Ayşe Kulin: Last train to Istanbul (2013, Amazon Crossing)
382 pages
English language
Published Dec. 20, 2013 by Amazon Crossing.
Turkey has long been a safe haven for Jews, marriage between a high-ranking Muslim girl and a Jewish boy is strictly forbidden. But Selva and Rafael defy their parents and marry, fleeing to Paris in hopes of a better life, only to find themselves trapped in the path of the invading Nazis. A handful of courageous Turkish diplomats, protected only by the tenuous neutrality of their homeland, hatch a daring plot to spirit the exiled lovers and hundreds of innocent Jews to safety.
I didn't enjoy reading this but persisted out of a sense of obligation to the subject matter. Possibly the fact that this was a translation contributed to the stilted conversation and vague exposition. It's a good enough story I just kept noticing the way it was written.
Ooooh, tough one. The story is all over the place. Characters come in and out of focus. Plot threads come and go. But there is an overall tension that builds and builds and eventually turned the book into a page-turner for me.
I knew absolutely nothing about Turkey's relationship with other countries during WWII going into this. So that's a plus: I now know 100% more than I used to. (It doesn't have to be completely accurate to give me a taste of the subject.)
Disappointed in the translation! I'm used to really incredible English translations of popular works (in fact, I have a theory that translations are unusually poetic and beautifully written because the people doing the translating are language fanatics and the difficult act of translating produces unusual and delightful constructions.) Some of the writing in this fell completely flat. Clumsy stuff!
It's a wreck as a drama …
Ooooh, tough one. The story is all over the place. Characters come in and out of focus. Plot threads come and go. But there is an overall tension that builds and builds and eventually turned the book into a page-turner for me.
I knew absolutely nothing about Turkey's relationship with other countries during WWII going into this. So that's a plus: I now know 100% more than I used to. (It doesn't have to be completely accurate to give me a taste of the subject.)
Disappointed in the translation! I'm used to really incredible English translations of popular works (in fact, I have a theory that translations are unusually poetic and beautifully written because the people doing the translating are language fanatics and the difficult act of translating produces unusual and delightful constructions.) Some of the writing in this fell completely flat. Clumsy stuff!
It's a wreck as a drama and maybe just okay as historical fiction. But I enjoyed parts of it anyway and I'm still glad I read it.
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.
