10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World

So, what would happen if the human mind kept working for a few precious minutes, after the moment of death? Ten minutes, thirty-eight seconds, to be exact...

All the moments that followed Leila's death brought with her a different sensory memory: the flavor of goat meat stew with spices; the spectacle of pots of a mixture of lemon and boiling sugar; and the relaxed aroma of coffee that Laila shared with a handsome student.

And every memory, too, brought back to her mind the friends she had known at every defining moment of her life - those friends who were now trying their best to find her.

With enthusiasm and passion, Shafak is interested in dismantling and dissolving barriers, be they ethnic, national, gender, geographical, or spiritual.

"This is where Shafak's storytelling skill stands out. People should celebrate her work."