10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World book review

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak
Published by Viking on June 6, 2019
Pages: 312
Goodreads

An intensely powerful new novel from the best-selling author of The Bastard of Istanbul and Honour
'In the first minute following her death, Tequila Leila's consciousness began to ebb, slowly and steadily, like a tide receding from the shore. Her brain cells, having run out of blood, were now completely deprived of oxygen. But they did not shut down. Not right away...'
For Leila, each minute after her death brings a sensuous memory: the taste of spiced goat stew, sacrificed by her father to celebrate the long-awaited birth of a son; the sight of bubbling vats of lemon and sugar which the women use to wax their legs while the men attend mosque; the scent of cardamom coffee that Leila shares with a handsome student in the brothel where she works. Each memory, too, recalls the friends she made at each key moment in her life - friends who are now desperately trying to find her. . .

I have had a mixed experience with the Booker Prize books with one that was actually a DNF the other two were great. This one has been firmly added to the great pile. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World is a really odd concept because you are reading and learning about a character that has already died. This book made me feel so emotional, because I got so attached to her as a person but I knew there was no coming back from her being dead. It was a really surreal experience and it was a really unique book in that regard. I loved this book, and I loved learning more about the culture and the different ways everything worked out in the end.

The main character in 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World was Leila and as I have mentioned she starts the book off dead. We learn about the world through various memories as her brain shuts down, I felt so close to her as a character and her experiences. I feel like learning about the world and her friends in this way meant that we were more connected to every part of her world. I just felt every action and reaction was so well thought out that nothing was a complete surprise it was a beautifully written book and I adored each and every one of the characters in this one. I can only hope that the friends I have would do the same for me as hers did.

I think the best bit of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World was definitely how it was written. I feel as though the timing of everything was brilliantly paced and it really offered a great insight into each of the characters and why they were the way they were. I loved the reading of this, even though you thought you knew how everything was going to end there was still enough left in the story to leave you surprised and wanting more. I don’t know which specific parts I enjoyed because this book was an all-round joy and thrill to read.

I think the worst bits of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World for me was that some of the parts of the story were a little repetitive and a little boring. There were parts where it didn’t seem to add much to the story but were a little over the top. They were few and far between and didn’t impact on my love of this book at all!

I would definitely recommend 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World and I think it’s going to be one of my favourites of the year. I love how the book made me feel and how it was set out to tell everyone’s story and how they all entwined with Leila’s. It was a masterpiece and I will definitely be picking up her other books to see if I love them just as much!

Have you had any luck with the Booker Prize books? Which were your favourites? Let me know!