Book Review: 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak
Late last year, I read There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak. I was absolutely captivated by the beauty of this story. Elif Shafak's words are like food for the soul. That book has stuck with me for many months and I recommend it to everyone. While I traditionally don't read a lot of fiction, I had to read more of Shafak's work. I continued my journey with The Forty Rules of Love and, more recently, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World.
The Title, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World piqued my interest. I read the blurb on the back, "For Leila, each minute after her death recalls a sensuous memory...." I found myself instantly uncomfortable. The subject of death has been a trigger for me ever since I was ten. I vividly remember the exact moment when I processed what death was and that we living things have no choice in the matter. That it is not a matter of if but when. But, the mention of memory recall post-death caught my attention in this first sentence.
I have always been interested in biological sciences and undertook some neuroscience courses during my undergraduate studies. From time to time, recommended articles appear that claim to highlight the evidence brain scans have shown during death, which suggest that during our final moments, we may experience something akin to memory recall. Others explore the length of time the brain continues to function even though we have been declared dead. These are both topics that I find fascinating, but not ones I have explored yet helped solidify Elif Shafak's 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World as my next read.
We meet our story's protagonist, Leila, after she has died. But her thoughts go on. Throughout the next ten minutes, Leila experiences memory after memory. Vivid. Traumatic. Heartbreaking. We experience moments of Leila's infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. We meet the individuals who become her dearest friends. We see that she has been a victim of her circumstances throughout her life. The shining light through all of the darkness is the unbreakable bonds she has made with friends along the way.
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World is another piece of Elif Shafak's masterful storytelling. It brought up many feelings - sadness, anger, discomfort, hope. It was a powerful reminder of the true strength of friendship. A reminder that being genetically related to people doesn't necessarily make you family. A reminder to find your people. The people who will fight for you, even once you are gone.
Trigger warning: This book contains descriptions of death, child abuse, sexual assault, rape, domestic violence and miscarriage.