I have always been drawn to books about the Holocaust. I did a massive paper on it in college and ever since I felt drawn to the stories. The stories are always heartache and sadness but I always love to focus on the stories of hope and kindness. This book touched my heart so deeply. Espically Truus Wijsmuller. She was a Dutch woman who helped thousands of Jewish children to England. She saved thousands of German and Austrian children from the death camps of the Holocaust.

The Last Train to London was an amazing book and truly one of my favorite books ever. It’s a historic fiction but you can tell Meg did her research. This story will stick with me forever.

If you read only one book this fall, make it The Last Train to London. I spent almost the entire time I spent reading it with raised blood pressure, gripping my Kindle tightly in anxious hands as I apprehensively turned each page, worried about the characters I had come to love. I sobbed noisily at the end with relief and sorrow, completely moved by everything that had happened throughout the novel and the bravery and determination of the heroes and heroines of the story. I read quite a lot but no novel this year has gripped me with the fervor I experienced perusing this one.

Stephan Neuman dreams of becoming a famous playwright and loves to immerse himself in the knowledge of the local entertainment scene. He keeps tabs on everything happening at the Burgetheater by paying regular visits to the gossipy barber in the salon located in the basement of the playhouse. It is here that he meets the lovely and fascinating Žofie-Helene Perger, grand-daughter to the barber, a brilliant math prodigy whose analytical mind serves as the perfect foil for his artistic spirit. Although very different, the two become fast friends, adventuring through the city together and introducing each other to new and heretofore unnoticed marvels of their environs.

Žofie is entranced by the world Stephan shows her. Her father was killed while reporting in Berlin on the Rohm Purge and her mother is the editor of a progressive Austrian anti-Nazi newspaper. Her family doesn’t have much money but Stephan’s family owns one of the most successful chocolate shops in Vienna. From rooms filled with fine crystal and art, to the intricate underground tunnels which run under the city, he introduces her to a magical province she never dreamt of.

Their carefree days come to a halt in March of 1938 with the Anschluss, the incorporation of Austria into Germany. Stephan, who is Jewish, is familiar with what has been happening in Germany to people of his ethnicity and is immediately concerned for the safety of his family. On the night of the Austrian chancellor’s resignation, he watches in horror as people from his community are beaten and his own home ransacked, his family forced to hide while their possessions are stolen or destroyed. Žofie’s family is not much safer; her mother’s outspoken criticism of Hitler has already drawn the attention of the local Nazi party and journalist Kathe Preger has come to the attention of those in Germany who are making lists of Austria’s ‘undesirables’.

There is good amidst the evil, though. Compassionate, courageous Truus Wijsmuller works tirelessly with other members of the Dutch resistance smuggling Jewish children, first out of Germany and then, after Anschluss, out of Austria. The rescues are made increasingly difficult as European countries progressively fall to Hitler and countries like America begin refusing to take refugees. Fortunately, Truus finds a fierce ally in Helen Bentwich, an intelligent, tenacious British woman who, along with her husband, presents the Bentwich-Cohen plan to the government of Great Britain, creating a kindertransport system which will (hopefully) bring kids like Stephan, his younger brother Walter, and Žofie-Helene to safety.

The greatest threat to their endeavors is one the ladies did not plan for. Adolf Eichmann is in charge of the Central Agency for Jewish Emigration in Vienna. A member of the Sicherheitsdienst (SD; Security Service), Eichmann has long been pushing for harsher treatment in relation to Jewish citizenry within Aryan nations. Later to be known for his work on the Final Solution to the Jewish Question, he devises a cruel plan to make the kindertransport impossible. But he doesn’t know the will of Truus and underestimates her ability to work miracles. She is determined to save the children and beat Eichmann at the cruel game he is playing with these precious young lives.

The Last Train to London is a story about the cost of both complicity and courage. The complicity we see in Austria, as people vote to incorporate into Germany and turn to violence and theft against their Jewish neighbors; the complicity of America as it turns away desperate Jewish refugees, even after the horrific events of kristallnacht ; and the complicity of European governments as they watch the terrible, violence-fueled rise of Hitler but refuse to stir themselves to action. That collusion costs millions of lives, making a long, bitter war inevitable but it is matched in small part by the courage of women like Truus, who rescues children at great risk to herself; Kathe Perger, who writes and publishes the truth about events in Germany and Austria in her newspaper even as the Nazis threaten her with arrest, destroy her publication’s office and threaten her family; and Helen Bentwich who goes to battle with the British government to find a place for children in critical need. Their valiant, dangerous work saves thousands but costs many of those involved in such activity their lives. The narrative weaves these two themes unrelentingly throughout the tale, highlighting the fact that the Nazis’ actions did not happen in a vacuum, but occurred thanks to the silent cooperation of the majority, with only a few daring souls heroically taking a stand.

The author also does a fantastic job of contrasting horror and joy. I found myself horrified anew by the brutality and cruelty of the Nazis, the way betrayal of friendships occurred as political situations changed, and how the author ties the past to the present. Hearing Eichmann refer to Kathe as a member of the Lugenpresse (the lying press) was chilling given current statements American political figures have made about the media. His speech stating that, “The true spirit of Germany resides in the Volk, in the peasants and the landscape” given society’s recent turn toward nationalism is equally chilling. But watching the friendship and gradual romance between Stephan and Žofie was absolutely delightful; seeing little Walter mature and become a brave young boy who handled a devastating situation with aplomb and courage was incredibly heartening, and reading of the bravery of the women who fought so fiercely to give these kids a future was amazing. The text is liberally sprinkled with simple acts of kindness which have an incredible impact on those in need, reminding us that it can take very little to be of great help.

Ms. Waite is a many times honored author who brings consummate skill to the writing of this complex narrative. I was completely engrossed in the tale almost from the start, the prose encompassing me and making me feel in many ways as though I was experiencing the adventure of life in those terrible times along with the characters. While the initial vignettes at the very start of the book are a bit choppy and stilted, the author quickly settles into a smooth, easily readable composition style which allows her tale to shine.

The Last Train to London is a beautifully written, timely and insightful story which I would encourage everyone to read. It’s not the most cheery book you will pick up this year but it will be one of the most impactful.

Holy Cow!!! I thought I had read everything that had to do with the Kindertransport, however I missed a lot on my journey to understanding until The Last Train to London rode into my universe. Ms. Clayton has created a world where heartache, Heroism, and horror blend together to honor men and women who tried to do what was best for the Jewish Children of WWII torn German, Austria and the surrounding areas.

Stephan Neumann Is an ordinary Austrian teenager, however what is inordinately different is that he is a phenomenal writer who loves the brilliant math prodigy, Žofie-Helene Perger daughter of a “rabble rousing journalist” and whose family owns the most famous chocolatier factory in all of Austria. The Last Train to London is his story. It’s also. Madame Geertruida Wijsmuller’s (Tante Truus as she was known to those she saved) story, and the thousands of children she helped save from the terrors of the Concentration Camps of WWII. Those adults that ran the Kindertransport were hero's. They risked their own lives and their families lives into the danger of themselves being residents of any of the horrific concentration camps. We owe them the stories that are told of them to help open each other’s eyes so we don’t have a repeat of the terror of trying to annihilate a whole race of people. People of the Jewish faith, ones related to me and my German ancestors. People who believe in peace and love. This is their story, this is a story we all should read and learn from.
I highly recommend The Last Train Of London as not only as a great read, the factual history is dark, deep and revealing AND one that is timely and important.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars

As another worthy entry into the canon of World War II related historical fiction, this book focuses on the famous Kindertransport system that helped to transport thousands of children out of various parts of Europe during the Nazi occupation of the region in the late 1930s, immediately prior to the official start of the war. In particular, the story focuses on the efforts of Truus Wijsmuller, a brave Dutchwoman who dedicated her life to helping countless children escape Nazi-occupied territories, both on her own as well as working with other agencies.

At the center of the story are the Neumans, a wealthy Jewish family whose chocolate-making business is known throughout Austria. Their teenage son Stephan is a budding playwright who, during the course of getting his haircut one day, meets math genius Zofie-Helene, a young Christian girl around his same age who quickly becomes his best friend and companion going on excursions together throughout the city of Vienna. Not long after they meet however, the Nazis invade Austria and soon, the 2 youngsters, along with Stephan’s little brother Walter, find themselves having to flee the only home they’d ever known, venturing on a harrowing journey toward an uncertain future where safety and survival are the goal but unfortunately not guaranteed.

Over the years, I’ve read my fair share of WWII era novels and while stories set in this time period can difficult reads emotionally, I will continue to read them because of the importance I’ve always placed on knowing and understanding history as essential in order to learn from it. While this book did fall into the “necessary read” category for me and I’m definitely glad I read it (especially since my knowledge of the Kindertransports program was very limited prior to reading this), I feel like the story did not have as big of an emotional impact on me as other stories set in this era usually do. I think part of the reason for this is because of the way the story was formatted, which was basically with super short chapters where the narrative jumped back and forth from one character to another — this caused the story to come across too “choppy” for me and broke the flow a bit, to the point that it made it difficult for me to get into the story and connect with the characters as much as I had expected to. With that said, the last third or so of the story was actually quite strong and that’s when I started to feel more of a connection with the characters, however by that time, it was already near the end of the story.

Overall though, I still feel that this story has the potential to be a powerful one if better executed, which is why I decided to round up in terms of the rating. I would also still recommend this one, as the story is a good one and the writing is good as well, it’s just that the format didn’t really work for me personally, but it might be fine for others.

Received ARC from Harper Books (HarperCollins) via NetGalley.

Meg Waite Clayton says that The Last Train to London "was inspired by and meant to honor Truus Wijsmuller-Meijer and the children she rescued, as well as the many people who made the Kindertransports possible." Although she has taken "smaller liberties" with her fictional story, its spirit and basis remain compellingly true.

It is a story about a time that must never be forgotten. Ironically, it is a contemporary reminder of just how quickly matters can escalate -- with draconian consequences.

Clayton's story begins in December 1936 which she refers to as "The Time Before." Stephan dreams of being a playwright and Žofie-Helene has already proven herself a brilliant mathematician who is receiving private tutoring. Along with their friend, Deeter, the three dream about their futures as they practice acting out Stephan's characters. They are innocently and blissfully unaware that since 1933 Truus has been using cheap replicas of her jewelry and other tricks to smuggle children past Nazi soldiers into Amsterdam, assisted by Klara Van Lange, her dedicated but naive apprentice. She and her devoted husband, Joop, have suffered the heartbreaking loss of several unborn children. And although they would like nothing more than to raise their own child, Truus is fully cognizant of the risks she takes in order to shepherd little ones to freedom and that her absences from home, coupled with the danger she faces, would force her to abandon her efforts.

In successive chapters, Clayton's focus alternates between Truus's activities, and those of Stephan and Žofie-Helene. Initially, "everyone was too wrapped up in their own families and their own lives to see the politically darkened clouds piling up on the border between Germany and Austria. Everyone thought Hitler was a passing German fad, that it couldn't happen to Austria, . . . and anyway people had businesses to run and children to raise, parties to attend and portraits to sit for, art to buy." Clayton intersperses news stories from the era that demonstrate the increasingly-strained relationships between European nations, the Nazis' encroachment beyond Germany, and the United States' initial response. The technique is highly effective, as it illustrates the mounting tensions and fears the citizens of those regions felt. Through her storytelling, Clayton demonstrates how desperate matters are gradually becoming, to the point that by 1938 one distraught mother puts her infant daughter, Adele Weiss, into Truus' arms and hurries away as the child cries out for her "Mama!" The baby has no paperwork and Truus must quickly improvise in order to evade detection and the consequences thereof. Even Truus has not yet come to appreciate the depth of love that would cause a mother to hand her child over to perfect strangers in order to give the infant a chance at life, fearing that the little one without papers has jeopardized the passage of the other children. The supervisor advises Truus, "You do my sister a disservice, Frau Wijsmuller. You would have her risk her daughter's life along with her own."

Matters worsen dramatically for Stephan and his family after the full-scale takeover of Austria by the Nazis. His family is displaced from their palatial home, their company taken from them, and they suffer other devastating losses as they struggle to simply survive. Žofie-Helene, along with her younger sister, Johanna, and their grandfather, Herr Perger, the barber, face their own challenges. Žofie-Helene's mother, like so many other journalists, learns that there is a price associated with truth-telling.

Power-hungry Eichmann, determined to increase his own influence within the Nazi party, wields terror and destruction with his diabolical machinations, accompanied by his trained German Shepherd, Tier.

The movingly terrifying stories of Truus, and Stephan and Žofie-Helene, do not immediately intersect. By the time they do, Clayton has fully immersed readers in their narratives, ensuring readers' investment in their fates. Truus is not fearless. On the contrary, she is wise and savvy enough to understand the stakes and proceed with cautious determination. She observes, "My father used to say courage isn't the absence of fear, but rather going forward in the face of it." She well knows that the contingency for which one fails to plan is the one that can bring defeat.

Stephan, like the other young people who witnessed the atrocities of the time, matures quickly as he sees what is happening to his country, his family, and the reactions of those around him. He quickly appreciates the depth of betrayal by his fellow citizens and friends as he finds himself caught up in a demonstration where those around him are chanting "One People! One Reich! One Fuhrer!" and he realizes that those "words might well echo through Stephan's head for the rest of his life." Clayton's portrayal of Stephan's coming-of-age is chillingly realistic and heartbreaking. Žofie-Helemeane must likewise come to terms with the evaporation of the future she envisioned and staggering loss.

And at the heart of the story is the triumph of Truss who, like so many others, is bewildered by what is happening around her. "Where are the decent German people? Why aren't they standing against this? Where are the leaders of the world?" But there is no time to await answers because she is challenged by none other than Eichmann himself. And unwilling to accept defeat. With the assistance of many other brave souls, the mission is a success, but not without concomitant costs.

The Last Train to London tells but one of the many stories of heroism, bravery, and dedication that ultimately brought defeat to the Nazi regime. Clayton's approach to her subject matter is measured and successful. She demonstrates the impact of history upon her characters with restrained realism which illustrates the depth of their extraordinary resilience and commitment to those they love and the tasks history has assigned to them. Truus is deeply conflicted, questioning why she cannot carry a child to term and feeling that she has let her husband down. She declares, "I'm a woman who can't bear a child in a world that values nothing else from me!" even as Joop assures her that she is "a woman doing important work, in a world that badly needs you." Eventually, in Clayton's handling of her story, Truus finds peace in her fate. "Perhaps this is why God chose to deny us children. Because there would be this greater need, this chance to save so many. Perhaps He saved us the burden of having to choose to risk leaving our own children motherless."

The Last Train to London is powerful, engrossing, and absolutely heartbreaking -- at certain junctures, extremely difficult to continue reading. For that reason, it is a book that needs to be read because it is also full of hope, power, and strength. It is a beautifully crafted reminder that one person can make a difference.

Meg Waite Clayton (The Race for Paris) highlights dual narratives beginning in Holland and Austria in 1936. In Holland, Truus Wisjmuller-Meijer, a real historical figure, works to help bring Jewish children across the border from Germany. Much of her work focuses on helping orphaned children. In Vienna, Austria, Stephan Neuman dreams of becoming a playwright and enjoys a comfortable life as a member of a family that owns a successful chocolate business. Stephan has developed a crush on Zofie-Helene, a brilliant teenaged mathematician whose mother is a journalist exposing Hitler’s brutalities.

Truus continues her work ferrying children across the border. She enjoys the support of her loving husband Joop, though she laments the fact that they are childless. When the Nazis begin their occupation of Austria, and England joins the war, Truus joins forces with Helen Bentwich, a prominent Englishwoman, to have rescued children placed in homes in England.

After the initial placement of a small number of children, Truus and Helen begin a more substantial undertaking. Truus travels to Austria to meet with Adolf Eichmann, to convince him to permit her to take Jewish children from Vienna to Holland. Eichmann relents, begrudgingly, only if Truus can get exactly 600 children signed up to leave Vienna on a train to emigrate to England.

While organizing the speedy exit of the children in a matter of days, Truus meets Stephan, his little brother Walter, and Zofie-Helene. Stephan has been hiding from the Nazis since they took over his home, but his primary concern is to honor his ill mother’s wishes that Walter is placed on the train out of Vienna. Eichmann has targeted Zofie-Helene’s mother, and her grandfather petitions for her spot on the train.

Historical novels often detail the atrocities committed by the Nazis during World War II. But Clayton has veered from a general view of those atrocities, giving voice to those who sacrificed security and sometimes their lives to rescue as many children as possible. Clayton expertly delves into the feelings and thoughts of her characters, making them believable and real, and so much more than just names recorded in a history book. This book is a must-read for any fan of World War II historical fiction.

This is an amazing story which takes place during World War II. It's a work of fiction based on the Kindertransport effort. I was overwhelmed by the bravery of Truus Wijsmuller-Meijer. Her desire to save Jewish children regardless of the danger she faced was inspiring. All the people involved in this undertaking were heroes. Reading about Adolf Eichmann and his ruthless treatment of the Jews in Vienna was a reminder of the brutality of Hitler and the Reich. My heart broke for these children and their families. Following the journey of Stephan and his brother, Walter, brought me to tears. Their lives changed from one of luxury to one of deprivation. Zofie-Helene, their friend, suffered because her mother criticized Hitler and the Nazis in her newspaper. This wasn't a proud moment in history. Meg Waite Clayton wrote a brilliant book. The Last Train To London highlights the courage and bravery of mankind in face of unprecedented evil.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.

It's just has to be hard to write and research something like this and get a story going like this one! Received this through Net Galley and it had my mind going all over the place on what these children had to go through. Had my emotions on the edge of my seat,the characters are so real you feel like you are right there watching all of this unfold. You will laugh you will cry you will want to hug them all!! Wonderful story was but true!

4 WWII Kindertransport stars

Another stellar entry into the world of historical fiction set during WWII. This time mostly in Austria. This book provided a fascinating look into the world of Vienna shortly before the Anschluss and then through the war. There were the things you would expect from most books set during this time – terrible treatment of Jews, Kristallnacht, oppression, and brazen racism. The difference in this book is the focus on Jewish children that were sent away by parents and the heroic efforts of a Dutch woman – Truus Wijsmuller.

I can hardly imagine what these parents went through to say goodbye to their children. Nor can I imagine how difficult an undertaking it was. Nearly 10,000 Jewish children made their way to England and were often the only surviving members of their family. One interesting fact for the trains is that they didn’t take very young children, because it would be too hard to care for them in transit with minimal adult chaperones.

This book was well researched and took a bit of time for me to be drawn in. I really enjoyed the characters of Stephan and Zofie-Helene and seeing the world through their eyes. Truus was a fascinating character as well and I’m glad this book has highlighted her efforts.

I wish I could say that decades later we no longer have situations like this in the world, but this book is a good reminder that we shouldn’t repeat mistakes of the past. I wish more countries were willing to take in refugees. This book is well worth your time.

Well-paced intertwining stories about the real-life Truus Wijsmuller, who helped to smuggle thousands of Jewish children out of Nazi-occupied territory during WWII, and several (fictional) children she helped. I appreciated the attention to detail and that not everything was tied up in a pretty bow. The prose lets the story down, however. It's not horribly written, but it never rises above pedestrian, with one simple declarative sentence marching after another. The result, for me anyway, is that scenes that would have been moving had the same leaden weight as less-consequential, less emotional scenes.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow oh Wow, doesn’t even begin to describe this book. I have been fortunate enough lately to have read some mighty fine books, but this is by far, the best of the year for 2019 and possibly 2018, as an avid reader, I read about 100 a year. I cannot give this story a high enough review for how beautiful it is. The writing is spectacular, the character development is done so well, and I absolutely loved the short chapters, her descriptions were so on the mark, you could envision just exactly what she was describing. Based upon a previous review, I did begin the book with writing down the characters, and it worked wonders until I got more comfortable with everyone which didn’t take long.
I fell in love with so many of the characters, Stefan, Zofie-Helene, Mutti, Tanta Truus, and especially Peter Rabbit. I expect great things from this story, anyone who enjoys reading about the Kindertransport in WWII, this is a book you need to pick up, sit back, take your time and devour this piece of work. If you don’t read WWII books, I highly recommend you pick this book up, sit back and enjoy the ride. This one has it all, love, laughter, courage, tenacity, suspense, sorrow, hope, and faith, I could go on and on. Absolutely an awesome beautiful book!!
I was very pleased to have been given the opportunity to receive this book from HarperCollins Publishers through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This one gets the highest 5*****’s I can give; it would get more if possible.

This is a very moving book about the kindertransports that saved thousands of lives before World War II. It follows two best friends (one Jewish and one not) as well as Auntie Truus (based on the real life Truus Wijsmuller) as they try to survive Nazi rule. It's a story that's definitely emotionally driven, but rightfully so. You find yourself rooting for the characters and wanting good to triumph over evil which unfortunately isn't always the case. However, this book is a must-read for anyone who has had even the slightest interest in stories set during or around World War II.

A very powerful, pre-WWII story about courage, passion, and above all an unshakeable faith. Incredible what these little (and not so little) children went through. This book will make you want to research the real-life people upon which this novel is based.

The Last Train to London is a novel that takes place in the WWII era in Austria that is beautifully written and thoroughly researched. There are three main characters- Truus, a brave Dutch woman whose mission becomes to rescue small children from Germany; Stephan, the son of a wealthy Jewish family who loses everything and Zofie-Helene who is a Christian and her mother writes for a progressive paper exposing the truths about the Nazis. All three characters were well developed and easy to fall in love with for their vulnerability and bravery. Their stories are weaved together telling a very compelling story. It was slightly difficult to get into the book at first as the chapters were very short and it bounced around from character to character, however once you get to know them and put the pieces together it’s hard to put this book down! Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm here to help you were the words the children longed to hear and words they trusted belonged to Tante Truus who is an actual woman named Truus Wijsmuller-Meijer.

THE LAST TRAIN TO LONDON focuses on saving Jewish children by this woman who is said to have saved 10,000 children.

We meet many characters that are frightened because of what is going on in Germany and the rest of Europe as well as meeting the frightened children.

The reader sees what is happening in the daily lives of the European people, and the wonderful work Tante Truus does by secretly transporting Jewish children to safety.

Each chapter has a very clever title, and Ms. Waite Clayton did amazing research.

The beginning took a little while to figure out what actually was going on and who was who, but it all worked out. The book truly depicted the era and Ms. Wijsmuller-Meijer's work.

If you enjoy historical fiction and want to experience an excellent history lesson even though it details the cruel treatment the Jewish citizens endured during this era, you will want to take the time to read THE LAST TRAIN TO LONDON.

You also get to see the many good, helpful people along with the distasteful ones.

Ms. Waite Clayton’s writing and the cover are definitely pull-you-in.

A marvelous, heartbreaking, and well-researched book you won't want to miss. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A WWII novel from a different perspective. A story of children (jewish and non-jewish) and the struggle to leave a newly Nazi-occupied Vienna and the woman who risked so much to save so many young lives. Beautiful.

This was a really difficult book to get through. For starters, the beginning and extremely short chapters make it very difficult for the reader to follow and get to know the characters. It’s a shame because this book could have been so much better. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

WW2, War is Hell, historical-places-events, historical-figures, historical-research, love, historical-fiction

From Austria, home of the Von Trapps, to the Netherlands, home of Anne Frank. This is the first part of the journey of the brave children rescued from Nazis by many courageous people, but especially the woman known to them as Tante Truus. She is different from Oskar Schindler, but equally driven. This is real history dressed in the finery of fiction. The publisher's blurb gives a sort of overview of select characters and part of their stories, no need to further recap. A wrenching story, but well worth telling.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from HarperCollins Publishers via NetGalley. Thank you so much.

This book was based on the true story of a Dutch woman who rescued many Jewish refugee children from Nazi Germany. I didn't know this when I first started reading the book, and when I found out it made her exploits even more remarkable. I will say I had trouble relating to the first part of the book; the chapters were choppy and didn't seem to tie together. The last half of the book picked up and then I couldn't put it down.

Truus Wijsmuller was a member of the Dutch resistance and she and her husband smuggled refugee children out of Nazi Germany. She took some awe-inspiring risks to save children unrelated to her and I really enjoyed reading about her.

Thanks to HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve said this about more than one book this year, but I have to repeat it for this book, it would make an incredible movie. The best part about this book is that much of it is based on actual historical events. Even some of the characters were real people. I loved this because I learned a lot about a period in history that is very interesting to me. The author obviously did thorough research while writing this and it’s truly a masterpiece. Fair warning, this is absolutely a tear jerker. The story is set in the late 1930s and early 40s in Europe. It’s centered around the incredibly brave effort known as the The Kindertransport which evacuated Jewish children from countries where they were in danger and transported them to Great Britain. The characters were well developed and their stories were inspiring and heartbreaking and they were all courageous in their own way.
This is an amazing book that I’d highly recommend!