WA081 Bilingual Book Group: 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World (10 minutes et 38 secondes dans ce monde étrange) by Elif Shafak

This spell-binding novel tells the story of Tequila Leila, a sex worker who has been assaulted and left for dead in a rubbish bin in Istanbul. The title refers to the period when Tequila’s mind continues to function and she reminisces about her life, from childhood in the provincial city of Van to the cosmopolitan hub of Istanbul. Shafak's work was shortlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize, whose judges hailed it for its investigation of prostitution, exploitation and ignorance, its forensic description of intimacy and its beautiful meditative style. ‘Shafak writes with vision, bravery and compassion. Her novel is a stunning portrait of a city, a society, a small community and a single soul.’ New York Times.

‘Elif Şafak nous entraîne dans une Istanbul qui n’est pas du tout touristique, dans ses quartiers mal famés. En adoptant cette nouvelle identité de Tequila Leila, le personnage de Leila va se prostituer - on retrouve ici le motif de la marginalité, fil de rouge de toute l'œuvre de Şafak.' Kerenn Elkaïm Livres Hebdo

photo: ©Penguin Books