Book Review: Last Train to Istanbul
Reading about the past through the eyes of historians is one thing. But to see it through the eyes of people that lived it is so overwhelming. It makes you feel thankful for the life you've had and also makes you want to undo everything wrong that happened. Last Train to Istanbul by Ayşe Kulin, makes one feel just that as it narrates a fictitious account of a family in Turkey living at the time of World War II.
As high-level diplomats and politicians act towards shaping the fate of Turkey in the war, the book paces around the lives of two sisters who face separation when one of them moves to France. It deals with the fear, anxiety, desperation, and the apprehension of Sabiha, who stays back, while her sister Selva starts a new life in a country that faces the threat of German occupation. The writer narrates the story by treading through the offices of top-level bureaucrats in Turkey as they deal with the imminent invasion of their country by trying to keep both the allies happy, while also holding up the country's stature as neutral both in terms of war and religious ideology.
The writer not only weaves together a beautiful story about families, loss and separation but also tries to show the readers what it would have been like to live in that time. The narrative prances around through the minds of various characters, thus building anticipation and curiosity in the reader's mind about the fate of these characters. The book successfully pans through the diplomatic chambers of the countries as they deal with war while accommodating the underhand work that went into getting innocent people out of their miseries.
As high-level diplomats and politicians act towards shaping the fate of Turkey in the war, the book paces around the lives of two sisters who face separation when one of them moves to France. It deals with the fear, anxiety, desperation, and the apprehension of Sabiha, who stays back, while her sister Selva starts a new life in a country that faces the threat of German occupation. The writer narrates the story by treading through the offices of top-level bureaucrats in Turkey as they deal with the imminent invasion of their country by trying to keep both the allies happy, while also holding up the country's stature as neutral both in terms of war and religious ideology.
The writer not only weaves together a beautiful story about families, loss and separation but also tries to show the readers what it would have been like to live in that time. The narrative prances around through the minds of various characters, thus building anticipation and curiosity in the reader's mind about the fate of these characters. The book successfully pans through the diplomatic chambers of the countries as they deal with war while accommodating the underhand work that went into getting innocent people out of their miseries.
Last Train to Istanbul is a moving tale of love, hatred, compassion, indifference, suffering, courage and hope. One of its most beautiful aspects is the subtle patriotism throughout, that makes one realise the value of having a homeland, of belonging somewhere, of having a nation and of being a citizen of a country that stands by you and sometimes even gets you back from hell because you are their national.
It’s a must-read for people wanting to know history and also feel it.
It’s a must-read for people wanting to know history and also feel it.
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