.png)
“Little did she yet understand that the end of childhood comes not when a child’s body changes with puberty, but when her mind is finally able to see her life through the eyes of an outsider.”
10 minutes and 38 seconds in this strange world by Elif Shafak ;an author whose writing style and storytelling are captivating .The story follows the journey of Leila ,a character I got attached to by the end of the book .Her birth ,her childhood, the migration to Istanbul, her work in the brothel ,the friendships , the struggles and the 10 minutes and 38 seconds after her death .
The title may be confusing at first ,actually it is based on the possibility of consciousness few minutes after clinical death .So the title of the book is the remaining time of Leila's brain activity after her death .With each minute passing we get to explore a memory of hers ,her birth ,her childhood and adulthood .The first 2/3 of the book were more about the past and the memories .Even the descriptions are dreamlike , wandering in the streets and atmosphere of Istanbul .
The book is an immersion in a part of Istanbul during the seventies ,with it's magic and tragedies .A city that witnessed different civilisations ,leaving their traces at every part of the city .Even if the author is describing the dark places of the city ,it does explores the duality of it .A city similar to Layla ,with it's own tragedies but still alluring and magical .
This book is a story about friendship ,we get to know Leyla's friends .Each one carries a different story and character ,but Leyla binds them together . And their Loyalty is shown through and until the end of the book .
Have you read this book ?What are your thoughts ?
Comments