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nancywk's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Fascinating to learn about the Allied occupation of Istanbul after WW1. Beautifully written story. It is not going to appeal to everyone. There is very little plot, it's told from the perspective of 5 different characters, and it's slow-moving. I found all of those features appealing but if you are looking for a fast paced steamy forbidden love story this is not the book for you. If you want a sense of place Lucy Foley does an amazing job of bringing Istanbul to life. War changes people, often in hidden ways, this too is revealed slowly in the story.
enjoythesummerbreeze's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
burrowsi1's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
myrthekorf's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jvanbuskirk1024's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book is a slow read, and takes awhile to get a reader interested.
theluckiestclover's review against another edition
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.
sheltzer's review
4.0
This one was a slow burn trying to put together the pieces. It is a commentary about how greater social situations have several points of view. It is quite powerful.
saarahn's review
5.0
This was my final book of 2018, and the best read to end the year.
Pg 25 'Sometimes, now, the old life seems as remote as one read about in a book. But this afternoon it seems very close at hand, an assault of memory.'
We meet Nur, a young woman living in Constantinople- her beloved Istanbul- a city brutally overtaken by the Allied Forces. She yearns for the life she lost and is reminded daily of the changes: she sees the Allied soldiers laughing and taunting her fellow people. She is surrounded, consumed, by her justified bitterness. She knows the enemy, and judges those who refuse to see the truth, those who have accepted their great losses. But she also knows that in the face of these losses, she has tasted real freedom as well as great inequality.
Her liberation has come at a price. She is a teacher now and a child's guardian, she understands duty and responsibility. What then, when circumstances have her questioning her core values? What would her father have said? Or her little brother, who was forced to fight in his country's war? A sorrowful war changes a country forever- changes its people, can the trauma be reversed? Forgiven? Is there room for love in such a hateful sphere?
From beginning to end, this story had captured my heart. I felt broken at its end. This book will leave its mark on you: it's brave, heartbreakingly ordinary, and yet altogether timeless in its delicate exploration of a history that is not as lovely as you first think. Enjoy this: let yourself be swept away.
Lucy Foley writes with careful regard for her choice of words and it makes the story cautiously inviting. Her rich storytelling, the intricate weaving of character perspectives, but ultimately the belief and hope in humanity makes this a beautifully memorable story.
As a young Muslim woman myself, I felt a kinship with Nur. I understood her inner battle: rebel quietly or not at all? We shared similar values though I was brought up in a far more conservative and religious household. And yet, I had tasted indepemdence far earlier, I possessed the same self-confidence. But I, too, was aware of the limits my culture dictated, the expectations and I haven't always been permitted to do as I wish. I wonder, had she been raised as I was, would she have made the same choices?
I'm going to be recommending this book for a long time!
Pg 25 'Sometimes, now, the old life seems as remote as one read about in a book. But this afternoon it seems very close at hand, an assault of memory.'
We meet Nur, a young woman living in Constantinople- her beloved Istanbul- a city brutally overtaken by the Allied Forces. She yearns for the life she lost and is reminded daily of the changes: she sees the Allied soldiers laughing and taunting her fellow people. She is surrounded, consumed, by her justified bitterness. She knows the enemy, and judges those who refuse to see the truth, those who have accepted their great losses. But she also knows that in the face of these losses, she has tasted real freedom as well as great inequality.
Her liberation has come at a price. She is a teacher now and a child's guardian, she understands duty and responsibility. What then, when circumstances have her questioning her core values? What would her father have said? Or her little brother, who was forced to fight in his country's war? A sorrowful war changes a country forever- changes its people, can the trauma be reversed? Forgiven? Is there room for love in such a hateful sphere?
From beginning to end, this story had captured my heart. I felt broken at its end. This book will leave its mark on you: it's brave, heartbreakingly ordinary, and yet altogether timeless in its delicate exploration of a history that is not as lovely as you first think. Enjoy this: let yourself be swept away.
Lucy Foley writes with careful regard for her choice of words and it makes the story cautiously inviting. Her rich storytelling, the intricate weaving of character perspectives, but ultimately the belief and hope in humanity makes this a beautifully memorable story.
As a young Muslim woman myself, I felt a kinship with Nur. I understood her inner battle: rebel quietly or not at all? We shared similar values though I was brought up in a far more conservative and religious household. And yet, I had tasted indepemdence far earlier, I possessed the same self-confidence. But I, too, was aware of the limits my culture dictated, the expectations and I haven't always been permitted to do as I wish. I wonder, had she been raised as I was, would she have made the same choices?
I'm going to be recommending this book for a long time!
leilah_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0