The beauty of Istanbul and a dead prostitute... pure magic

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑  An unvarnished love letter to the city of Istanbul, as narrated by a dead prostitute and her best friends, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World is a truly life-affirming joy. The take-away that sticks in your mind is 'dead prostitute', I get that. It is unusual but such a brilliant premise and much better than you may expect. Genius, in fact.

This rich novel is full of memories from Leila's life, generated in random snapshots by her dead brain in the minutes following her death. A sumptuous read that describes key events in Leila's life and how she reached her untimely demise. There are countless joyful, and painful, moments that make up the tapestry of her existence and we take a leisurely look at many. The beauty in which her unorthodox tale is told makes this a book you will be loath to put down. If you don't read it in record time, I will be shocked. I couldn't part with it any longer than necessary and even made time to read it during the day, something I don't often do.

One striking and ever present character throughout this novel is the charismatic and fluid city of Istanbul. This bewitching tale is a warts and all homage to a city of refuge for Leila and her friends. Though this is a fictional account, the splendor of Istanbul, and the moments in history that shaped her, shines through to add a lovely depth to this novel. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World is a compelling, savory read for all the senses and emotions too. It was an honor to read it and experience Istanbul with Leila.