[BWF] 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak - 4 stars

[Jen K]

A powerful story of friendship/ found family in Turkey. Told in 3 parts- mind, body and soul starting at the point that Tequila Leila's body died. In the mind part, she flashes back telling her story of how she ended up dead in a trash bin but also stories of her five best friends and that amazing connection despite the tragedies in her own and others' stories. In the body part, her found family tries to assert their tie of family to retrieve Leila's body against the bureaucracy of requiring a blood tie. While some parts of the story are quite difficult, Leila's life is one of some beautiful friendships and a chance to live life under her own control (to a point that economics and power allow).

It is an interesting snapshot of Turkey as part of society became more religious and dealt with international politics of befriending the US while also considering communism, bridging the West and the East in many ways. I appreciate the history complementing the story of Leila and her friends. I also enjoy Shafak's writing and interesting approach to storytelling.
13
BWF Tenacious Trailblazers: Letter S; Sad x 13