A review by irenemarie
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Whew. My heart is filled and aches at the same time with this novel. The first half your admiration grows for someone whose fate you know is death. It is truly bittersweet. Tequila Leila is the friend you want to have, compassionate, accepting and courageous. Through her last minutes of life, you are introduced to her people, the five, whom she was fiercely loyal to, in return through the second half we learn how much she meant to them. I will reiterate what others have said, Elif Shafak is a phenomenal storyteller. Learning more about her voice through this novel and subsequent browsing on her, she is solidified as an auto-buy author for me. I am excited to explore her back catalogue.
 
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