---
product_id: 129842054
title: "10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World"
price: "₩147593"
currency: KRW
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 11
url: https://www.desertcart.kr/products/129842054-10-minutes-38-seconds-in-this-strange-world
store_origin: KR
region: South Korea
---

# 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World

**Price:** ₩147593
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World
- **How much does it cost?** ₩147593 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.kr](https://www.desertcart.kr/products/129842054-10-minutes-38-seconds-in-this-strange-world)

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## Description

desertcart.com: 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World: 9780241293867: Shafak, Elif: Books

Review: Stunning! - “10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in This Strange World”, by Elif Shafak, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2019, and won several “Book of the Year” prizes; I can see why! What a wonderfully unique and exceptional novel. You know that old saying when people recount a near-death experience: “My Whole Life Passed Before My Eyes!” Well this is the story of the 10 minutes and 38 seconds after “Tequila” Leila, a prostitute in Istanbul, has been murdered and left in a dumpster. Her dying brain recalls her whole life in those minutes. We learn how she got where she is, and we learn about the lives of her five best friends, and we learn a lot about what being a female in Turkey was like in the 1950s through 1990 (spoiler alert: not great). The last third of the novel is about Leila’s five friends and how they intend to honor her after her death. It’s a beautiful (and thrilling!) story of friends who become family. This unusual structure for a “flash-back” story worked incredibly well! Leila’s life, though full of horrific abuses and some plain bad luck, was also full of loving and loyal friends. I highly recommend this fascinating and beautifully written award-worthy novel.
Review: Captivating first half, weak second half. - This novel has a very captivating and fresh start and the first half is a pageturner. However the second half loses its momentum and the ending is poor and loose. I'd be more satisfying if the book just stopped in 10'38''. In the second half not only does the plot lose its momentum, but it seems as though the author intentionally attempts to relate the tragic personal story of our protagonist with the history of Istanbul, which is unnecessary to me.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #2,679,324 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (12,128) |
| Dimensions  | 5.43 x 1.06 x 8.03 inches |
| ISBN-10  | 0241293863 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0241293867 |
| Item Weight  | 12.8 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 312 pages |
| Publication date  | January 1, 2019 |
| Publisher  | Viking |

## Images

![10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91p1sU5xqEL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stunning!
*by M***S on February 11, 2021*

“10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in This Strange World”, by Elif Shafak, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2019, and won several “Book of the Year” prizes; I can see why! What a wonderfully unique and exceptional novel. You know that old saying when people recount a near-death experience: “My Whole Life Passed Before My Eyes!” Well this is the story of the 10 minutes and 38 seconds after “Tequila” Leila, a prostitute in Istanbul, has been murdered and left in a dumpster. Her dying brain recalls her whole life in those minutes. We learn how she got where she is, and we learn about the lives of her five best friends, and we learn a lot about what being a female in Turkey was like in the 1950s through 1990 (spoiler alert: not great). The last third of the novel is about Leila’s five friends and how they intend to honor her after her death. It’s a beautiful (and thrilling!) story of friends who become family. This unusual structure for a “flash-back” story worked incredibly well! Leila’s life, though full of horrific abuses and some plain bad luck, was also full of loving and loyal friends. I highly recommend this fascinating and beautifully written award-worthy novel.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Captivating first half, weak second half.
*by S***U on February 10, 2024*

This novel has a very captivating and fresh start and the first half is a pageturner. However the second half loses its momentum and the ending is poor and loose. I'd be more satisfying if the book just stopped in 10'38''. In the second half not only does the plot lose its momentum, but it seems as though the author intentionally attempts to relate the tragic personal story of our protagonist with the history of Istanbul, which is unnecessary to me.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What a prosaic author
*by J***K on January 15, 2023*

There is so much filled in this tale of fiction that weaves so much history, and sadness- particuarly when one realizes this area from which the author has set the scenery- a land that was somewhat a meeting of two worlds, where warlords usurped people who had been there for centuries and built something else; alongside a faith- one gets a peak into the window- istanbul. Her story crafts for the western reader a reality not known, a harshness of a male oriented society - people in the west thing they have it bad- but even where prostitutes have rights- its not anywhere on the scale of where this story is set. Being a historical buff; her stories echoes the sentiments of tragedy- tragedy is a symptom of such dogma and that dogma entrenched is where the protagonist is. It is the most unfortunate thing to be born a women in the middle of the east asia, most certainly, where nomads and warlords of unspeakable cruelty removed greek civilization and built something else- but this tale is superb, and crafted so well. I think this is her best book. I am starting to read the others- Turkey besides the Azeri state- locks up a significant amount of journalism, so pleasant to read her insights crafted into fiction but truth underlying the dark belly of the holy piety of this city so attributed, but so far from attained . She is a great author with full of similes and metaphors and deep insight. This was a joy to stumble upon.

## Frequently Bought Together

- 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World
- The Island of Missing Trees: A Novel
- The Forty Rules of Love (HB)

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*Product available on Desertcart South Korea*
*Store origin: KR*
*Last updated: 2026-02-25*