OCTOBER 2019 - AudioFile
This stunning audio tale of the pre-Anschluss rescue of Austrian Jewish children by a grassroots network of volunteers would be effective in any format. Meticulously researched and plotted with subtlety and discipline, Clayton's fictional characters are wonderful, as is the essentially true story of the almost forgotten Truus Wijsmuller, a childless Dutch woman who rescued thousands of children with near suicidal bravery. The venerable John Lee should be perfect for this material, as he is brilliant with European accents and effective at dialogue, but too often here he chooses a mannered singsong for Clayton's sentences, as if more interested in imposing his trademark rhythms on the text than in serving the author’s meaning. It’s a puzzling choice, but the audiobook remains incredibly moving. B.G. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
“The Last Train to London is painful and beautiful, absorbing and unforgettable. A wonderful tribute to courage, to a remarkable woman, to the ones she saved, and the ones she could not. Recommend this book to anyone who thinks no single person can make a difference.” — Karen Joy Fowler, author of the USA Today Bestseller We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
“The Last Train to London is an absolutely fascinating, beautifully rendered story of love, loss, and heroism in the dark days leading up to World War II. Clayton perfectly captures the tension and heartbreak of the times, which feel so relevant today. It is a glowing portrait of women rising up against impossible odds to save children.” — Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of The Great Alone and The Nightingale
“What a delight it was to read this brilliant telling of the Kindertransport, a novel threaded with compassion, hope and love. Thank you, Meg Waite Clayton for reminding us of what can happen when good people conspire against evil.” — Heather Morris, #1 bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz
“The Last Train to London is a rare thing: intellectually provocative and emotionally moving in equal measure. What a fine tribute to the victims and survivors of the Nazis’ early terrors, and to the woman who at great personal risk and sacrifice subverted Hitler’s will. Everyone should read this timely, gorgeous novel.” — Therese Anne Fowler, bestselling author of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald
“This is a standout historical fiction that serves as a chilling reminder of how insidious, pervasive evil can gradually seep into everyday lives.” — Publishers Weekly
“Enlightening, meticulously researched ... Clayton’s story of the remarkable woman, known as Tante Truus, is enriched by a compelling cast of fictional characters.” — Booklist (starred review)
“With its well-developed characters and race-against-the-clock plot, this fantastic novel should have broad appeal, especially with fans of historical fiction and thrillers.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“Riveting … Clayton makes vivid Truus’s courage and resourcefulness in the face of growing danger as borders close throughout Europe.” — BBC
“Glimmers with hope: the heroism of everyday people putting their own comfortable lives in jeopardy to help others.” — BookPage
“An engrossing, heart-wrenching, and inspiring account of ordinary people making life-and-death choice in the darkest of times.” — Jerusalem Post
“Excellent. . . clearly the product of prodigious historical research. . . serves as a reminder that even in dangerous times, every person can make a difference. . . . Ultimately, this historical novel offers great insight into the inspiring humanity of those who opposed the Nazis; Clayton brings Tante Truus to life at a timely moment when cruelty is once again on the march.” — San Francisco Examiner
"Heartfelt and mesmerizing...takes the reader on an unforgettable journey...If you like books set in World War II featuring complex, courageous female protagonists who were ahead of their time, this book should earn a place at the top of the list." — Historical Novels Review
Heather Morris
What a delight it was to read this brilliant telling of the Kindertransport, a novel threaded with compassion, hope and love. Thank you, Meg Waite Clayton for reminding us of what can happen when good people conspire against evil.”
Booklist (starred review)
Enlightening, meticulously researched ... Clayton’s story of the remarkable woman, known as Tante Truus, is enriched by a compelling cast of fictional characters.
Kristin Hannah
The Last Train to London is an absolutely fascinating, beautifully rendered story of love, loss, and heroism in the dark days leading up to World War II. Clayton perfectly captures the tension and heartbreak of the times, which feel so relevant today. It is a glowing portrait of women rising up against impossible odds to save children.
BBC
Riveting … Clayton makes vivid Truus’s courage and resourcefulness in the face of growing danger as borders close throughout Europe.
BookPage
Glimmers with hope: the heroism of everyday people putting their own comfortable lives in jeopardy to help others.
Jerusalem Post
An engrossing, heart-wrenching, and inspiring account of ordinary people making life-and-death choice in the darkest of times.
Karen Joy Fowler
“The Last Train to London is painful and beautiful, absorbing and unforgettable. A wonderful tribute to courage, to a remarkable woman, to the ones she saved, and the ones she could not. Recommend this book to anyone who thinks no single person can make a difference.
Therese Anne Fowler
The Last Train to London is a rare thing: intellectually provocative and emotionally moving in equal measure. What a fine tribute to the victims and survivors of the Nazis’ early terrors, and to the woman who at great personal risk and sacrifice subverted Hitler’s will. Everyone should read this timely, gorgeous novel.
San Francisco Examiner
The Last Train to London,” an excellent new novel … clearly the product of prodigious historical research … serves as a reminder that even in dangerous times, every person can make a difference … Ultimately, this historical novel offers great insight into the inspiring humanity of those who opposed the Nazis; Clayton brings Tante Truus to life at a timely moment when cruelty is once again on the march.
Historical Novels Review
"Heartfelt and mesmerizing...takes the reader on an unforgettable journey...If you like books set in World War II featuring complex, courageous female protagonists who were ahead of their time, this book should earn a place at the top of the list."
San Francisco Examiner
The Last Train to London,” an excellent new novel … clearly the product of prodigious historical research … serves as a reminder that even in dangerous times, every person can make a difference … Ultimately, this historical novel offers great insight into the inspiring humanity of those who opposed the Nazis; Clayton brings Tante Truus to life at a timely moment when cruelty is once again on the march.
BookPage
The Last Train to London … glimmers with hope: the heroism of everyday people putting their own comfortable lives in jeopardy to help others.
Booklist (starred review)
“Enlightening, meticulously researched ... Clayton’s story of the remarkable woman, known as Tante Truus, is enriched by a compelling cast of fictional characters.
Historical Novels Review
"Heartfelt and mesmerizing...takes the reader on an unforgettable journey...If you like books set in World War II featuring complex, courageous female protagonists who were ahead of their time, this book should earn a place at the top of the list."
Jerusalem Post
an engrossing, heart-wrenching, and inspiring account of ordinary people making life-and-death choice in the darkest of times.
Katherine Read
The Last Train to London,” an excellent new novel … clearly the product of prodigious historical research … serves as a reminder that even in dangerous times, every person can make a difference … Ultimately, this historical novel offers great insight into the inspiring humanity of those who opposed the Nazis; Clayton brings Tante Truus to life at a timely moment when cruelty is once again on the march.
Glenn C. Altschuler
an engrossing, heart-wrenching, and inspiring account of ordinary people making life-and-death choice in the darkest of times.
Amy Scribner
The Last Train to London … glimmers with hope: the heroism of everyday people putting their own comfortable lives in jeopardy to help others.
Jane Ciabattari
Riveting … Clayton makes vivid Truus’s courage and resourcefulness in the face of growing danger as borders close throughout Europe.
Yangsze Choo
Sometimes a novel comes along that feels both rooted in history, yet timelessly pertinent. The Last Train to London is a brilliant and chilling reminder of history’s lessons, told urgently and sympathetically from the viewpoint of the children desperate to flee Hitler’s regime, and the women willing to risk all to save them. Meg Waite Clayton’s unflinching, evocative prose brings the entwined destinies of Stephan, Žofie-Helene, and Truus to life. The cruelties, large and small, inflicted by the Nazis on their chosen scapegoats echo ominously in today’s world, leading us to ponder the thin line separating bravery from indifference. Yet The Last Train to London is also a reminder of love, tenderness, and friendship that blossoms despite tremendous risk. Beautifully written and brimming with hope and gravitas, this is a tale that will transport readers to the edge of their seats, even as the last Kinder Transport prepares, against all odds, to leave for London.
Karen Fowler Joy
“The Last Train to London is painful and beautiful, absorbing and unforgettable. A wonderful tribute to courage, to a remarkable woman, to the ones she saved, and the ones she could not. Recommend this book to anyone who thinks no single person can make a difference.
Karen Fowler
“The Last Train to London is painful and beautiful, absorbing and unforgettable. A wonderful tribute to courage, to a remarkable woman, to the ones she saved, and the ones she could not. Recommend this book to anyone who thinks no single person can make a difference.
OCTOBER 2019 - AudioFile
This stunning audio tale of the pre-Anschluss rescue of Austrian Jewish children by a grassroots network of volunteers would be effective in any format. Meticulously researched and plotted with subtlety and discipline, Clayton's fictional characters are wonderful, as is the essentially true story of the almost forgotten Truus Wijsmuller, a childless Dutch woman who rescued thousands of children with near suicidal bravery. The venerable John Lee should be perfect for this material, as he is brilliant with European accents and effective at dialogue, but too often here he chooses a mannered singsong for Clayton's sentences, as if more interested in imposing his trademark rhythms on the text than in serving the author’s meaning. It’s a puzzling choice, but the audiobook remains incredibly moving. B.G. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine