Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Mis Últimos 10 Minutos y 38 Segundos en este Extraño Mundo

"Perhaps nothing was worth worrying about in a city where everything was constantly shifting and dissolving, and the only thing they could ever rely on was this moment in time, which was already half gone."

3.5 stars. i had to read this for my grsj lit class and i liked it a lot more than i thought it would, but i blame that on the five extensive academic circle-jerk papers my prof made us read on a foucault theory the week before. it was also harder to read than i thought it would be. some of the themes are heavy and dark given the nature of the story and what shafak seeks to navigate, but the content itself wasn't particularly explicit. surprisingly, i think i had a harder time reading the ending of the book instead of the more graphic events that occur earlier on. maybe it's the reality of death that i'm familiar with. reading about collective mourning in the aftermath of a death and feeling it as my own, rather than the disconnect that happens when reading about the act of dying and death itself. idk! i'm gonna stare at a wall for a while though!

overall, i liked it a lot. the characters and imagery in this novel are so vivid, and is clearly a loving observation of a complicated city with complicated people and an even more complicated history.

Content Warnings

roseraindrops's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Moderate Spoilers ahead :) ...
This book was very different from anything I have ever decided to read before, and although at points I felt deep hatred and disgust for some of the characters and a bleak sense of sadness and helplessness, I think this book is actually very important and delves into so many important, contemporary issues through Leila, and her perhaps unlikely, ragtag group of friends. I mean, just from the content warnings alone you can see that this is not for someone looking for a lighthearted read, but although uncomfortable at times, Shafak beautifully tells the stories of the lives of the outcasts in Istanbul:

'Tequila' Leila - the main character who is a dead sex worker reflecting on her life, she has self-harmed, been sexually abused, has had her brother die due to his severe Down's syndrome and has a mother who suffers from extreme mental health issues, partly due to multiple stillbirths. She is hopeful, adventurous and kind, and makes an assortment of friends to build up her own 'found family':

D/Ali - an artist and 'revolutionary' male university student
Zaynab122 - a highly religious Muslim woman, originally from Lebanon, has dwarfism and works as a cleaner in Leila's brothel

"Religion for her had always been a source of hope, resilience and love - a lift that carried her up from the basement of darkness into a spiritual light. It pained her that the same lift could just as easily take others all the way down. The teachings that warmed her heart and brought her closer to all humanity, regardless of creed, colour or nationality, could be interpreted in such a way that they divided, confused and seperated human beings, sowing seeds of emnity and bloodshed." (272)

This quote has definitely stuck with me.

Jameelah - a woman who was trafficked for sexual exploitation from Somalia, has an eating disorder
'Sabotage' Sinan - a son of a single mother and childhood friend to Leila, debatably the only 'respectable' member of the group as a well established, married man with children and a good, well-paying job. However, has a disconnection from his double life with his outcast friends compared to his family.
Hollywood Humeyra - a woman who escaped an abusive marriage to become a singer/dancer in Istanbul, suffers from many health issues
Nostalgia Nalan - a dyslexic, atheist trans-woman working in the streets as a sex worker/in clubs

"Nalan thought that one of the endless tragedies of human history was that pessimists were better at surviving than optimists, which meant that, logically speaking, humanity carried the genes of people who did not believe in humanity" (306)

Sorry, I know that was just a huge list, and I don't want to pigeonhole or define the characters by particular characteristics or experiences that have happened to them but I just wanted to show the huge diversity, representation and different perspectives/experiences I am talking about within this book!!! It covers such a wide range of topics, mainly focusing on the realities for immigrants and women (particularly sex workers) in Turkey.

This book has 3 main parts, all stylistically very different:
Part 1 - The Mind: this is the longest section all bought together through the use of the clock, like a countdown in which Leila relives her memories, starting from her birth right up to her murder. I listened to an interview with Shafak, and she bases this clock literary technique on recent scientific research into how long the brain stays active after death.
Part 2 - The Body: here we follow Leila's friends as they try to properly put her body to rest as she would have wanted - the style dramatically changes here to become an odd blend of grief and humour with drunken car chases and digging up and falling into graves. I found this section a bit bizarre to be honest but it still had some really interesting concepts based on real-life events/places in Istanbul eg. the cemetery of the companionless
Part 3 - The Soul: this is only a few pages but a good ending - I wouldn't say it's hopeful enough to counter the despair and tragedy throughout the book but Leila finds peace.

"Her mind had fully shut down, her body was already decomposing and her soul was chasing a betta fish" (304)

I enjoyed the descriptive writing style throughout - it wasn't over the top but especially in section 1, everything flowed beautifully. With recalling previously hidden memories, Shafak focuses on tiny details/imagery and especially smells to focus on and start every different recollection with, creating a distinct tone for each memory. The city of Istanbul is also described in such detail, it almost plays a role as a character in the novel - it has a distinct personality as a place of such stark contrasts and oppositions.

"Sometimes where you feel most safe is where you least belong" (20)

I must admit that although I understand the purpose of the nicknames and a way for them to reclaim their identities etc. I found it was sometimes overused unnecessarily and a bit cringy in the very reflective and meaningful scenes.

This point is completely my bad but I did not realise there was a glossary at the back! In retaining some of the authentic dialogue, occasionally there is a word or phrase from the original language that has been used so a pro tip from me - definitely use the back instead of looking it up lol. 😂😅

Content Warnings

wildwonderer's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Content Warnings

blackismajestic's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

noorjyness's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Beautiful description of Istanbul the city, and the political trauma it faces. Alongside this, all the characters story's showed a reflection of the city and the sanctuary of making your own family who love you and support your choices

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