10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World
Synopsis
This is the life story of sex worker Tequila Leila from Van in Eastern Turkey. Each chapter is paired with a defining moment from Leila's life. In the ten minutes and thirty-eight seconds after her death, her fragmented memories unfold, from the abuse she experienced in childhood, an arranged marriage, and her eventual immigration to Istanbul where she is forced to leave her past behind. In a time of great cultural and political instability, she manages to find a new life and liberation in Istanbul. This story is largely shaped by the colorful cast of characters that she meets along her way to self-understanding. Thematically, this book transcends the sensationalism or stereotypical depictions ascribed to survivors of abuse, utilizing dramatic plot points to address difficult subject matter. Shafak illustrates the effects of marginalization, life within shifting political climates, and the hypocrisy embedded in Turkey's history while using Leila's characterization as a symbol for change. This book is dark, but it's also a poignant celebration of love, friendship, and the profound resilience of women.
Review
This book works well, both in concept and execution. It's such a powerful piece because it brings the real lived experiences of women into focus—specifically the "undesirables," who have been historically overshadowed by the rest of society. It doesn't spare the reader from gory details, but they are each accompanied by a profound wisdom and compassion. Using her lush, melancholic prose, Shafak illustrates Leila's trauma so authentically. While I admire the unique narrative architecture of this book, the secondary characters could have been more fleshed out to really make them come alive on the page as much as Leila. Despite it's flaws, this book gives longevity to the history of instability in Turkey, specifically discourse and violence between left and right-wing factions and the military takeover of the country's government from the 1960s to 80s. This book works to reinvigorate the lost stories of those who were displaced in that time, and it will leave you with an unremitting hope for a better future.