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Drama, review |
Have you ever thought about what happens to a person after their death? Do they go to heaven or hell? Or you believe that the body function stops and that is the end of it? Explore Elif Shafak’s version of post death in 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World with me, won’t you?
About 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World
Book Name: 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World
Author: Elif Shafak
Genre: Fiction – Drama
Characters: Tequila Leila, Sabotage Sinan, Nostalgia Nalan, Jameelah, Zaynab122 and Hollywood Humeyra
Setting: Istanbul, Turkey
Plot Summary of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World
The book begins with the death of the protagonist Leila and we walk through her life during the last few minutes of her consciousness. With her body disposed in a dumpster dismissively, her mind wanders through her recollections of her childhood, her family disowning her and finding her own set of friends and finally her murder.
Along the journey we are taken on a ride to visit a patriarch family that has grown more and more orthodox while struggling with a child with Down syndrome and the pressure that had on a smart young girl with two mothers who would not speak against their devout father.
We also see glimpses of the streets from the forbidden parts of the city, that we are encouraged to look away from where our protagonist meets her beloved friends who turn out to be ‘her family’.
When Leila’s body is finally buried in a cemetery for the “companionless”, the friends take it upon themselves to help her rest in peace. Did they succeed in getting their friend the end she deserved form the rest of the story in 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World.
Book review of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World
This is just more than a story of a dead sex worker and her friends. It is a tale of the minorities – the “wayward” women, the queers, the physically different of Istanbul and anyone who wouldn’t fit the norms of a “society”. It is also a tale of friendship and how family is about whom you choose to be with.
I was not happy with the author’s The Forty rules of love and I was reluctant to pick this one.
But I liked the author’s writing style – well, the part one. I loved the part one about the city and its rich history and culture. But the second part was slow and dragging and I actually had to skim. The distinction in the writing and narrative style felt too different between the two parts made was too glaring to ignore.
Things that worked for me
- I liked the non linear narrative and that kept me on my toes.
- I loved knowing about Istanbul via its history and politics, and through the lives of these friends.
Things that didn’t work for me
- I wish there was a smooth transition between both the parts.
- Even though I felt the friends set a bit of cliche but I liked their dynamic.
Bottom-line
If you are a fan of Elif Shafak or The Forty rules of love, you will love the book. For others, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World would be a great choice if you want to read about richly woven historical tale about the minorities in Istanbul.
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Quizzes & Tags |
I love doing bookish quizzes, even if most of the time I score real poor on them. But hey they are usually fun to do and kill some time right? It has been a while since I did one of those quizzes here, so let us match the authors name to their books now.
Try to beat your old score, if you can. Let us get on with it now.
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Classics |
Today let us talk about a book that I have been raving about to everyone I know and their mother in the past few days. And it is a re-read too, which makes it a rarer thing, because most of my reread attempts end up badly for me. I would avoid rereading a loved book if I can help it for the same reason. And we are talking about The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.
About The Bell Jar
Book Name: The Bell Jar
Author: Sylvia Plath
Genre: Fiction – Classics, Literary, autobiography
Characters: Esther Greenwood, Mrs. Greenwood (her mother), Doreen, Jay Cee, Betsy, Constantin, Buddy Willard, Doctor Nolan, Mrs. Willard, Lenny Shepherd
Setting: Boston, Massachusetts, New York City, The United States of America
Plot summary of The Bell Jar
The Bell Jar is a semi autobiographical account of the author and her struggle with depression and suicide. Set in New York City’s 1950s before the big sexual revolution and the birth control pills, Esther works at a glamorous newspaper that takes her to the happening parties and galas. But she is lost between her worlds while her mind is on the execution of the Rosenbergs and ‘being burned alive’.
When she learns that she failed to receive the scholarship that she had been planning for all along, she falls into a bout of depression. The Bell Jar talks about her perspective as a college educated woman in a sexist world and later her struggle with her existential despair.
Between her stays in different mental asylums and the consequent electro-shock therapies, she spends her time writing a novel and planning her suicide. Can this poignant and bleak tale have a not-so-sad ending? You might be surprised if you read The Bell Jar!
Book review of The Bell Jar
I should start with saying ‘yes this book is depressing’ and you have to be prepared for that before you pick the book. In spite of having read it earlier, I was not ready for it when it hit me. It is not a long book but sure needed a bit of more of time than normally something of this size would have.
Esther’s disinterested narration felt so close to home that I had to stop more than once. She does not talk about her feelings at all but convincingly transfers her emotions to the reader.
The Bell Jar is much more than the foreshadowing of the author’s ill fate, it is a social commentary. At some point, her insanity made more sense to me than the current socio-political scenario.
Despite that fifty plus years that have passed since the book first came out, we still are chastising women for talking about their sexuality, and stigmatized about mental health issues. The conundrum of having to choose between career and having a family is somehow still a huge issue for woman of all ages. May be we have not moved ahead at all.
Things that worked for me
- I loved the poetical narration that changed pace so often, yet kept me hooked to it.
- Though the author does not introduce any character or even describe them, by the end of the book I felt like I knew each of them personally and I was trying to match them up with my real life counterparts.
- If you have been afflicted by suicidal thoughts or depression, or just the patriarchal world, you will totally relate to The Bell Jar.
- The book is full of quotes that I loved and kept highlighting until the end.
Things that may not work for you
- Being a semi-autobiography, it unsurprisingly is not plot oriented. So if you are looking for a fast paced story you might be disappointed.
- The Bell Jar deals with suicidal attempts, self harm, sexual abuse, depression and ill treatment of mental health patients. If these are your triggers, you SHOULD avoid this one.
Bottom-line
I loved this book in spite of the melancholic emptiness it left me after I finished reading it. Though I liked The bell jar when I read it the first time, I ended loving it more, understanding it better, and relating to the author deeper during my second visit.
Well, if that is not the mark of a great book I don’t know what is. Just read it.
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Drama |
Do you know how we all hear great things about some books and when we get our hands on them, they completely disappoint us and make us question our tastes? Well, that did not happen with Ghachar Ghochar.
I heard so many good things about this one and then (surprisingly?) I found it was all that and more. And I am more than happy to recommend a translated work from my part of the world. So here we go.
About the book
Book Name: Ghachar Ghochar
Author: Vivek Shanbhag
Genre: Fiction – Drama, Literary, Translated work
Characters: The unnamed narrator, Anita, Malati, Appa, Amma and Chikappa
Setting: Karnataka, India
The plot
Ghachar Ghochar begins with the young narrator sitting at the Coffee House mulling over his life. He is particularly fond of a witty waiter Vincent with whom he shares the happenings of his household. His family consists of his older parents, elder sister Malati, his paternal Uncle and his newly wedded wife Anita.
Their living situation, though a common practice among Asians, is more out of convenience and habit rather than out of love. But they were not always like this. Until a few years ago the family was close knitted. Though not affluent they shared the smallest joys with each other and genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.
When the father of the narrator (Appa) loses his employment, his uncle (Chikappa) had to start his own business venture to support of the family. This lead an ascent in their economic status which changes the family dynamics. Each member makes their choices, but how often they turn out to be right?
My initial thoughts
Ghachar Ghochar means entangled and the title fits perfectly to the story. Aren’t we all tangled with the chaotic mess that our loved ones are? Even though the book is set in India, I am sure the plot will be relatable across the world.
I loved the characters that were real and raw. The unnamed narrator could be anyone among us and that is what makes Ghachar Ghochar personal and beautiful. If you love open ended plots, you are in for a treat!
Things that worked for me
- I loved that every character has a grayer shade.
- I think the simple narration and elegant writing style won me.
- The translator did a great job to retain the author’s style of writing.
Things that didn’t work for me
- As much as I loved reading Ghachar Ghochar, I thought it was too short (is that even a negative thing?)
- Ghachar Ghochar is not a plot oriented novella, so if you expect a lot of twists and turns you might be disappointed.
Bottom-line
Ghachar Ghochar definitely is one of the top picks on my Asian reads ever. I am gonna look out for more translated works in the future.
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Classics |
Though Fahrenheit 451 has been on my TBR list for a while and it took a push from both the Banned book club and Classics N Christie book club to make me pick it up in March. And guess what? Like the other books the club has picked so far, it was great and I have no idea why I was hesitating to pick it up at all. Let us get with it shall we?
About Fahrenheit 451
Book Name: Fahrenheit 451
Author: Ray Bradbury
Genre: Fiction – Dystopia, Science Fiction, Classics
Characters: Guy Montag, Norman Corwin, Clarisse McClellan, Mildred Montag, Captain Beatty, Professor Faber
Setting: The USA
Plot summary of Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451 is set in dystopian world where books are banned and if found in person or house firemen were set upon to burn them. This is just strategy by the government to control the minds of the masses. The people too have lost interest in reading and television screens have taken their lives.
The protoganist Montag is a fireman who takes his job seriously and follows the rules to the T without any remorse until he meets his young neighbour Clarisse. Clarisse questions everything in life and doesn’t hide her enthusiasm from Montag. Her suspicious disappearance sparks something in Montag and he starts reading bits of books that he had stolen whilst on his job.
The little knowledge he gains from the books changes not only his idea of life and to know how it does read Fahrenheit 451 right now!
Book review of Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451 talks about censorship but it was more about the technological growth and how people can get dependent on them. It is also about political autocracy and the controlling the masses. Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which the paper burns but it is also about what makes the human mind tick and engaged. Reading does it. Period.
The first thing that happened when I finished the book was talk to everyone else who has read the book about its relevancy even today. The book is full of metaphor and I can’t believe how foresighted the author was, given the book was written in the early 1950s.
Of course the book was banned, and I would not be surprised if it were banned today had it been released now. I cannot emphasis on how powerful the book is, especially for the current global political scenario.
Things that worked for me
- The book is full of metaphors and you can’t stop reading if you started matching it with real world.
- The story and the plot are simple and direct, which helps it becoming the powerful book he is.
- The book is filled with quotes and if you hoard quotes, you are in for a treat.
- Fahrenheit 451 is still (or more) relevant to the current scenario.
Things that didn’t work for me
It was really hard to get into initially, like most other classics.
Bottom-line
Fahrenheit 451 is for all the bookworms out there. If you are look for a book, any book, PICK THIS. If you want to read just one book in a year Fahrenheit 451 is the one for you. It will change your world and thoughts about books and reading.
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