Acton reviewed Last train to Istanbul by Ayşe Kulin
Review of 'Last train to Istanbul' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
This historical novel offers a glimpse into the WWII experience in Turkey, and particularly those who were Jewish and living in France. There are many characters, and we get a window into each of their lives.
The details about Turkey's involvement in the war is the most interesting part, in my opinion. The plot was not as interesting. The first part of the novel takes place in Turkey and involves some family drama that I did not find particularly compelling. I did not find Macet and Sabiha to be particularly memorable or very important to the rest of the story, and yet a lot of pages are devoted to them. I found that odd. When the book does move on to the operation of helping people escape a France occupied by Nazis, it gets much more interesting. It's heartening to know that there were people in so many countries willing …
This historical novel offers a glimpse into the WWII experience in Turkey, and particularly those who were Jewish and living in France. There are many characters, and we get a window into each of their lives.
The details about Turkey's involvement in the war is the most interesting part, in my opinion. The plot was not as interesting. The first part of the novel takes place in Turkey and involves some family drama that I did not find particularly compelling. I did not find Macet and Sabiha to be particularly memorable or very important to the rest of the story, and yet a lot of pages are devoted to them. I found that odd. When the book does move on to the operation of helping people escape a France occupied by Nazis, it gets much more interesting. It's heartening to know that there were people in so many countries willing to risk their lives to help others.
This novel was one of Amazon's World Book Day offerings, and I am glad I read it.
