If you enjoy historical fiction like the popular book 'the tattooist of Auchwitz' you would also like this book by Gill Thompson.
harrowing and thought provoking but excellent reading.

Interesting premise, I generally enjoy historical fiction during WW2. This book fell flat for me. The characters were likable enough, but the style of writing and somewhat trite storyline left something to be desired. Also connection to the story’s title is weak. Ultimately I made it halfway through this book before moving on.

Exciting and yet tragic this story has and will stay with me forever. Two girls bought together by circumstance are there for each other through the hardest of times. A different world war story but still acourageous and ultimately uplifting.

This book was amazing, definitely had a little bit of everything. I can't wait to read more books by Gill!

This was such an emotional and powerful read, I couldn't put it down. It is such a beautifully written book, I would highly recommend

As is my usual way with reviews, I will not be repeating the precise of the story here as I believe that the professionals do a better job without giving too much away. What you really need to know is whether this book is worth reading.
I found the beginning of this book, set as it is in Scotland just pre-war, a different way-in to a novel about WW2 and its decimation of normal life in Europe. As much as anything this book shows us the power and depth of friendships which are formed not necessarily out of choice, but out of circumstance and necessity. The enduring, powerful and loving relationship formed between Kirsty and Jean is one which will remain in my thoughts for some time. You will find that the novel moves on and we later hear far more about Anna and her brother, more close friendships. Less books are set in WW Hungary than other parts of Europe so I found story this especially emotional and heart breaking. A well-researched book telling a story around a lot of historical known facts of discrimination during the first half of the 20thC.

In this fascinating, high-stakes historical fiction novel, Gill Thompson brings readers from the Scottish mines to the beautiful city of Budapest in Hungary. After the death of her father, teenage Kirsty travels to Budapest in 1939 to work as a cook at a school for Jewish girls, where she meets Anna, her brother Endre, and the headmistress and fellow Scotswoman Jean. As the war continues on, Kirsty and Anna’s world changes as the Nazis move towards Budapest and laws begin to change in 1943, dramatically affecting Anna, Kirsty, and the school. Readers follow Kirsty and Anna over the course of their friendship and into the struggles of German occupation and antisemitic laws of World War II. The friendship between Kirsty and Anna is particularly charming, heartwarming, and realistic, and it does a lot to further their character development over the course of the novel. The characters are also well-written and live detailed lives, and Thompson develops the individual personalities of the major and minor characters into complex, dynamic figures. The choice of setting in Budapest is particularly fascinating since it is not a common World War II historical fiction setting, and Thompson successfully brings it to life in this lovely historical fiction novel.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The Orphans on the Train by Gill Thompson is a fast paced historical fiction novel that left my emotions all over the place. When Kirsty suddenly becomes an orphan at the age 14 nothing could prepare her for the hostilities she would face once she makes her way to Hungary. When the war breaks out, she is forced to do what she believes to be right regardless of thoughts and feelings. Taken under the wing of Jean, the Matron at the all girls school in Hungary, she learns the true meaning of love and friendship. This novel inspired by three heroic women and their stories which took place throughout the Second World War will leave the readers with yet another view of the courage it took to live through that period in time. A novel I would definitely recommend to those who love historical fiction based on true events.

This is a well-written, inspiring story with characters who will touch your heart. Much of the story is based on actual characters and events and provides unique insight into the location and time period in history.

Kirsty, the main character, knows loss - she lost her mother at 4 years of age and then loses her father in a mining accident when she is 14 years old. A neighbor, Maggie, takes Kristy in for a short period of time and provides Kirsty with some much-needed guidance and support to help her get through some truly difficult times.

Eventually, Kirsty, who is too young to live on her own, takes a job as a cook's assistant in Budapest Hungry - a school for Jewish and Christian girls. While at the school, she develops a unique bond with Jean, the school matron and a friendship with Anna, a Jewish girl. The school and these relationships are influenced and impacted by WWII and in particular, the treatment of Jews.

Despite all of the challenges faced by Kirsty, she is a brave and honorable person, who is willing to be loyal to her friends and do what is right despite extremely frightening circumstances.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Not my cup of tea but my mum liked it, Not my cup of tea but my mum liked it, Not my cup of tea but my mum liked it,

I love stories from the war. This was a fantastic read. Emotional. Love bonds of friendship and love that were formed during these times.
A had read for anyone that like history.

I had wanted to read a book by Gill Thompson for sometime but the opportunity never presented itself until now. The Orphans on the Train was well worth the wait. It was based on true events and had the ability to rouse all my emotions over the course of the book. Gill Thompson’s research was impeccable and very informative. Her character development was compelling and believable. The Orphans on the Train explored Hungary’s history, culture and the role it played during World War II. Among other things, I learned about the existence of the Arrow Cross party and the atrocities they committed against the Jewish people that resided in Budapest during World War II. The members of the Arrow Cross party were sometimes even more aggressive and violent than the Nazis to the Jewish people of Budapest. I also learned about how the Arrow Cross party had rounded up the Jews of Budapest and made them line up at the edge of the Danube River to be shot execution style but not before the poor victims were instructed to remove their shoes and leave them on the shore so they could be collected after they were killed. A memorial was built to mark the memory of all those who lost their lives in that cruel and brutal way. It was titled “Shoes on the Danube”. The Orphans on the Train told the story of two orphaned girls and the friendship they forged during that harrowing time.

Kirsty McClean grew up in a small village in Scotland. Her mother died when Kirsty was only four years old. She and her father were very close and shared a love for swimming. Kirsty aspired to become a swimming instructor one day just as her father had done in his part time position. With no warning, Kirsty was dealt the most devastating news. A fire had swept through the mine that her father worked in. Kirsty was only fourteen years old when she learned that her father had been one of the victims that was not able to escape from the fire that engulfed the mine he worked in. She was all alone now, a true orphan. Kirsty grieved for her father. A neighbor, Maggie, came to her rescue and took her in but Kirsty knew that she couldn’t stay with her indefinitely. Maggie was kind and guided Kirsty through all the difficult decisions that laid ahead of her. She even taught Kirsty how to cook and bake.

Through the priest that helped Kristy bury her beloved father, she was offered the opportunity to work as a cook’s assistant at a school in Budapest, Hungary. Kirsty was introduced to a kind woman named Jean who was the matron of the school. Jean explained to Kirsty that she ran a school for Jewish and Christian girls. It was a place where the girls could be safe and feel loved. Kirsty wanted a chance to start a new life in a place where she would not be alone, pitied or overly dependent on others. She liked Jean right away and trusted her. Jean was from Scotland originally. Together, Jean and Kirsty made the long journey to Budapest, Hungary. Upon Kirsty’s arrival, she was met with several challenges. Kirsty was not able to speak or understand the language and she had to learn how to make Hungarian food. The war was escalating but Hungary had taken a neutral position. Jean assured Kirsty that they would be safe in Budapest. As the years passed, though, Hungary’s alliance with Germany became increasingly stronger and the people of Budapest felt the repercussions that the Nazis inflicted, especially the Jews.

Shortly after Kirsty arrived, a Jewish girl, Anna, befriended Kirsty. Anna helped Kirsty with some of the things she was responsible for doing. Kirsty appreciated her help and company. Anna helped Kirsty learn the language including some words of slang. Over the years the two girls grew close, as close as sisters. As much as Anna taught Kirsty, Kirsty also taught Anna several things, including how to swim. Kirsty also became extremely close with Jean. She began to look upon Jean as a mother figure to her. Kirsty and Jean forged a beautiful relationship and bond.

The Orphans on the Train by Gill Thompson was a moving historical fiction novel that was based on actual events that occurred in Budapest during World War II. I was impressed by Gill Thompson’s talent as a masterful storyteller. Her research was well documented and really captured the essence of Budapest during World War II. The Orphans on the Train focused on the courage and hope both Kirsty and Anna possessed. The themes of friendship, love, family, trust, loss, dangers, survival, kindness and cruelty were presented throughout the book. It was heartbreaking yet inspiring. The author’s notes at the conclusion of the book gave insight into what actually occurred and which characters were real or imagined. I enjoyed The Orphans on the Train by Gill Thompson and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Headline for allowing me to read The Orphans on the Train by Gill Thompson through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own opinions.
The Orphans on the Train was quite a tearfest.

I'm currently dealing with seasonal depression and normally reading sad or dark subjects doesn't bother me, but this one truly turned on the tears. That is, of course, a credit to Gill Thompson for being such a fantastic writer and pulling us into the story.

Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and Headline and the fantastic author Gill Thompson for an early copy of her book.

This is my first read from this author, A fantastic Historical read.This book starts in Scotland where I live,kirsty is fourteen and lives with her dad who works in the mines,when a terrible accident happens shes been left an orphan taken in by a friend Maggie soon her husband says it's on temporary how can a fourteen year old live independently. With help she joins a school in Budapest with a matron named Jean.. she meets a new friend Anna the war takes a turn for the worse for the Jews.her school helps Jewish kids and her friend is Jewish.. it's time to survive....kirsty's loves to swim and teaches Anna...will they survive the war? A fantastic read looking forward to reading more of her books. Highly recommend.

This book will be reviewed on goodreads and waterstone's and Amazon UK.

This is an amazing story of hardship, friendship and war. Although the characters are fictional, the setting and the events are all true and unlike many of the real-life stories set in this location the central characters do not end up in Auschwitz. It is a book I'd be happy to let a teenager read although there are references to death and violence it is in keeping with the storyline.
The characters were believable and plot (set in Scotland and Budapest) intriguing enough to keep the reader engaged right to the very end. I enjoyed every minute of this story and one of the best books I have read this year. Thank you Gill for bringing it to life and to net galley and the publisher for making this available to me free in exchange for this honest review.

Kirsty lives in Scotland with her father. When her father dies suddenly, Kirsty must make a decision. She decides to take a job as a cook at a girls' Jewish school in Hungary. She makes friends with Anna, a pupil, has a great role model in Jean, and enjoys her life while cooking and learning a new language. Hungary is neutral.

Nazis invade Budapest, and Kirsty realizes her friend, Anna, and many other Jewish families are in danger. Kirsty must make decisions she never thought she would have to make to survive.

What a story! This was a lovely, seeing Kirsty grow from an orphaned 14-year-old to a mature and loyal 19-year-old!

This was another really interesting historical fiction story. The story begins in Scotland at the beginning of WWII when Kirsty becomes an orphan. Soon she meets a Scottish missionary who is headmistress at a school in Hungary and who is looking for a cook assistant. With no way to take care of herself and no one to take care of her, she decides to head to Hungar. There Kirsty begins to heal as learns the language she cooks and gets to know the headmistress whom she bonds with as as she is also a Scottish orphan. She also becomes the best of friends with Anna one of the Jewish students. When Kristy arrives Hungary is neutral, but as the war goes on life becomes more and more difficult for the Jewish families and for those that support them. Once the Germans invade Hungary the girls, Anna and Kirsty are on their own as they fight to survive and stay one step ahead of the Nazis and the Arrow Cross Movement. Will they survive the war?

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this story. I learned a lot about Hungary's role in WWII. I loved the characters, the headmistress Jean was kind, warm, and sympathetic to all of the students as they worried about their families and what the future would hold for them. She was a wonderful role model. Kirsty, was brave and strong as she dealt with her grief as an orphan and supported the students as a cook at the school. I loved her friendship with Anna and how they both worked together to stay safe during the war. Kristy loved to swim which played a role as the story progressed. The author also touched on post-war Hungary, when it fell to the Russians and was a communist country until the wall fell. At the end of the story the writer shares who the main characters were based on, which I found very interesting. It's definitely a great read for historical fiction fans.

Thanks to Netgalley, Headline, and the author for an ARC of this book.
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I am a huge fan of WWII historical fiction books. And because this one focuses on Budapest instead of Germany or Poland, it was a nice change of pace. There were themes running throughout the pages of family and friendship, endurance and persistence, and a willingness to forgive. I was a little disappointed in that this read more like a young adult book. I did not feel like the characters were well developed. I appreciated the author’s notes with details about what details of the book are historically accurate and which weren’t. I feel like we could have been given more in order to make the book more appealing. However, I imagine there are others who would find this to be an interesting read and would encourage you to give it a chance and make up your own mind.

Thank you to NetGalley and Review for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

After losing her father in a mining accident, Kirsty moves to Hungary to cook for a school for Jewish pupils. As WWII looms, she finds herself getting closer to Anna, one of the students, and her concern for all of the students makes her look deep into herself for the strength to survive. Well written historical fiction.

This review is being posted as part of the The Orphans On The Train influencer tour organised by Headline.
The Orphans On The Train is the latest gripping historical fiction novel from author Gill Thompson. It is a heart-wrenching story set in war-torn Budapest exploring themes of love, loss, found family, resilience and healing. The narrative is perfectly paced and had me hooked from the very first page, making this a must-read for fans of World War Two historical fiction.
Gill Thompson has an incredible ability to craft compelling stories which perfectly capture the emotions experienced by the characters in a way which truly tugs on the heartstrings of every reader.
The focus of The Orphans On The Train is on the horrific experiences of Jewish people in Hungary during the Second World War. The history of the Holocaust in Hungary tragically isn’t as widely known as that in other countries in Central and Western Europe so it’s fantastic to see this represented within historical fiction in such a powerful and moving way. The history was clearly very well researched and the story is inspired by real events. The author’s afterword is a must-read to find out more about the history behind the book.
Kirsty was a fantastically written character who made a wonderful protagonist. She is only fourteen years old when our story begins in 1939 and we follow her through her teenage years into early adulthood. At every point in the story she felt authentically written as a young person in that era of their life and it was wonderful to see her gradually mature into an incredible courageous young woman. Anna and her brother Endre were also brilliant characters and I thought the portrayal of Endre’s PTSD was incredible. The friendship between Kirsty and Anna was really well written and felt like an authentic teenage friendship. I loved that they found family in each other when they’d both lost everyone else in their lives and the bond this created between them. The central role swimming played in the story was also really impactful as it was powerfully used to help the characters to gradually heal from the tragic losses and trauma they experienced at such young ages.
Overall, The Orphans On The Train is a really powerful and moving novel which had me truly engrossed from cover to cover to the point that I read (and wept) through the story in a single sitting.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I have posted an extended review on my blog www.yourschloe.co.uk and the post is linked.