The Contemporary British Prose: the Motif of Choice in Elif Shafak’s Novel “10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World”

This study examines current trends in contemporary British multicultural romance. The topic is revealed on the example of the work of the famous British-Turkish writer, feminist, human rights activist and active civic figure Elif Shafak. Her English-language novel “10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World”, which we have taken as a basis for literary analysis, is one of the most inteersting texts in contemporary British literature of the last decade. The purpose of this study is to explore the thematic diversity and issues of the text. The novel touches on topics traditional for this author as women's rights, freedom of speech, the right of various kinds of minorities, the complex relationship between East and West, Istanbul as a city of attraction for many peoples, attitude to power, historical past, traditions and religion. The text, written in a postmodern spirit, raises the philosophical problems of death, faith in man, the saving power of friendship. It is argued that for all the difference in cultural, ethnic, religious, sexual characteristics, people are essentially very similar, basic, spiritual tablets are one, and freedom of choice is one of the most basic values of modern civilization. The relevance of the work is determined by the study of the work of Elif Shafak precisely in the context of British literature and with the focus of the contribution of this author to the history of the contemporary British novel.