A well written story set in Istanbul after the war. The prejudices voiced by all characters was interesting and the book was well researched. Very descriptive text which gave a good flavour of the Times was a bit slow in places.

This is not my usual genre of book and to be honest it was hard going at first with the different characters at the beginning but my goodness I am so glad I stuck with it. What an enjoyable read, so much detail and descriptions that I got completely immersed in the story. I actually read it while on holiday in Turkey ironically (not Istanbul though) so with the heat, smells and food etc made this really quite a truly believable read.

Slow start but the descriptive writing made it a good read. Antagonism between the British and the Turks in Constantinople following World War 1. A forbidden love affair adds some spice to the story.

This was a slow starter for me but also a beautifully descriptive piece of historical fiction so I persevered. I also enjoyed the short chapters which made the book easy to pick up and put down. Stories based around war are one of my favourites and I was pleased to have the opportunity to review a story based in Constantinople, a new setting for me. I’m grateful to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book - the writing was lovely, and the description of Istanbul were very evocative. I found the characters a little slow to build up, and slightly confusing, but once I realised who was who it was a great, though sad, read.

I felt the way the author wrote this book really gave me the feeling that I could picture what the characters and places were like. It was also written with an undercurrent of expecting that the story would end in a certain way but that at the same time was not possible because of the circumstances, and then an unforeseen sacrifice that changed everything in the end. A powerful battle between love and hate.

The story is told from the viewpoint of 4-5 main characters (1 overlap!) We meet Nur, a young woman originally from a prosperous family in Istanbul, whose home has been requisitioned by the allies and turned into a military hospital. It is 1921 and Istanbul (or ‘Constantinople’) has been occupied for 3 years by the Allies after the First World War. Nur has lost her husband and brother to the war and has taken over the school for underprivileged children, previously run by her gentle brother, Kemar.

The war has changed things irrevocably and ‘the enemy’ is ever present in their authoritarian role. The locals try to ignore their presence as best they can. We’re shown that it’s not as simple as ‘2 sides’ in a war, or that one can accept ‘facts’ at face value. Nur saves a young Armenian boy (an ex-pupil) from his burnt-out home where he is cowering after an attack which kills both his parents. She takes him into her home and treats him like a son. He later suffers a serious Malaria attack and the only place, (and the last resort) she can ask for help is the military hospital, from a Doctor she has met briefly before. The growing, tentative relationship between all three is viewed with suspicion both by Nur’s remaining family and by the Dr’s colleagues. Prejudice, loyalty and honour all come into question, and those ‘unnavigable places between culture, history, religion, sex’. Suspicion is rife among the Dr’s colleagues and when one of Nur’s family members returns from the war. Actions, justifications and attitudes are shown from all sides – no one side has the moral high ground.

It’s very moving in places but also brutal in others. The not-so-obvious damage that war leaves to those left alive trying to deal with the aftermath; as well as bereavement and loss - are the things they may have taken part in, their loss of humanity and sense of ‘self’. The book also shows the strength of love and loyalty and of those who are able to hold onto this, together with their empathy for others.

A lovely book with an easily flowing narrative. Huge emotional issues too – 2 sittings were all it took for me to demolish this one. I thought this was going to be a light, ’holiday read’ and a bit too superficial for my usual choice – I was wrong. It is superb; and yes, there were tears (but of hope) at the end…

I had two attempts at reading this book , I gave up on the first attempt but tried again a few weeks later because I had received a copy in exchange for a reveiw. I found it very boring and difficult to follow, I am glad that I was reading a free copy and that I had not paid for it.

I found the format confusing and formulaic , it was difficult to follow what the story was really about because each chapter as written from a different characters point of view. I took it away on holiday and it did not make a good holiday read , too confusing and no real links to make the story come alive. Only at the very end did I manage to make sense of the story.

A hard slog!!., I have read books by this author before and enjoyed them. Not this one though

A super story. Like Victoria Hislop's stories set in Greece Lucy has captured the essence of Istanbul , its occupation by foreign troops during the second world war may not be widely known,.
The description of the markets, the way of life and how war had dsirupted and destroyed lives was beautifully written , Nur made a great sacrifice to protect a child not from her own people.
I have bought this book for a friend.

This was really well written and really enjoyed the story, I would really recommend this to anyone and it is just the kind of book I like to snuggle down with and enjoy in the evenings in front of the fire.

I found this book slow at the very beginning But I am so Glad I stuck with it. Last Letter from Istanbul by Lucy Foley ended up to be beautifully written and I loved all the characters within this book.
Set in Constantinople, 1921. Tells a story of a forbidden love between a young lady called Nur and a Medical officer called George Monroe.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and the author for the chance to review.

It took me a couple of chapters to get in to this book, and then I could not put it down! I really enjoy historical fiction and found this book so descriptive.
I would recommend!

It took me a while to get into this book as it was a slow starter but after a while I found that I could not put it down. Poignant, beautifully written, I really enjoyed the story. Recommended.

I found this book a bit slow at first but soon got to be interested in the characters and their stories. I enjoyed reading about the history of Istanbul or Constantinople as it was then called. The story kept me captivated and wanting to read more. Definitely worth a read.

I found this to be a bit slow for me. The story was good, and started well, but it’s not my kind of read.

Overwhelmingly beautiful. Sumptuous, restrained, heart wrenching and joyful, I devoured this book. The depth of research is shown in the flavours, smells and colours of Istanbul. Beautiful prose. This will be of my favourite books of all time.

Beautifully written and hugely evocative of a long passed era in Istanbul. If you know the city at all , as I do a little , it is expert in its geography and really brings his remarkable city to life.

Told from different perspectives it is set in post WWI era of Allied occupation and tells the impact of the political events of the time on the individuals concerned.

I can see echoes of Victoria Hislop's The Island however this stands on its own as a lovely piece of writing that will enthral anyone with the slightest interest in the country or in the politics of Europe.

Really struggled to get into this book. I totally agree with other reviewers that it was really well written and the description really transported the reader to the period and atmosphere of the settings. However unfortunately for me I did not enjoy it and kept looking how much more there was to read before the end as I was determined to finish it. I think if it had been a library book it would have been abandoned. After reading other reviews many stated that it picked up about a third of the way through. That didn’t happen for me. I don’t know if it was the short chapter style or the way each chapter was about different characters that stopped me enjoying the very worthy story. I must admit that I started to speed read about two thirds of the way through as it’s pace did not pick up for me. Thank you for sending me a review copy.

I found that this was a slow starter and I very nearly gave up on it, but not wanting to leave a book unfinished I persevered, am I glad I did? Yes in a way, it wasn’t a great book but it wasn’t terrible either.

The story was well written, but I did find it a little boring at times, which could just be because I am used to a more fast paced thriller type of book.

Based just after the First World War, we follow 2 main characters Nur, a young school teacher and George a Scottish doctor, the story is told from several different view points. The characters are entirely likeable and the story enjoyable, but just a little too slow for me.

Set during the occupation of Istanbul by allied forces after the First World War, Last Letter from Istanbul tells its story from alternating viewpoints. Those of Nur, a local evicted from her family home and now living with her mother and grandmother in a far less desirable district; the young boy who has been taken in by Nur; George, the army doctor, whose hospital occupies Nur’s former home; and two unnamed characters in the Traveller and the Prisoner. It becomes clear who they are as the novel progresses.

It takes a while for these strands to come together, but once they do, the story envelops you. It’s as if one of Nur’s embroidered shawls wraps around you, bundling you into the story alongside her. Lucy Foley brings the sights, smells and sounds of Istanbul to life in her writing and evokes an impression of what it was like to be there at this moment in the city’s history; a period I didn’t know much about before reading.

It’s a time of uncertainty: there are occupation forces on the streets, refugees arriving on a daily basis and everyone’s hustling to survive. Despite that, for Nur it’s also a time of increased freedom: she can go out to work as a teacher, substituting for her brother who went off to war and hasn’t returned, and she no longer needs to wear the veil when leaving the house. But this freedom is new and not without limitations: she sees the disapproving looks as she walks the streets of her city, and knows that she can only push against long-held customs and norms so much.

This conflict between freedom and propriety swirls around Nur and comes to the fore when she finds herself asking for help. George is the enemy personified and I felt for Nur when she’s in his company because of the internal struggles she endures each time. George seems to have less of an understanding of this because he’s one of the occupying forces and a man, although he’s not without a sense of (somewhat) delayed propriety.

That Nur rescues the boy and takes risks to ensure his well-being tell you a lot about her, especially when events far from home involving another family member come to light, contrasting with her treatment and attitude. I sympathised with the boy as his backstory, and that of others like him, is revealed. But I only truly warmed to him after he makes a discovery of his own in Nur’s home. It’s fascinating how he uses what he finds as a key to the past, while adding his own contribution and ensuring its continuance.

Last Letter from Istanbul is an evocative and emotional novel: it’s a transporting story of family ties, love and sacrifice, and the noble spirit at the heart of it all, which I came to understand and admire.