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A review by theluckiestclover
Last Letter from Istanbul by Lucy Foley
4.0
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and I'm so glad I did!
It's set in Istanbul in 1921 and focuses on the lives of Nur, a young woman working as a school teacher and linen seller to get by, George, a Scottish doctor at a military hospital, the Boy who Nur has adopted and Nur's brother, a soldier conscripted into the war.
I thought it was a really beautifully told story from beginning to end. The images of the city, the hospital, the rivers and beaches, were all wonderfully vivid. I also thought the characters felt realistic. Although both George and Nur are thoroughly likeable characters, and personally I did root for them both, the narrative never lets you forget the difficulty of the position they're in. The strain put on their relationship by the fact that George is a member of the occupying force remains present throughout the story. It's a brave choice as it tells the story that's realistic, rather than the one that the audience wants to hear. Overall it's a lot more satisfying as it feels like your getting something authentic.
I loved the ending. Again, like a lot of the story it was quite bittersweet. It didn't feel like the ending you wanted, necessarily, but it was as it should have been. I adored the fact that the boy grew up to own a restaurant, it felt so right. I also liked the little detail that one of Nur's students was helping to take care of her. It let us know that not only did Nur continue to teach, but that her students cared for her. At this point in the story I really cared about her too, so I found that reassuring.
Overall I thought it was a wonderful book and I do really recommend it.
It's set in Istanbul in 1921 and focuses on the lives of Nur, a young woman working as a school teacher and linen seller to get by, George, a Scottish doctor at a military hospital, the Boy who Nur has adopted and Nur's brother, a soldier conscripted into the war.
I thought it was a really beautifully told story from beginning to end. The images of the city, the hospital, the rivers and beaches, were all wonderfully vivid. I also thought the characters felt realistic. Although both George and Nur are thoroughly likeable characters, and personally I did root for them both, the narrative never lets you forget the difficulty of the position they're in. The strain put on their relationship by the fact that George is a member of the occupying force remains present throughout the story. It's a brave choice as it tells the story that's realistic, rather than the one that the audience wants to hear. Overall it's a lot more satisfying as it feels like your getting something authentic.
I loved the ending. Again, like a lot of the story it was quite bittersweet. It didn't feel like the ending you wanted, necessarily, but it was as it should have been. I adored the fact that the boy grew up to own a restaurant, it felt so right. I also liked the little detail that one of Nur's students was helping to take care of her. It let us know that not only did Nur continue to teach, but that her students cared for her. At this point in the story I really cared about her too, so I found that reassuring.
Overall I thought it was a wonderful book and I do really recommend it.