.
Leila has been a rebellion and her stubborn attempt to follow her heart threatened the toxic patriarchal system. Her naivete and free nature made her the victim of repeated abuse and an embodiment of walking shame. She came with a dream to do something big in Istanbul, the city of joy and hope. Only to find that it is broken and is in flux– always “struggling, competing, clashing”.
Leila’s journey of struggle, defiance, love, and friendship with her five companions is a story of trauma, resilience, and everything in between.
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