Book Review: Last Train To Istanbul

Title: Last Train To Istanbul
Author: Ayse Kulin (author), John W Baker (translator)
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Amazon Publishing

Rating: 4/5

Hello, dear readers! I am very excited about today’s review! As you can see from the title, I will be reviewing Last Train To Istanbul by Ayse Kulin.

This is the first time I’ve read something by the author and I am in awe! Last Train To Istanbul is a Turkish book translated into English by John W Baker. It is an international bestseller and I understand now why it is so.

Here’s the blurb for you before I get into the review.

As the daughter of one of Turkey’s last Ottoman pashas, Selva could win the heart of any man in Ankara. Yet the spirited young beauty only has eyes for Rafael Alfandari, the handsome Jewish son of an esteemed court physician. In defiance of their families, they marry, fleeing to Paris to build a new life.

But when the Nazis invade France, the exiled lovers will learn that nothing—not war, not politics, not even religion—can break the bonds of family. For after they learn that Selva is but one of their fellow citizens trapped in France, a handful of brave Turkish diplomats hatch a plan to spirit the Alfandaris and hundreds of innocents, many of whom are Jewish, to safety. Together, they must traverse a war-torn continent, crossing enemy lines and risking everything in a desperate bid for freedom. From Ankara to Paris, Cairo, and Berlin, Last Train to Istanbul is an uplifting tale of love and adventure from Turkey’s beloved bestselling novelist Ayşe Kulin.

This book has been on my TBR since forever. I have a sweet spot for anything Turkish due to the numerous dizis I watched during the pandemic. I am in awe of their language, culture and history partly because I sense a similarity between our Indian culture and theirs. Hence, when I chanced upon this novel with ‘Istanbul’ in the title, I didn’t hesitate to add it to my cart.

The book is about the Turkish families within the country and abroad during World War 2. Being a neutral country, its people were not worried. But when Hitler decided to invade France, the Turkish families living there, were in a fix. Not to mention the Jews all over Europe who were being targeted exclusively. Turkey, being a friendly country to the Jews, was a natural choice for them to seek asylum.

The book specifically is about two sisters- Sabiha and Selva, and how when one is in trouble, the community doesn’t think twice about helping not only her but also her Jewish husband and son. The book begins at a slow pace but soon the story picks up speed. It is filled with facets of various relationships and circumstances. It is a heartwarming story about how the country and its people come together to help those in need, no matter their nationality or religion.

I simply loved reading the book. It is a touching tale of the hardships faced by people during the war. The ending was especially emotional. As a reader, I was in line with the characters’ feelings where all they wanted was to go home.

Although the translation gets the message and emotions across beautifully, I think that it could have been improved. But, of course, when it comes to translations, there are many challenges as the originality of the author’s voice has to be maintained. The writing is passionate and convincing allowing the reader to indulge in the characters’ experiences thoroughly.

To conclude I would say that Last Train To Istanbul has been an enjoyable read and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in historical fiction.