My first read of 2026 ~ resetting my vibe

10 minutes and 38 seconds in this strange world by elif shafaq

genre: literary fiction, women literature

My 💭:

[4/1/26 9.44 AM] 🏅

My first read of 2026! My choice couldn't have been more perfect 💯. A 🏅 read.

It feels very odd to write 2026 instead of 2025. I used to envision my life as an independent adult, stepping into this vast world and find my footing - something that little me could only dream of. 2026 used to feel like such an 'adult year'! And here I am, finally, lucky enough to witness it with my loved ones by my side. And yet so much has changed, so many stories ended, so many new began, so many still continuing. 1 book of life, yet so many parallel stories, strung together by time, each of them brimming with life. Tequila Leila, too, was a person of many stories. But sadly, it began with the end.

This book, or Leila's story, was an amalgamation of so many aspects of her life - all connected by the memories her brain churned up in the last 10 min and 38 seconds in this 'strange' life post her death. When I had picked up this book from the shelves of a bookstore last year, this word in the title- 'strange' - bothered me. I wanted to know how 'strange' this world was to the character - Leila. And now, standing at the last chapter of this book, I can't help but agree with it - life is indeed strange, so much - capable of giving us the best kind of happiness and freedom and acceptance to the worst kind of fear and torture and suffering. Heaven and hell, right here. Strange, isn't it?

Leila's story gave me a weird sense of helplessness throughout. Now, I realise that it might be because there was NOTHING she could have done to prevented her fate. Both the manner of her life and death were not by her consent or choice. The things that happened to her, right from her childhood, filled me with SO MUCH rage, because I could feel myself in her footsteps easily! As a woman in this world, it is more common to be abused and treated as an object than a real person. What really finally broke my heart was how her own loved ones turned a blind eye to her voice - oh god, I'd rather die than face what she faced. But still she chose her inner self and spirit, undeterred by the strange theme of her life. A big city promised her a fresh start, but alas, it was not what she wanted or expected. But then life never gives you what you have planned for desperately. And then, with Leila, we got to see that no matter where we are or who we are with, it will always push us to our extremes. Either we adjust or we keep fighting for our spirit.

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There is a very interesting term I came across in this book - home sour home. I know exactly what she meant. And for people knowing this phrase, they also have the blessing of knowing another phrase - found family. In exchange for all the brutality life presented her, it gave her 5 friends who proved what friendship is. We generally place family before friends in our life, but the true ones, the ride or die ones, the eternal ones, aren't they family too? Leila's The Five came through for her in such a way that it feels like all of these had to happen to reach that point of her eternal bliss, for it was only them, who respected her choices, where her voice and words were heard and listened to. Sometimes, for some fortunate ones, water runs thicker than blood.

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Every time I read Elif Shafaq's books, I come across a new tapestry of life. Doesn't matter whether it is Istanbul or India, everywhere I see the same life for women - dominated by their husbands or fathers or uncles or random men only to find salvation and peace in death. Even religion and faith and God are used as a weapon against them. Existence seems like a punishment and despite all that I try, I don't have full conviction whether I'll be able to escape the iron chains. Leila, I am truly sorry for all that you faced in this life and you will always be an inspiration for me and all the women in chains of this world.

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What an enlightening and soul crushing book to start my new year with! Thank you author for creating this book for us. ☕