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The Train That Took You Away
Berlin, 1938. I wipe the tears streaming down my darling son’s face, my heart shattering into a million pieces. “I promise I will find you, my love. No matter what…”
Ever since the Nazis came to power, violence has spread through the city Esther Spielmann once called home. Each night she prays her family will be spared. But when her husband and father are murdered alongside fellow Jews during Kristallnacht, she has no choice but to send her beloved son, Sascha, to safety.
Esther’s heart breaks as she watches his thin legs trembling in the cold as he is ushered with the other crying children towards the Kindertransport. As the train leaves in a cloud of smoke, she thinks of the painting of the two of them hanging in their house. In it, they are tightly embracing and laughing, everything just as it should be. She vows that she will hold him like this once again. But has Esther made a promise she can’t possibly keep?
Ever since the Nazis came to power, violence has spread through the city Esther Spielmann once called home. Each night she prays her family will be spared. But when her husband and father are murdered alongside fellow Jews during Kristallnacht, she has no choice but to send her beloved son, Sascha, to safety.
Esther’s heart breaks as she watches his thin legs trembling in the cold as he is ushered with the other crying children towards the Kindertransport. As the train leaves in a cloud of smoke, she thinks of the painting of the two of them hanging in their house. In it, they are tightly embracing and laughing, everything just as it should be. She vows that she will hold him like this once again. But has Esther made a promise she can’t possibly keep?
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 20, 2025
1007 people are currently reading
506 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Hokin
37 books239 followersWelcome to my author page and my novels, including the Hanni Winter series which is the newest of the pack. I write books set primarily in Berlin, covering the period from 1933 up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and dealing with the long shadows left by war. I am a story lover as well as a story writer and this period really fascinates me. Writing about it also means that I get to spend a lot of time in Berlin, which is my second favourite city - my favourite is Buenos Aires.
I am from the North of England but now live very happily in Glasgow with my American husband. If I'm not at my desk you'll most probably find me in the cinema, or just follow the sound of very loud music.
I'd love to hear from you and there are lots of ways you can find me, so jump in via my website https://www.catherinehokin.com/ or on my Cat Hokin FB page or on twitter @cathokin
I am from the North of England but now live very happily in Glasgow with my American husband. If I'm not at my desk you'll most probably find me in the cinema, or just follow the sound of very loud music.
I'd love to hear from you and there are lots of ways you can find me, so jump in via my website https://www.catherinehokin.com/ or on my Cat Hokin FB page or on twitter @cathokin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
January 18, 2025
This is a well-written, entertaining, deeply moving, WWII historical fiction novel. The story is told from the perspectives of three engaging and well-developed characters: an English woman, a German woman, and a young boy. I was completely immersed in their stories and felt their outrage, despair, pain, suffering, and heartbreak, which was tempered by their strength, hope, resilience, friendship and love. It has a wonderful message of finding beauty in the ruins. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Ms. Sarah Durham, has a lovely voice and does an outstanding job depicting the characters and their personalities. Many thanks to Bookouture, Ms. Hokin, and NetGalley, from whom I received an advanced listener copy of this fabulous novel. This is my honest opinion.
January 2, 2025
This is my first read from this author.a historical war story of Esther Speilman, her father and husband, is murdered.. She's scared for her son Sasha getting him to safety. This book is about survival. Strength. Heartbreak. Good read.
February 7, 2025
The Train That Took You Away by Catherine Hokin was both a heartbreaking and moving book that took place in Berlin, Germany during the late 1930’s, through World War II and the Holocaust and then after the defeat of the Nazis. It was well written and impeccably researched. The Train That Took You Away portrayed two incredibly strong women, one whose entire family lived and worked in Berlin and one who was a British citizen and had decided to return to Berlin against the wishes of her family. Both women had a strong passion for art but were not acquainted with each other. What circumstances brought them together?
Esther Spielmann had lived in Berlin her entire life. She grew up in an affluent Jewish family and was afforded the opportunities that came with her family’s status. Esther had always had a passion for art and therefore owned and operated a successful and well known art gallery in Berlin. She had married for love and had had a son with her husband. Sascha, their eight year old son, was bright, inquisitive and the apple of his mother’s eye. One afternoon while attempting to attend one of the Olympics events in Berlin, Esther, her husband and Sascha got their first real exposure at antisemitism that was directed towards them and their close friends. They were denied entry despite the fact that they had valid tickets. Shortly after that incident, Kristallnacht occurred. Both Esther’s husband and father were killed during Kristallnacht. The life for the Jews that resided in Berlin was getting worse and more and more restrictions were being imposed on them. Esther was forced to close her gallery but not before the Nazis took the paintings that they declared went against the Nazi’s acceptable artists and subjects. Esther wished she could protect Sascha from all the evil that the Nazis were committing. When Esther heard about the Kindertransport that could take Sascha safely out of Germany to live with a family in England, she was tortured by the decision she was forced to make. How could she send her precious son far away from her to live with complete strangers? On the other hand, how could Esther subject Sascha to the wrath of the Nazis? In the end, Esther did what she thought was best for Sascha. With a heavy heart, she sent a crying eight year old Sascha on the train that would take him to England, promising to find him after the war was over. The next thing Esther knew, she was forced on a train that was heading to a concentration camp. She knew that she had to survive if she wanted to be able to find Sascha again.
Amalie, a British woman, traveled to Berlin in 1938, against the wishes of her parents. She had been hired to work at Berlin’s National Gallery. As a child, Amalie spent a lot of time in Berlin with her family. She loved those days! Berlin was quite different now. The Nazis presence was everywhere and quite intimidating. Amalie loved what she was doing at Berlin’s National Gallery but things in Berlin were getting more and more chaotic and dangerous. To Amalie’s great regret, she was forced to return to England. As soon as the war ended, Amalie was determined to return to Berlin. It was during that time that Esther’s and Amalie’s paths crossed.
The Train That Took You Away focused on the extensive looting and stealing of valuable paintings that the Nazis sold to profit the party. I have read other books about how the Nazis stole valuable paintings but Catherine Hokin went into much greater details on this subject. It also included the terrible choices too many Jewish mothers had to make concerning the safety of their children. As a mother and grandmother, I don’t know how Esther and other mothers like her made that impossible decision to send their children away. That really tugged at my heart. The Train That Took You Away was about the unconditional love that existed between mother and son, hope, survival, friendship, patience, trust and forgiveness. I listened to the audiobook of The Train That Took You Away that was narrated by Sarah Durham. She did an excellent job of differentiating between the voices of the various characters. I really recommend this book if you enjoy reading historical fiction that focuses on aspects of World War II and the Holocaust.
Thank you to Bookouture Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Train That Took You Away by Catherine Hokin through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Esther Spielmann had lived in Berlin her entire life. She grew up in an affluent Jewish family and was afforded the opportunities that came with her family’s status. Esther had always had a passion for art and therefore owned and operated a successful and well known art gallery in Berlin. She had married for love and had had a son with her husband. Sascha, their eight year old son, was bright, inquisitive and the apple of his mother’s eye. One afternoon while attempting to attend one of the Olympics events in Berlin, Esther, her husband and Sascha got their first real exposure at antisemitism that was directed towards them and their close friends. They were denied entry despite the fact that they had valid tickets. Shortly after that incident, Kristallnacht occurred. Both Esther’s husband and father were killed during Kristallnacht. The life for the Jews that resided in Berlin was getting worse and more and more restrictions were being imposed on them. Esther was forced to close her gallery but not before the Nazis took the paintings that they declared went against the Nazi’s acceptable artists and subjects. Esther wished she could protect Sascha from all the evil that the Nazis were committing. When Esther heard about the Kindertransport that could take Sascha safely out of Germany to live with a family in England, she was tortured by the decision she was forced to make. How could she send her precious son far away from her to live with complete strangers? On the other hand, how could Esther subject Sascha to the wrath of the Nazis? In the end, Esther did what she thought was best for Sascha. With a heavy heart, she sent a crying eight year old Sascha on the train that would take him to England, promising to find him after the war was over. The next thing Esther knew, she was forced on a train that was heading to a concentration camp. She knew that she had to survive if she wanted to be able to find Sascha again.
Amalie, a British woman, traveled to Berlin in 1938, against the wishes of her parents. She had been hired to work at Berlin’s National Gallery. As a child, Amalie spent a lot of time in Berlin with her family. She loved those days! Berlin was quite different now. The Nazis presence was everywhere and quite intimidating. Amalie loved what she was doing at Berlin’s National Gallery but things in Berlin were getting more and more chaotic and dangerous. To Amalie’s great regret, she was forced to return to England. As soon as the war ended, Amalie was determined to return to Berlin. It was during that time that Esther’s and Amalie’s paths crossed.
The Train That Took You Away focused on the extensive looting and stealing of valuable paintings that the Nazis sold to profit the party. I have read other books about how the Nazis stole valuable paintings but Catherine Hokin went into much greater details on this subject. It also included the terrible choices too many Jewish mothers had to make concerning the safety of their children. As a mother and grandmother, I don’t know how Esther and other mothers like her made that impossible decision to send their children away. That really tugged at my heart. The Train That Took You Away was about the unconditional love that existed between mother and son, hope, survival, friendship, patience, trust and forgiveness. I listened to the audiobook of The Train That Took You Away that was narrated by Sarah Durham. She did an excellent job of differentiating between the voices of the various characters. I really recommend this book if you enjoy reading historical fiction that focuses on aspects of World War II and the Holocaust.
Thank you to Bookouture Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Train That Took You Away by Catherine Hokin through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 21, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Train That Took You Away by Catherine Hokin. This is my first book by this author. This was well written and very emotional at times. This book was about the Holocaust with a different twist. It had a strong sense of art and art galleries in the book. This helped when reading about the horrors that took place to have a reprieve of colour and descriptions of works of art. This heartfelt story is a must read for fans of historical fiction. I would highly recommend this book. A 4 star rating from me. #Netgalley #Bookouture
March 5, 2025
This high quality audio was an emotional listen. The story itself focuses on the events in Germany during ww2,. It has a couple of substories with different characters which are woven together. Hard choices are made as German Jews are treated the same as Jews and children were sent away to safety . Although this is a story it felt like it could really have happened. This is very powerful and the characters that we follow the mother, the artist, the art collector are well narrated and developed. I felt every emotion listening to this at times it was a hard listen .I liked the way it all came together. The ending seemed too easy and predictable but other than that a total worthy listen. This is perfect for fans of historic fiction it feels a long term before the action really starts but this is to set the scene which is done well. I thought the narrator did a fab job of describing some difficult scenes and the accents were used correctly. I loved the use of metaphors and the ideas that were deep and gave the story a greater impact. I listened long in the night and was only disappointed that it was over too quickly and too predictably. This is a 4 star listen highly recommended. Thank you netgallery, publisher, author and narrator
January 21, 2025
Another WWII novel. Esther has to make the hardest decision of her life, to send her son away in hopes of protecting him for the German soldiers and their hatred of Jews. After losing her husband to their raids, she knows she has no choice but to let her son go. She’s sent to one of their camps after and knows she kept her son alive by doing what she did. My heart hurt for what she endured and being separated from her son.
I liked the dual POVS, although they were told within the same time period instead of two different ones like so many are. I waited a large chunk of the book waiting to see how the two women would intertwine.
I enjoyed Sarah’s narration. She really helped me connect with both women.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copies of this book.
I liked the dual POVS, although they were told within the same time period instead of two different ones like so many are. I waited a large chunk of the book waiting to see how the two women would intertwine.
I enjoyed Sarah’s narration. She really helped me connect with both women.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copies of this book.
December 20, 2024
When I read a book centered around the Holocaust I am very aware and often critical of how the author handles the details within the context of horror. Catherine Hokin does a commendable job of extracting the personal loss and societal upheaval of the time while creating believable characters who lived through that nightmare.
Esther, a Jewish woman living in Berlin, comes from an affluent and educated family. She owns and operates a notable art gallery containing valuable works of renowned artists. She is married and has an eight year old son, Sascha. With Hitler’s slow and steady rise to power, Esther’s life changes bit by bit , day by day, and by the time it becomes apparent that the family must leave Berlin , there is no way out. Finally Esther understands that she is unlikely to save herself, but Sascha can leave for Britain on a kinder transport. My heart was torn in half as Esther labored over a decision that no mother anywhere, for any reason, should ever have to make. So much to think about. What would be the likelihood of survivors actually locating their beloved hidden children.? What would a mother do if her hidden child has moved on to a new life ? This was all unimaginable for me.
Concurrently, Amalie, a British citizen, takes a job in Berlin’s National Gallery. Her family sees war approaching and wants her to remain in England but Amalie is determined to keep the world’s art treasures safe from Nazi looters who would profit from their sale. When remaining in Berlin becomes untenable, Amalie must return home. What she leaves behind has a long lasting grip on her need to do the right thing.
Although the two stories seem related tangentially only through the art world , I was aware that eventually the paths of the women would cross. Ms Hokin did a bounty of research. Her details regarding tie plundering of art museums was mind boggling and although I was aware that Nazi looting was widespread I never understood the details of this travesty. Through Amalie and Esther, the author shows how looting became a backbone to finance the Nazi war machine.
Ms Hokin also took great care describing the ever worsening conditions of life for European Jews, including Kristallnacht, deportation and death vs survival in concentration camps. Nothing was sugar coated. This was a very emotional read.
Five stars for a book that needs to be read and a story that needs to be told. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review. Publication date is January 20, 2025. Get ready for an important, disturbing and very engaging story.
January 20, 2025
Esther Spielman knows that her life has changed forever. As the Nazis have come into power she knows that she must do everything possible to keep her family safe.
Her father and husband are murdered and now her only option is to send her young son, Sascha away for his safety. Her heart breaks and her tears flow as the train disappears. How will she ever survive this horrible time?
As the Nazis invade her home, they take what little she has left, and then they take her. She is on a train and its next stop is a concentration camp. She must survive if she ever expects to see her son again. The thought of reuniting with him is the only thing that is keeping her alive.
The Train That Took You Away, written by author Catherine Hokin, is a heartbreaking story of never giving up. It’s a story about facing danger and still finding a way to survive.
Esther’s story of having to send her son away so that he would have a chance at survival, will have you reaching for the Kleenex as the tears will start falling. The strength of a mother always amazes me.
This emotional and wonderful story is one that will break your heart into tiny pieces. I couldn’t put this book down until I reached the very end. I highly recommend this phenomenal read.
Her father and husband are murdered and now her only option is to send her young son, Sascha away for his safety. Her heart breaks and her tears flow as the train disappears. How will she ever survive this horrible time?
As the Nazis invade her home, they take what little she has left, and then they take her. She is on a train and its next stop is a concentration camp. She must survive if she ever expects to see her son again. The thought of reuniting with him is the only thing that is keeping her alive.
The Train That Took You Away, written by author Catherine Hokin, is a heartbreaking story of never giving up. It’s a story about facing danger and still finding a way to survive.
Esther’s story of having to send her son away so that he would have a chance at survival, will have you reaching for the Kleenex as the tears will start falling. The strength of a mother always amazes me.
This emotional and wonderful story is one that will break your heart into tiny pieces. I couldn’t put this book down until I reached the very end. I highly recommend this phenomenal read.
February 11, 2025
A good but not a great tale about a subject well explored by writers. Some attempts to create deeply disturbing situations fall short. But the author creates unique strong characters and excells in making vivid descriptions.
April 3, 2025
There are so many different stories that came out of World War II that it’s impossible to comprehend all of theatrocities that the Nazi Party was responsible for. In many cases, following the end of the War, those who perpetrated the atrocities did their best to tone down their involvement. The Train That Took You Away focuses on how Nazi Party Leaders sought to enrich themselves by stealing art from all over Europe. This is set against the backdrop of a Jewish mother who sends her son to England as a safety measure and then must hunt for him after the War.
In Germany in the 1930s, Esther Spielmann is a reknown art gallery owner. Since the Nazis came to power, she’s been trying to tread a line and keep herself unnoticed, but eventually they arrive at her gallery. They deem some of the art as degenerate, particularly any art made by a Jewish artist. The rest they tag to go into Nazi collections.
Esther’s family is quite wealthy. Her father owns a bank, and her husband is employed there. Even their wealth cannot protect them. Her father and husband are disappeared and murdered during Kristallnacht. When the opportunity comes up to send her eight-year-old son, Sascha, to England, Esther reluctantly sends him. She is now alone in Berlin, unable to escape, as the Nazis take everything from her.
Amalie is a British woman who was working at Berlin’s National Gallery when the Nazis came to power. She has no love for them, but tries to go along to get along to preserve being able to do the art restoration work she loves, as well as protect some valuable art from getting into Nazi hands or being destroyed. Bold and outspoken, she tries to stop a woman from being burned alive during Kristallnacht and is deported back to England by the Nazis. Eventually, she becomes part of The Monuments Men team which follows the soldiers fighting the Nazis after D-Day. They attempt to find, catalogue, and seize the artwork the Nazis have hidden away.
The lives of Amalie and Esther collide after the war. Can Amalie help Esther find her son? Can both of them dodge Nazi war criminals still walking the streets of Berlin?
To read my complete review, please go to The Train That Took You Away by Catherine Hokin – Women’s Stories of Resilience
In Germany in the 1930s, Esther Spielmann is a reknown art gallery owner. Since the Nazis came to power, she’s been trying to tread a line and keep herself unnoticed, but eventually they arrive at her gallery. They deem some of the art as degenerate, particularly any art made by a Jewish artist. The rest they tag to go into Nazi collections.
Esther’s family is quite wealthy. Her father owns a bank, and her husband is employed there. Even their wealth cannot protect them. Her father and husband are disappeared and murdered during Kristallnacht. When the opportunity comes up to send her eight-year-old son, Sascha, to England, Esther reluctantly sends him. She is now alone in Berlin, unable to escape, as the Nazis take everything from her.
Amalie is a British woman who was working at Berlin’s National Gallery when the Nazis came to power. She has no love for them, but tries to go along to get along to preserve being able to do the art restoration work she loves, as well as protect some valuable art from getting into Nazi hands or being destroyed. Bold and outspoken, she tries to stop a woman from being burned alive during Kristallnacht and is deported back to England by the Nazis. Eventually, she becomes part of The Monuments Men team which follows the soldiers fighting the Nazis after D-Day. They attempt to find, catalogue, and seize the artwork the Nazis have hidden away.
The lives of Amalie and Esther collide after the war. Can Amalie help Esther find her son? Can both of them dodge Nazi war criminals still walking the streets of Berlin?
To read my complete review, please go to The Train That Took You Away by Catherine Hokin – Women’s Stories of Resilience
January 13, 2025
Very sad novel about a woman (Esther) and her son (Sascha). Esther is from an elite family during the height of war, and at the very beginning of Hitler’s rule…before anyone had any idea what was ahead for them…
Her father runs a bank and has made a lot of money, and a name for himself, so her family never had to ‘want’ for anything. Her husband has made a name for himself as well. And her mother is very involved in the family.
One night when they are out eating, celebrating two birthdays, her young son is excited, and when a soldier comes over to speak with them he blurbs that they are going to a game…and have the best seats in the house!
This is the beginning of their downfall…as the soldier is NOT happy to hear that these ‘Jews’ are having fun…
I’ll 🛑 stop 🛑 there with the story, but will say that as things begin to unfurl, Esther realizes that the ONLY HOPE she has for Sascha is to get him on a KinderTransport out of Berlin….although it is BREAKING her heart ❤️ and soul….
At the same time, Amalie is working at an art gallery. She is English and her family does NOT want her in Berlin, but she is young and foolish…and headstrong!
We follow her life as well, and see her ups and downs…until she is forced out of Berlin.
At some point the two women meet up…and history is made.
Warning: ⚠️ As with many books revolving around the Holocaust, there are some very disturbing sections and descriptions. If you are ok with this, don’t pass this one up. It will grab a hold of your heart and keep tugging….
#TheTrainThatTookYouAway by #CatherineHokin and narrated nicely by #SarahDurham.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!!
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #BookoutureAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which is being released in about ONE WEEK!
**** LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON JANUARY 20, 2025! ****
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
Her father runs a bank and has made a lot of money, and a name for himself, so her family never had to ‘want’ for anything. Her husband has made a name for himself as well. And her mother is very involved in the family.
One night when they are out eating, celebrating two birthdays, her young son is excited, and when a soldier comes over to speak with them he blurbs that they are going to a game…and have the best seats in the house!
This is the beginning of their downfall…as the soldier is NOT happy to hear that these ‘Jews’ are having fun…
I’ll 🛑 stop 🛑 there with the story, but will say that as things begin to unfurl, Esther realizes that the ONLY HOPE she has for Sascha is to get him on a KinderTransport out of Berlin….although it is BREAKING her heart ❤️ and soul….
At the same time, Amalie is working at an art gallery. She is English and her family does NOT want her in Berlin, but she is young and foolish…and headstrong!
We follow her life as well, and see her ups and downs…until she is forced out of Berlin.
At some point the two women meet up…and history is made.
Warning: ⚠️ As with many books revolving around the Holocaust, there are some very disturbing sections and descriptions. If you are ok with this, don’t pass this one up. It will grab a hold of your heart and keep tugging….
#TheTrainThatTookYouAway by #CatherineHokin and narrated nicely by #SarahDurham.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!!
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #BookoutureAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which is being released in about ONE WEEK!
**** LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON JANUARY 20, 2025! ****
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
December 30, 2024
The Train That Took You Away by Catherine Hokin is an emotional and beautifully crafted WWII historical novel that intertwines the lives of two women navigating unimaginable loss, love, and resilience in the shadow of war.
Esther Spielmann, a Jewish gallery owner in Berlin, sees her once-thriving world crumble as the Nazis rise to power. Her gallery is looted, her family is torn apart, and she faces an agonizing choice—to send her young son, Sascha, to England on the Kindertransport, knowing she may never see him again. Esther’s story is a heart-wrenching journey of survival, motherhood, and unrelenting hope.
In parallel, we meet Amalie Eden, a British art conservator drawn to Berlin to protect the city’s artistic treasures from Nazi looters. Against her family’s wishes, Amalie remains in Berlin until the worsening political climate forces her back to England, where she continues her fight to reclaim stolen art. Amalie’s perspective sheds light on the often-overlooked story of cultural theft during WWII and the resilience of those who sought to preserve beauty amid devastation.
Hokin’s meticulous research is evident in every detail, from the plundering of Jewish-owned businesses to the clandestine operations to recover stolen art. The horrors of war are laid bare, but the narrative is balanced with moments of love, courage, and the enduring power of human connection.
Though Esther and Amalie’s lives initially seem disparate, their paths eventually intersect in a deeply moving way, uniting their shared love for art and their determination to rebuild in the aftermath of loss. The emotional toll of their journeys is profound, but Hokin’s lyrical prose and compassionate storytelling leave readers with a sense of hope and restoration.
This novel is more than a tale of war; it’s a testament to the strength of the human spirit. The Train That Took You Away is an unforgettable story that will resonate with readers long after the final page. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction that delves into the personal and cultural impact of WWII.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this remarkable book.
Esther Spielmann, a Jewish gallery owner in Berlin, sees her once-thriving world crumble as the Nazis rise to power. Her gallery is looted, her family is torn apart, and she faces an agonizing choice—to send her young son, Sascha, to England on the Kindertransport, knowing she may never see him again. Esther’s story is a heart-wrenching journey of survival, motherhood, and unrelenting hope.
In parallel, we meet Amalie Eden, a British art conservator drawn to Berlin to protect the city’s artistic treasures from Nazi looters. Against her family’s wishes, Amalie remains in Berlin until the worsening political climate forces her back to England, where she continues her fight to reclaim stolen art. Amalie’s perspective sheds light on the often-overlooked story of cultural theft during WWII and the resilience of those who sought to preserve beauty amid devastation.
Hokin’s meticulous research is evident in every detail, from the plundering of Jewish-owned businesses to the clandestine operations to recover stolen art. The horrors of war are laid bare, but the narrative is balanced with moments of love, courage, and the enduring power of human connection.
Though Esther and Amalie’s lives initially seem disparate, their paths eventually intersect in a deeply moving way, uniting their shared love for art and their determination to rebuild in the aftermath of loss. The emotional toll of their journeys is profound, but Hokin’s lyrical prose and compassionate storytelling leave readers with a sense of hope and restoration.
This novel is more than a tale of war; it’s a testament to the strength of the human spirit. The Train That Took You Away is an unforgettable story that will resonate with readers long after the final page. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction that delves into the personal and cultural impact of WWII.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this remarkable book.
January 24, 2025
I’ve read and enjoyed everything that Catherine Hokin has written. She’s a brilliant writer and at this stage I don’t even bother to read the blurb beforehand I just dive straight into the story. The title for this new story, The Train That Took You Away, suggested to me it would be about someone being taken away on a train perhaps to a concentration camp during World War Two or someone going away to safety. I presumed it would be something along these lines but boy did I get a lot more than I had bargained for and Catherine has written an absolute stunner of a book.
It was so brilliantly plotted and devised with superb character development throughout and I was gripped and deeply invested from the beginning right until I read the very last word. There are four distinct parts to the story with such a clear beginning, middle and end which I always tell my pupils they have to have when writing a story. Often the lines between these three parts can become blurred but here they were apparent and in a way they divided the story into the past, present and some what into the future. OK, initially I did find the part changes slightly abrupt in that they occurred and the timeline jolted forward a bit and then went back to develop some details or give a recap. I felt I didn’t want the recap as I could read between the lines and would rather the story would have pushed forward but then I realised the recaps were brief but necessary and I valued their inclusion.
The Train That Took You Away is expansive in its scope and begins in August 1936. We see Hitler’s rise to power as leader of the Socialist Party and how the lives of the Jewish population were curtailed and the noose tightened around them. This first section really helped provide the background to the story that would unfold and there were several characters to become familiar with as well as becoming accustomed to the developing social, political and cultural scene at the time. Yes, there might have been a lot of detail but everything deserved its place in the story and really above all else it was interesting and fascinating and helped the reader understand the motivations, thoughts and emotions of all the characters. It also showed how the characters were forced to radically change and adapt to the horrors that were occurring around them and how their lives, personalities and family situations were altered for many years.
Esther runs an art gallery in Berlin and is married to Caspar and they have a son called Sascha. Esther is from a wealthy family as her father Albert runs the bank where her husband works. She is a woman with a head for business. She is the one person in this book along with Sascha who I felt went through the most radical and awful life experiences and all because she is Jewish. Details were given as to the laws, rules, regulations and restrictions that were enforced upon the Jewish population. The details of which I won’t go into here because there were so many and I’m sure fans of historical fiction will already be familiar with them. Suffice to say Esther and her family suffer a fall from grace and I don’t like using that expression but that is what I can liken it to. Although it is forced upon them rather than being of their own making.
Kristallnacht sees both Esther’s husband and father murdered, and it leaves her with no choice but to accept a place for Sascha on the Kindertransport offering safety in England. What a brave and courageous thing to do. Knowing that you will be all alone in a city and country where you are detested and not wanted where a deliberate separation of one group from another is occurring. With all her resources and her home taken away from her and with visa applications closing, Esther is stuck in a situation where there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Esther was a remarkable woman. She made the sacrifice to get her son to safety and how heart wrenching it must have been to send away your son not knowing would they ever be reunited. Once war broke out her situation deteriorated even further and she is taken to a concentration camp. I had never heard of the camp that she was taken to and given I read so much historical fiction at times you can become immune to reading some of the atrocities that occurred at the camps. But I was appalled to read the barracks were built over Jewish burial grounds with the headstones being used as paving stones for roads and paths. One other incident mentioned as well, I can’t even write about it was so horrific. Esther throughout shows her tenacity, grit, determination, strength, bravery and courage and it was the thoughts of her beloved Sascha that kept her going. I desperately hoped that they would be reunited.
Once the war is over there is a long path to thread in order to try and achieve this and the way the last section of the story unfolded was excellent and really tied all the strands of the story together very well. Sascha has his own chapters every now and again detailing his life in England I felt this was an essential part to the story as it provided a contrast to the life Esther was enduring in Germany. It also showed how he changed and how he viewed the situation he was in and what he thought of his mother and what she did for him. There were just the right amount of chapters from his perspective as I’ll be honest and say that I preferred reading about Esther and Amalie.
For ages, I was thinking how on earth does Amalie fit into the whole occasion. Yes, there are slight similarities between herself and Esther because they are both very interested in art. But why was she in the story? Would a link emerge between the pair and if it did how would it affect the overall plot? But I needn’t have worried because Catherine Hokin knew exactly where she was taking her characters and the links did appear in the last section and how things came together were brilliant, touching and emotional. Amalie is a worker and her passion for art shines through from every aspect of the story that she features in. She is steadfast for the most but also has an impulsive streak that could get her into trouble. At times, I felt she forgot the bigger picture as she was so hell bent on her on personal mission and in one way that wasn’t a bad thing but on the other it was leading her into very dangerous territory that could result in the worst befalling her.
Amalie is an art conservator from England but is half German on her mother’s side and had spent summers in Germany with her grandparents. She is working at the national gallery in Berlin overhauling some of their conservation methods. As trouble brews as Hitler comes to power, Amalie had her head stuck in the clouds and wasn’t fully aware of the bigger picture or the dangers that would come with it. Once war is declared she finally heeds her parents warnings and returns to England but given she has so much knowledge of Berlin and the art world her expertise is soon required in developing a map of where the Nazi’s would have hidden all the valuable works of art that that they plundered. We see Amalie’s character develop and change as the war progresses and concludes and she too experiences trauma and heartbreak but it’s only when she can get back on German soil again that a new side to her starts to emerge. It was fascinating reading about all the artworks and masterpieces that went missing and needed to be found again. Admittedly, I find art boring but Catherine made it absorbing and interesting and Amalie’s enthusiasm became infectious. As for how she connects to Esther you’ll have to pick up this marvellous story to find out.
I know it’s very early on in the year but The Train That Took You Away is already a potential runner for one of my books of the year. It’s Catherine Hokin at her very best and I sense despite the subject matter that she thoroughly enjoyed writing this book as she has given us a story that readers won’t forget in a hurry. I was hooked throughout at the masterful storytelling and the characters that I came to deeply care for and would have no hesitation in recommending this book
It was so brilliantly plotted and devised with superb character development throughout and I was gripped and deeply invested from the beginning right until I read the very last word. There are four distinct parts to the story with such a clear beginning, middle and end which I always tell my pupils they have to have when writing a story. Often the lines between these three parts can become blurred but here they were apparent and in a way they divided the story into the past, present and some what into the future. OK, initially I did find the part changes slightly abrupt in that they occurred and the timeline jolted forward a bit and then went back to develop some details or give a recap. I felt I didn’t want the recap as I could read between the lines and would rather the story would have pushed forward but then I realised the recaps were brief but necessary and I valued their inclusion.
The Train That Took You Away is expansive in its scope and begins in August 1936. We see Hitler’s rise to power as leader of the Socialist Party and how the lives of the Jewish population were curtailed and the noose tightened around them. This first section really helped provide the background to the story that would unfold and there were several characters to become familiar with as well as becoming accustomed to the developing social, political and cultural scene at the time. Yes, there might have been a lot of detail but everything deserved its place in the story and really above all else it was interesting and fascinating and helped the reader understand the motivations, thoughts and emotions of all the characters. It also showed how the characters were forced to radically change and adapt to the horrors that were occurring around them and how their lives, personalities and family situations were altered for many years.
Esther runs an art gallery in Berlin and is married to Caspar and they have a son called Sascha. Esther is from a wealthy family as her father Albert runs the bank where her husband works. She is a woman with a head for business. She is the one person in this book along with Sascha who I felt went through the most radical and awful life experiences and all because she is Jewish. Details were given as to the laws, rules, regulations and restrictions that were enforced upon the Jewish population. The details of which I won’t go into here because there were so many and I’m sure fans of historical fiction will already be familiar with them. Suffice to say Esther and her family suffer a fall from grace and I don’t like using that expression but that is what I can liken it to. Although it is forced upon them rather than being of their own making.
Kristallnacht sees both Esther’s husband and father murdered, and it leaves her with no choice but to accept a place for Sascha on the Kindertransport offering safety in England. What a brave and courageous thing to do. Knowing that you will be all alone in a city and country where you are detested and not wanted where a deliberate separation of one group from another is occurring. With all her resources and her home taken away from her and with visa applications closing, Esther is stuck in a situation where there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Esther was a remarkable woman. She made the sacrifice to get her son to safety and how heart wrenching it must have been to send away your son not knowing would they ever be reunited. Once war broke out her situation deteriorated even further and she is taken to a concentration camp. I had never heard of the camp that she was taken to and given I read so much historical fiction at times you can become immune to reading some of the atrocities that occurred at the camps. But I was appalled to read the barracks were built over Jewish burial grounds with the headstones being used as paving stones for roads and paths. One other incident mentioned as well, I can’t even write about it was so horrific. Esther throughout shows her tenacity, grit, determination, strength, bravery and courage and it was the thoughts of her beloved Sascha that kept her going. I desperately hoped that they would be reunited.
Once the war is over there is a long path to thread in order to try and achieve this and the way the last section of the story unfolded was excellent and really tied all the strands of the story together very well. Sascha has his own chapters every now and again detailing his life in England I felt this was an essential part to the story as it provided a contrast to the life Esther was enduring in Germany. It also showed how he changed and how he viewed the situation he was in and what he thought of his mother and what she did for him. There were just the right amount of chapters from his perspective as I’ll be honest and say that I preferred reading about Esther and Amalie.
For ages, I was thinking how on earth does Amalie fit into the whole occasion. Yes, there are slight similarities between herself and Esther because they are both very interested in art. But why was she in the story? Would a link emerge between the pair and if it did how would it affect the overall plot? But I needn’t have worried because Catherine Hokin knew exactly where she was taking her characters and the links did appear in the last section and how things came together were brilliant, touching and emotional. Amalie is a worker and her passion for art shines through from every aspect of the story that she features in. She is steadfast for the most but also has an impulsive streak that could get her into trouble. At times, I felt she forgot the bigger picture as she was so hell bent on her on personal mission and in one way that wasn’t a bad thing but on the other it was leading her into very dangerous territory that could result in the worst befalling her.
Amalie is an art conservator from England but is half German on her mother’s side and had spent summers in Germany with her grandparents. She is working at the national gallery in Berlin overhauling some of their conservation methods. As trouble brews as Hitler comes to power, Amalie had her head stuck in the clouds and wasn’t fully aware of the bigger picture or the dangers that would come with it. Once war is declared she finally heeds her parents warnings and returns to England but given she has so much knowledge of Berlin and the art world her expertise is soon required in developing a map of where the Nazi’s would have hidden all the valuable works of art that that they plundered. We see Amalie’s character develop and change as the war progresses and concludes and she too experiences trauma and heartbreak but it’s only when she can get back on German soil again that a new side to her starts to emerge. It was fascinating reading about all the artworks and masterpieces that went missing and needed to be found again. Admittedly, I find art boring but Catherine made it absorbing and interesting and Amalie’s enthusiasm became infectious. As for how she connects to Esther you’ll have to pick up this marvellous story to find out.
I know it’s very early on in the year but The Train That Took You Away is already a potential runner for one of my books of the year. It’s Catherine Hokin at her very best and I sense despite the subject matter that she thoroughly enjoyed writing this book as she has given us a story that readers won’t forget in a hurry. I was hooked throughout at the masterful storytelling and the characters that I came to deeply care for and would have no hesitation in recommending this book
February 11, 2025
Author Catherine Hokin describes The Train That Took You Away as the story of “a lost child, a hidden painting, and two women from very different worlds trying to put their broken hearts back together again.” The story opens in Berlin in 1936. Esther Spielmann, thirty-four years old, has worked hard and established her reputation as one of the city’s best gallerists, recognized as adept at finding new talent and providing collectors pieces that perfectly match their tastes. Esther’s family founded the Mandelbaum bank and her husband, Caspar, will one day manage it. Esther’s father, Albert, believes that Hitler simply made “empty promises” to garner votes, but it remains unclear to what extent the Nuremberg Race Laws of 1935 will impact the daily lives of Jewish citizens. So, as Esther is sitting with her energetic six-year-old son, Sascha, for a portrait, her offer to exhibit the work of the Jewish artist — who snaps photos of the two from which he will create the painting — at her gallery is met with consternation and skepticism. He inquires if she is concerned about the gallery’s future status, given the number of Jewish businesses that have already been shuttered, not to mention the Nazi “crackdown on modern art.” Thus far, Esther and her family have not sustained significant changes to their lifestyle since the Nazis’ rise to power, and her husband and father naively believe that, given their successful businesses and social standing, Jews in their “circle” are not under threat. They are about to discover how wrong they are.
Following an interaction with a Schutzstaffel (Hitler’s personal troops) officer at a restaurant, they are denied admission into the stadium to watch an Olympic football match. Seeing her father humiliated and her disappointed son sobbing, Esther demands to know precisely why. The officer informs her a call was received from SS headquarters instructing that they be barred from attending the event because the Fuhrer will be there and “you’re not loyal Germans fit be in his presence; you’re Jews. And they don’t want the stadium polluted.”
Amalie Eden’s parents have urged her to return to safety in London, but the headstrong twenty-six-year-old has refused. She loves her work at Berlin’s National Gallery where she is helping set up a conservation department. After completing her studies, she returned to the city in which she loved to spend summers with her maternal grandparents. A stunning new painting is being hung that depicts a group of women in a park on a sunny day. The way he has captured the light leaves Amalie “spellbound.” The artist, Laurenz Kleber, and his wife, Rebecca, are unnerved and reluctant to speak in response to Amalie’s clumsy but well-intentioned inquiry about if and how the new laws and restrictions imposed upon Jews are changing their lives. Amalie’s earnest impulsiveness continues to compel her toward danger. She dares to voice her disapproval when artwork created by Jews is removed from galleries and only Nazi-approved paintings are permitted to be displayed and becomes determined to ensure that precious works of art – including Laurenz’s beautiful painting — are not destroyed or sold by the Nazis into private collections where they will never be seen in public again. By the time she next encounters Laurenz, his studio has been raided, and he has been forbidden from painting or exhibiting his work.
Employing alternating narratives, Hokin details how the two women are impacted as Hitler’s reign of terror expands and intensifies. As Esther desperately – and futilely – tries to obtain visas so her whole family can escape, they are stripped of their businesses and most other assets. On a cold night in November 1938, Albert and Caspar go out for dinner with clients of the bank but never return home. Nazi troops destroy Jewish-owned stores and synagogues, and the raid becomes known as Kristallnacht (night of broken glass for the shards of glass left behind). Esther is later told that her father and husband died of “heart complications.” Amalie observes a synagogue burning while firefighters watch and cheer as books and prayer shawls are tossed into the flames. Her companions warn, “It’s not our place” to intervene, but Amalie’s impetuous nature and revulsion propel her to confront the soldiers. She soon finds herself in a jail cell and is deported the next day.
In December 1938, Esther makes the heart-wrenching decision to send Sascha to London to live with a family that has agreed to take in Jewish refugee children. He does not have a specific sponsor, and Esther has no idea when she will see her eight-year-old child again, but it is clear that Jews are not safe in Germany. Dispatching Sascha to England is the best way she knows to protect him.
Hokin’s tale spans the next eight years of her characters’ lives. Sascha is initially placed with a family who lost a son about his age to diphtheria and knows he is meant to serve as a replacement. His name is changed to Alex as part of his foster family’s efforts to help him become a true English boy and not miss his home or mother. But Sascha carries with him the photo that the painter snapped of him and his mother on what he now remembers as his family’s last happy day. And although it helps him remember Esther, it also causes him great pain and turmoil because, as he recalls that day, it was his behavior in the restaurant that attracted the attention of the SS officer. And thereafter, their lives began to unravel. Was he sent away as punichsment? Did his mother abandon him? He questions go unanswered.
Esther is evicted from the family home and, at first, put to work in a card factory as an illustrator. By September 1940, German bombs are bombarding London, where Amalie was lucky enough to get back her job in a research laboratory and has become an expert in art storage techniques. When she left Germany, she smuggled out key information about the Nazis’ activities pertaining to precious works of art and she is intent on eventually being part of the recovery efforts of the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives team, commonly known as the Monuments Men.
Each of the narratives is an engrossing tale in its own right. For Esther, survival becomes her only goal when her circumstances grow progressively more dire as the world goes to war and the Nazis inflict her and so many others to previously unimaginable suffering. Sascha’s memories of his mother fade and the trauma of his separation from her deeply affects him as he matures, and his self-concept is transformed. More and more with the passage of time, he thinks of himself as English, not German. Amalie throws herself into her work to find peace, but her efforts put her life in jeopardy.
When the war ends, the survivors begin the herculean task of establishing new lives for themselves. Berlin is decimated, but the National Gallery still stands, and many works of art remain intact. In what is arguably the most riveting part of the book, Hokin’s characters summon their remaining strength, courage, and resolve. For Amelie that means not just the restoration of the National Gallery and its treasures, but also the pursuit of justice. For Esther, whose own gallery has been reduced to a pile of bricks, there is nothing more urgent than finding the son with whom she lost contact so long ago. Records were destroyed, communication lines obliterated, and rebuilding is a slow process. Still, Esther is undaunted, spurred on by her devotion to her only child.
But where is Alex? Did he survive the war, given that he was perhaps in London during the Blitz? Hokin’s clever plot developments are credible and her illustration of her characters’ emotional turmoil believable. Their fears are as grounded in all that they have endured as is their resilience. And Hokin does not evade depicting their complicated feelings and the psychological impact the war has had upon all of them. Rather, she relates their story in an uncompromising and highly effective manner that is both heart-breakingly authentic and resonant.
Hokin says “nothing fascinates me more than a strong female protagonist and a quest. Hopefully, those are what you will encounter when you pick up my books.” Indeed, Esther and Amelie are strong, multi-layered, and fully developed characters – as is Sascha – and The Train That Took You Away is another compassionately crafted, educational, and deeply moving work of fiction about a period in history that must never be forgotten . . . or repeated.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.
Following an interaction with a Schutzstaffel (Hitler’s personal troops) officer at a restaurant, they are denied admission into the stadium to watch an Olympic football match. Seeing her father humiliated and her disappointed son sobbing, Esther demands to know precisely why. The officer informs her a call was received from SS headquarters instructing that they be barred from attending the event because the Fuhrer will be there and “you’re not loyal Germans fit be in his presence; you’re Jews. And they don’t want the stadium polluted.”
Amalie Eden’s parents have urged her to return to safety in London, but the headstrong twenty-six-year-old has refused. She loves her work at Berlin’s National Gallery where she is helping set up a conservation department. After completing her studies, she returned to the city in which she loved to spend summers with her maternal grandparents. A stunning new painting is being hung that depicts a group of women in a park on a sunny day. The way he has captured the light leaves Amalie “spellbound.” The artist, Laurenz Kleber, and his wife, Rebecca, are unnerved and reluctant to speak in response to Amalie’s clumsy but well-intentioned inquiry about if and how the new laws and restrictions imposed upon Jews are changing their lives. Amalie’s earnest impulsiveness continues to compel her toward danger. She dares to voice her disapproval when artwork created by Jews is removed from galleries and only Nazi-approved paintings are permitted to be displayed and becomes determined to ensure that precious works of art – including Laurenz’s beautiful painting — are not destroyed or sold by the Nazis into private collections where they will never be seen in public again. By the time she next encounters Laurenz, his studio has been raided, and he has been forbidden from painting or exhibiting his work.
Employing alternating narratives, Hokin details how the two women are impacted as Hitler’s reign of terror expands and intensifies. As Esther desperately – and futilely – tries to obtain visas so her whole family can escape, they are stripped of their businesses and most other assets. On a cold night in November 1938, Albert and Caspar go out for dinner with clients of the bank but never return home. Nazi troops destroy Jewish-owned stores and synagogues, and the raid becomes known as Kristallnacht (night of broken glass for the shards of glass left behind). Esther is later told that her father and husband died of “heart complications.” Amalie observes a synagogue burning while firefighters watch and cheer as books and prayer shawls are tossed into the flames. Her companions warn, “It’s not our place” to intervene, but Amalie’s impetuous nature and revulsion propel her to confront the soldiers. She soon finds herself in a jail cell and is deported the next day.
In December 1938, Esther makes the heart-wrenching decision to send Sascha to London to live with a family that has agreed to take in Jewish refugee children. He does not have a specific sponsor, and Esther has no idea when she will see her eight-year-old child again, but it is clear that Jews are not safe in Germany. Dispatching Sascha to England is the best way she knows to protect him.
Hokin’s tale spans the next eight years of her characters’ lives. Sascha is initially placed with a family who lost a son about his age to diphtheria and knows he is meant to serve as a replacement. His name is changed to Alex as part of his foster family’s efforts to help him become a true English boy and not miss his home or mother. But Sascha carries with him the photo that the painter snapped of him and his mother on what he now remembers as his family’s last happy day. And although it helps him remember Esther, it also causes him great pain and turmoil because, as he recalls that day, it was his behavior in the restaurant that attracted the attention of the SS officer. And thereafter, their lives began to unravel. Was he sent away as punichsment? Did his mother abandon him? He questions go unanswered.
Esther is evicted from the family home and, at first, put to work in a card factory as an illustrator. By September 1940, German bombs are bombarding London, where Amalie was lucky enough to get back her job in a research laboratory and has become an expert in art storage techniques. When she left Germany, she smuggled out key information about the Nazis’ activities pertaining to precious works of art and she is intent on eventually being part of the recovery efforts of the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives team, commonly known as the Monuments Men.
Each of the narratives is an engrossing tale in its own right. For Esther, survival becomes her only goal when her circumstances grow progressively more dire as the world goes to war and the Nazis inflict her and so many others to previously unimaginable suffering. Sascha’s memories of his mother fade and the trauma of his separation from her deeply affects him as he matures, and his self-concept is transformed. More and more with the passage of time, he thinks of himself as English, not German. Amalie throws herself into her work to find peace, but her efforts put her life in jeopardy.
When the war ends, the survivors begin the herculean task of establishing new lives for themselves. Berlin is decimated, but the National Gallery still stands, and many works of art remain intact. In what is arguably the most riveting part of the book, Hokin’s characters summon their remaining strength, courage, and resolve. For Amelie that means not just the restoration of the National Gallery and its treasures, but also the pursuit of justice. For Esther, whose own gallery has been reduced to a pile of bricks, there is nothing more urgent than finding the son with whom she lost contact so long ago. Records were destroyed, communication lines obliterated, and rebuilding is a slow process. Still, Esther is undaunted, spurred on by her devotion to her only child.
But where is Alex? Did he survive the war, given that he was perhaps in London during the Blitz? Hokin’s clever plot developments are credible and her illustration of her characters’ emotional turmoil believable. Their fears are as grounded in all that they have endured as is their resilience. And Hokin does not evade depicting their complicated feelings and the psychological impact the war has had upon all of them. Rather, she relates their story in an uncompromising and highly effective manner that is both heart-breakingly authentic and resonant.
Hokin says “nothing fascinates me more than a strong female protagonist and a quest. Hopefully, those are what you will encounter when you pick up my books.” Indeed, Esther and Amelie are strong, multi-layered, and fully developed characters – as is Sascha – and The Train That Took You Away is another compassionately crafted, educational, and deeply moving work of fiction about a period in history that must never be forgotten . . . or repeated.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.
January 25, 2025
Good, emotional story that had me in tears.
This story was told in three POV's: (1) Esther, a Jewish wife and daughter of an affluent banker.; never wanting for anything in her life. She has her own successful art gallery, and owns many famous pieces of art; Picasso, etc. Her husband, Caspar, works at her family's bank with her father; both are in denial about what Hitler is going to do to the Jews. They think because they have money, that he won't touch them. That becomes their biggest mistake.
(2) Amalie, is a young, art specialist who knows how to properly protect/restore paintings, she's originally from Germany. Her family moved to London when Hitler started gaining power. She came back to the Germany she once loved as a teen because she ignored everyone's warnings and advice. She's immature at times, speaks without thinking how it will effect others, and doesn't believe that Hitler will be all that bad. She ends up becoming Esther's best friend.
(3) Sascha is Esther and Caspar's 6 year old son. Right before the Olympics in Germany, the family was having a meal and some SS soldiers saw them and asked them where they were off too. When they found out they were going to the Olympics and that they were Jewish, they had them kicked out of the restaurant and banned from the Olympics.
After the scene at the Olympics, Esther wants to leave Germany. Caspar keeps telling her soon, but he hasn't done anything about it. So Esther stands in line everyday for visas to get her family out of the country. When she only gets one, they decide to send her mother to the United States. Her father is too stubborn to leave his precious bank, which the Germans are slowly taking over. Meanwhile, Esther's gallery has been picked apart for Hitler and his men. One night, Caspar and her father had an important business meeting with old clients from the bank, but they never came home. She called her Rabbi for help, he found out they were arrested and sent to the camps. Not long after, she received a letter and an empty urn saying that they'd died of heart failure.
After Kristallnacht occurred in 1938, Esther knows she needs to get Sascha out of Germany. The temple organized a kindertransport to England to be with a foster family to keep him safe until the war ended. He was only 7 years old at the time. She has no idea if she'll ever see him again.
Esther got sent to the camps in 1943, she spent years being treated like an animal. By the end of the war, she had enough and ran from the last camp she was in, in Poland. A nice woman took her in, fed her until she was healthy enough to make the journey back to Germany. That's where she meets Amalie. Amalie found a painting that Esther had done before the war with her and Sascha for her husband's birthday. So Amalie tracked her down at one of the housing for refugees. They become fast friends and Amalie helps her find Sascha.
Sascha is now 16 years old. He is now known as Alex, to hide his German and Jewish heritage. He hasn't received a letter from his mother in years and he doesn't even know if she's alive anymore. When she tracks him down in Kent and shows up, he's torn. He thought he did something wrong and was sent away to England as punishment. No one bothered to tell him the truth.
The two of them have a long road ahead of them, but at least they have each other.
A good read.
*I received a complimentary copy of this ARC via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This story was told in three POV's: (1) Esther, a Jewish wife and daughter of an affluent banker.; never wanting for anything in her life. She has her own successful art gallery, and owns many famous pieces of art; Picasso, etc. Her husband, Caspar, works at her family's bank with her father; both are in denial about what Hitler is going to do to the Jews. They think because they have money, that he won't touch them. That becomes their biggest mistake.
(2) Amalie, is a young, art specialist who knows how to properly protect/restore paintings, she's originally from Germany. Her family moved to London when Hitler started gaining power. She came back to the Germany she once loved as a teen because she ignored everyone's warnings and advice. She's immature at times, speaks without thinking how it will effect others, and doesn't believe that Hitler will be all that bad. She ends up becoming Esther's best friend.
(3) Sascha is Esther and Caspar's 6 year old son. Right before the Olympics in Germany, the family was having a meal and some SS soldiers saw them and asked them where they were off too. When they found out they were going to the Olympics and that they were Jewish, they had them kicked out of the restaurant and banned from the Olympics.
After the scene at the Olympics, Esther wants to leave Germany. Caspar keeps telling her soon, but he hasn't done anything about it. So Esther stands in line everyday for visas to get her family out of the country. When she only gets one, they decide to send her mother to the United States. Her father is too stubborn to leave his precious bank, which the Germans are slowly taking over. Meanwhile, Esther's gallery has been picked apart for Hitler and his men. One night, Caspar and her father had an important business meeting with old clients from the bank, but they never came home. She called her Rabbi for help, he found out they were arrested and sent to the camps. Not long after, she received a letter and an empty urn saying that they'd died of heart failure.
After Kristallnacht occurred in 1938, Esther knows she needs to get Sascha out of Germany. The temple organized a kindertransport to England to be with a foster family to keep him safe until the war ended. He was only 7 years old at the time. She has no idea if she'll ever see him again.
Esther got sent to the camps in 1943, she spent years being treated like an animal. By the end of the war, she had enough and ran from the last camp she was in, in Poland. A nice woman took her in, fed her until she was healthy enough to make the journey back to Germany. That's where she meets Amalie. Amalie found a painting that Esther had done before the war with her and Sascha for her husband's birthday. So Amalie tracked her down at one of the housing for refugees. They become fast friends and Amalie helps her find Sascha.
Sascha is now 16 years old. He is now known as Alex, to hide his German and Jewish heritage. He hasn't received a letter from his mother in years and he doesn't even know if she's alive anymore. When she tracks him down in Kent and shows up, he's torn. He thought he did something wrong and was sent away to England as punishment. No one bothered to tell him the truth.
The two of them have a long road ahead of them, but at least they have each other.
A good read.
*I received a complimentary copy of this ARC via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2025
The Train That Took You Away by Catherine Hokin is a powerful historical novel that I read in just two sittings.
The novel is set from 1936-1946 in Berlin, the seat of the Nazis power. There are also a few scenes in Blitz-ravaged London.
We follow three main characters all connected with the art world – a young female art restorer from England; a young artist; and a young mother who runs an art gallery in Berlin. The latter two are Jewish and their war is beyond horrendous.
Germany seems to be a civilized nation in 1936 as it welcomes people to the Olympics. The young art restorer declares in 1936; “The German people are too kind and too good to let hatred and prejudice swallow it.” Unfortunately, the German people were governed by fear and/or blind adoration as they believed the lies they were told.
Bit by bit the lives of the Jewish people were eroded until all their liberties and freedoms were gone. Those who remained in Berlin were said to be “invisible and we’re targets, and we’ve nothing to live on but bad food, fear and rumor.”
There is much heartache and sacrificial love as a character makes the decision to put her eight-year-old son on the kinder transport to England for safety. It is an emotional wrench and only the hope that she will see him again, keeps her going.
The young boy’s war in England is very different to his mother’s. He experiences the Blitz, is subject to bullying and is evacuated. A personal decision is made to change his name, become more English and blend in.
We also see the young art restorers was in London. “Time… worked differently when bombs were falling and battles were raging.” Love and friendship happened today for tomorrow was not guaranteed.
Life in the Plaszow camp (as seen in the movie Schindler’s List) under Amon Goth was horrendous. Life was a lottery but “if we live, we have a duty to bear witness.” The world must know of the horrors of the cruel Nazi regime.
Survival was pure luck. As war ended, a Berlin character “forced herself to believe that the better parts of the human spirit had survived what the worst parts had done to it.” The perpetrators of evil must be brought to justice. There were the Nuremberg trials but some old Nazis shed their party allegiance and hid in plain sight by blending in.
There were so many painful losses. “I’ve learned to live with that pain because it reminds me how deeply I loved her.” Lives and cities needed to be re-built. There were “the pains of the past and the uncertainties of the future.”
All the characters were wonderfully and realistically drawn. They were easy to empathise with. The pain of sending your child away so that he lives – wow, that is so brave.
We see war on from many points of view in both England and Germany.
The Train That Took You Away is such a powerful and emotional read.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
The novel is set from 1936-1946 in Berlin, the seat of the Nazis power. There are also a few scenes in Blitz-ravaged London.
We follow three main characters all connected with the art world – a young female art restorer from England; a young artist; and a young mother who runs an art gallery in Berlin. The latter two are Jewish and their war is beyond horrendous.
Germany seems to be a civilized nation in 1936 as it welcomes people to the Olympics. The young art restorer declares in 1936; “The German people are too kind and too good to let hatred and prejudice swallow it.” Unfortunately, the German people were governed by fear and/or blind adoration as they believed the lies they were told.
Bit by bit the lives of the Jewish people were eroded until all their liberties and freedoms were gone. Those who remained in Berlin were said to be “invisible and we’re targets, and we’ve nothing to live on but bad food, fear and rumor.”
There is much heartache and sacrificial love as a character makes the decision to put her eight-year-old son on the kinder transport to England for safety. It is an emotional wrench and only the hope that she will see him again, keeps her going.
The young boy’s war in England is very different to his mother’s. He experiences the Blitz, is subject to bullying and is evacuated. A personal decision is made to change his name, become more English and blend in.
We also see the young art restorers was in London. “Time… worked differently when bombs were falling and battles were raging.” Love and friendship happened today for tomorrow was not guaranteed.
Life in the Plaszow camp (as seen in the movie Schindler’s List) under Amon Goth was horrendous. Life was a lottery but “if we live, we have a duty to bear witness.” The world must know of the horrors of the cruel Nazi regime.
Survival was pure luck. As war ended, a Berlin character “forced herself to believe that the better parts of the human spirit had survived what the worst parts had done to it.” The perpetrators of evil must be brought to justice. There were the Nuremberg trials but some old Nazis shed their party allegiance and hid in plain sight by blending in.
There were so many painful losses. “I’ve learned to live with that pain because it reminds me how deeply I loved her.” Lives and cities needed to be re-built. There were “the pains of the past and the uncertainties of the future.”
All the characters were wonderfully and realistically drawn. They were easy to empathise with. The pain of sending your child away so that he lives – wow, that is so brave.
We see war on from many points of view in both England and Germany.
The Train That Took You Away is such a powerful and emotional read.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
January 20, 2025
The Train That Took You Away by Catherine Hokin
Narrated by Sarah Durham
It's 1938 Berlin and Esther has lost everything but her young son, Sascha. Now Esther is sending him away to an unknown future and there is no way she can explain why she is doing this, no way to help him understand that she is doing this because she loves him so much. As a Jewish boy, Sascha needs to get out of Berlin, out of this country, to somewhere safe, despite the fact that Esther can't go with him. It breaks Esther's heart to give up her boy and she can only do so if she tells herself she'll see him again someday.
This story entails so much of what I've been reading about over the last years. The persecution, the roundups, the camps, sending children away to strangers in the hopes of saving their lives. I've also read a lot about the pillaging of art treasures because they were created by people who are now considered unworthy of creating art or even of existing. British woman, Amalie, works at the Berlin’s National Gallery and does what she can to protect the bits of art she can protect. But eventually she can stay in Berlin no longer, heading home to Britain with her heart still in Berlin, breaking for all that she has seen and knows is happening.
In some ways, these two women's lives have already crossed because of their work and people they have known. But once the war is over and Amalie makes her way back to Berlin, the two women come together face to face. There is a boy to find and there is art to save. There are criminals to apprehend, criminals walking the streets, living as powerful men, still crushing those beneath them as they ravish the art world. Both women know too much, both women can find themselves in danger if they aren't careful. Both women must tread carefully.
The story is so sad, even when good things happen, it's hard to let go of all the loss. But both women have important tasks they want to complete and they are not alone in this world that has known so much cruelty. We see that there are good, loving, caring people and each woman moves forward even if they have lost so much. The story encompasses so much of the suffering of this time but also shows us the strength of friendship and perseverance. Sarah Durham does a fine job with the audiobook narration.
Publication January 20, 2025
Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley.
Narrated by Sarah Durham
It's 1938 Berlin and Esther has lost everything but her young son, Sascha. Now Esther is sending him away to an unknown future and there is no way she can explain why she is doing this, no way to help him understand that she is doing this because she loves him so much. As a Jewish boy, Sascha needs to get out of Berlin, out of this country, to somewhere safe, despite the fact that Esther can't go with him. It breaks Esther's heart to give up her boy and she can only do so if she tells herself she'll see him again someday.
This story entails so much of what I've been reading about over the last years. The persecution, the roundups, the camps, sending children away to strangers in the hopes of saving their lives. I've also read a lot about the pillaging of art treasures because they were created by people who are now considered unworthy of creating art or even of existing. British woman, Amalie, works at the Berlin’s National Gallery and does what she can to protect the bits of art she can protect. But eventually she can stay in Berlin no longer, heading home to Britain with her heart still in Berlin, breaking for all that she has seen and knows is happening.
In some ways, these two women's lives have already crossed because of their work and people they have known. But once the war is over and Amalie makes her way back to Berlin, the two women come together face to face. There is a boy to find and there is art to save. There are criminals to apprehend, criminals walking the streets, living as powerful men, still crushing those beneath them as they ravish the art world. Both women know too much, both women can find themselves in danger if they aren't careful. Both women must tread carefully.
The story is so sad, even when good things happen, it's hard to let go of all the loss. But both women have important tasks they want to complete and they are not alone in this world that has known so much cruelty. We see that there are good, loving, caring people and each woman moves forward even if they have lost so much. The story encompasses so much of the suffering of this time but also shows us the strength of friendship and perseverance. Sarah Durham does a fine job with the audiobook narration.
Publication January 20, 2025
Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley.
January 14, 2025
The Train That Took You Away by Catherine Hokin
First of all, a big thank you to #NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for sending me this ALC in exchange for my honest review.
This book is a very beautiful and emotional read based during the time of Hilter’s rise in Germany. It interlaces the life’s of two different women, Esther and Amalie.
Esther Speilman is a Jewish woman that owns an art gallery in Berlin. As the Nazis rise to power her once flourishing life begins to fall apart. Tragedy after tragedy leads Esther to make the heartbreaking decision to send her son, Sascha, to England on train, in order to protect him and save his life, even though she may never see him again.
Amalie Eden is an English woman who takes a job in Berlin at the National Art Gallery, despite her family concerns. The war is approaching and her family wants her to stay in England where she will be safe but Amalia is intent on helping to keep the art treasures safe from looting Nazis. Eventually staying in Germany becomes too dangerous and Amalie has to return to England.
Eventually the lives of these two women do cross. I won’t get into too much detail here, in case of spoilers.
Grab the tissues before you start to read this book! Such an emotional read. Catherine Hokin does an amazing job making these characters come to life. As a mother myself, I just wanted to grab Esther and hold her tight. The incredibly difficult decision she made to send her 8 year old son away to help save his life was incredibly heartbreaking! She made that decision out of absolute pure love.
I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it, especially to those that enjoy historical fiction. The narrator, Sarah Durham, does a phenomenal job helping to make each of these characters come to life!
I rate this book 4/5 stars.
This book releases January 20, 2025
First of all, a big thank you to #NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for sending me this ALC in exchange for my honest review.
This book is a very beautiful and emotional read based during the time of Hilter’s rise in Germany. It interlaces the life’s of two different women, Esther and Amalie.
Esther Speilman is a Jewish woman that owns an art gallery in Berlin. As the Nazis rise to power her once flourishing life begins to fall apart. Tragedy after tragedy leads Esther to make the heartbreaking decision to send her son, Sascha, to England on train, in order to protect him and save his life, even though she may never see him again.
Amalie Eden is an English woman who takes a job in Berlin at the National Art Gallery, despite her family concerns. The war is approaching and her family wants her to stay in England where she will be safe but Amalia is intent on helping to keep the art treasures safe from looting Nazis. Eventually staying in Germany becomes too dangerous and Amalie has to return to England.
Eventually the lives of these two women do cross. I won’t get into too much detail here, in case of spoilers.
Grab the tissues before you start to read this book! Such an emotional read. Catherine Hokin does an amazing job making these characters come to life. As a mother myself, I just wanted to grab Esther and hold her tight. The incredibly difficult decision she made to send her 8 year old son away to help save his life was incredibly heartbreaking! She made that decision out of absolute pure love.
I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it, especially to those that enjoy historical fiction. The narrator, Sarah Durham, does a phenomenal job helping to make each of these characters come to life!
I rate this book 4/5 stars.
This book releases January 20, 2025
January 22, 2025
Absolutely brilliant and heartbreaking story in WWII
Esther is an affluent Jewish art gallery owner in Berlin, whose father and husband were murdered during Hitler's cruel rise, and now, she is scared for her eight year old son, Sascha. She very bravely sent her young son to England on a train in order to save his life. The heartache she felt in making the decision was so painful to read. The uncertainty of ever meeting him again and about both of their future as survivors was heartbreaking. Her own house and gallery were looted, and she was sent to concentration camp.
Amalie, a British, works in Berlin's National Gallery. Her family wanted her to remain in England, but she was determined to save the precious artifacts and national treasures from the Nazis. She tried so hard and struggled a lot but eventually was forced to leave. It was horrifying to read about Nazis looting the galleries, museums, and treasures to fund their war cruelties and torture.
Sascha experienced difficult and troubled times in England and was forced to change his name to remain unnoticeable. The life in England through the tough times is also described. The effects of war everywhere through different points of view were realistically shown.
The author does intensive research on the topic, and it shows throughout the book. The disastrous conditions in the concentration camps, the life or death situations, and Kristallnacht (comes from the shards of broken glass that littered the streets after the windows of Jewish-owned stores, buildings, and synagogues were smashed )
The pain, brutality, and the raids were brutal, but the strength to survive, compassion for others, and hope for a better future is also equally portrayed by the author.
Just loved it, emotional and impressive. Highly recommended.
Thanks to @Netgalley and @Bookouture and the author for the eARC.
Esther is an affluent Jewish art gallery owner in Berlin, whose father and husband were murdered during Hitler's cruel rise, and now, she is scared for her eight year old son, Sascha. She very bravely sent her young son to England on a train in order to save his life. The heartache she felt in making the decision was so painful to read. The uncertainty of ever meeting him again and about both of their future as survivors was heartbreaking. Her own house and gallery were looted, and she was sent to concentration camp.
Amalie, a British, works in Berlin's National Gallery. Her family wanted her to remain in England, but she was determined to save the precious artifacts and national treasures from the Nazis. She tried so hard and struggled a lot but eventually was forced to leave. It was horrifying to read about Nazis looting the galleries, museums, and treasures to fund their war cruelties and torture.
Sascha experienced difficult and troubled times in England and was forced to change his name to remain unnoticeable. The life in England through the tough times is also described. The effects of war everywhere through different points of view were realistically shown.
The author does intensive research on the topic, and it shows throughout the book. The disastrous conditions in the concentration camps, the life or death situations, and Kristallnacht (comes from the shards of broken glass that littered the streets after the windows of Jewish-owned stores, buildings, and synagogues were smashed )
The pain, brutality, and the raids were brutal, but the strength to survive, compassion for others, and hope for a better future is also equally portrayed by the author.
Just loved it, emotional and impressive. Highly recommended.
Thanks to @Netgalley and @Bookouture and the author for the eARC.
November 30, 2024
Based largely in Berlin during WWII this is the story of two women. Amalie an art expert from London working in Berlin and Esther Spielmann an art gallery owner. The Nazi’s have started detaining Jewish people, taking their homes and business and killing them at will. However, non Jewish owned places are also on their radar and they are stripping art galleries of their treasures. One night Ester’s husband is one of those taken and sent to an internment camp. A lot of this book it almost seems like p are reading two separate books but gradually it becomes clear how the two lives are going to intertwine.
Briefly, after falling foul of the Nazis Amalie is sent home to England but she is determined to help the war effort from there. With her husband gone Esther and her young son Sascha are left alone. Her gallery and then their home are taken from them and Esther has a terrible decision to make. Does she send Sascha to England and safety from the threat of the concentration camps?
This is a heartbreaking read, the Spielmann family suffer unthinkable horrors at the hands of the Nazi’s - its a story everyone is aware of and this book covers so many of the atrocities of that era but I did like that they also looked at things I was less aware of in particular that they stole what was ostensibly their own art! Two very strong women, both of whom lose their husbands to war and both of whom go out and make new lives for themselves. This isn’t all sadness, cruelty and devastation, this is also a story of hope, friendships, family, love and second chances. An emotional and entertaining read.
Briefly, after falling foul of the Nazis Amalie is sent home to England but she is determined to help the war effort from there. With her husband gone Esther and her young son Sascha are left alone. Her gallery and then their home are taken from them and Esther has a terrible decision to make. Does she send Sascha to England and safety from the threat of the concentration camps?
This is a heartbreaking read, the Spielmann family suffer unthinkable horrors at the hands of the Nazi’s - its a story everyone is aware of and this book covers so many of the atrocities of that era but I did like that they also looked at things I was less aware of in particular that they stole what was ostensibly their own art! Two very strong women, both of whom lose their husbands to war and both of whom go out and make new lives for themselves. This isn’t all sadness, cruelty and devastation, this is also a story of hope, friendships, family, love and second chances. An emotional and entertaining read.
January 21, 2025
Catherine is one of my favourite authors of this genre of fiction. I know that when I pick up one of her books it will be filled with historically accurate fiction, believable characters and that I'll need a tissue or two whilst reading. The Train That Took You Away did not disappoint.
Told as a multi POV story, from 1936-1947, The Train That Took You Away is a story of love, loss and survival. It mainly centres around Esther, who, like so many parents, sends her child away on the Kindertransport, knowing that she may never see him again. We also experience the war through the eyes of her young son, Sascha, who has the heartbreaking child like understanding of events that no child should have been through. I think Catherine did a fantastic job of capturing how it must have felt to be a German living in England at the time, the guilt at being the 'enemy' whilst also knowing that you are on England's side.
The final narrator of this story is Amalie. A half German half English art expert who just wants to protect Germany's art collection from the Nazis. And to restore it after the war. I really liked Amalie, but couldn't help to be reminded of another female art restoration expert from that time period, Ada Van Danzig. In this book Amalie returns to England to live out the war in relative safety. Ada, on the other hand, returned to Europe to try and help her family who were Jewish. Sadly she was arrested and murdered.
If you're a fan of historical fiction with a strong basis in fact, and realistic characters that you can't help but love, then you won't go wrong with Catherine's books.
Told as a multi POV story, from 1936-1947, The Train That Took You Away is a story of love, loss and survival. It mainly centres around Esther, who, like so many parents, sends her child away on the Kindertransport, knowing that she may never see him again. We also experience the war through the eyes of her young son, Sascha, who has the heartbreaking child like understanding of events that no child should have been through. I think Catherine did a fantastic job of capturing how it must have felt to be a German living in England at the time, the guilt at being the 'enemy' whilst also knowing that you are on England's side.
The final narrator of this story is Amalie. A half German half English art expert who just wants to protect Germany's art collection from the Nazis. And to restore it after the war. I really liked Amalie, but couldn't help to be reminded of another female art restoration expert from that time period, Ada Van Danzig. In this book Amalie returns to England to live out the war in relative safety. Ada, on the other hand, returned to Europe to try and help her family who were Jewish. Sadly she was arrested and murdered.
If you're a fan of historical fiction with a strong basis in fact, and realistic characters that you can't help but love, then you won't go wrong with Catherine's books.
November 25, 2024
The Train That Took You Away is a novel based in Germany during WWII and the devastating losses experienced by many in various forms. The story follows Esther, an art gallery owner in Berlin, who has become no stranger to the dangers surrounding her. And Amalie, a young woman from London, who restores art and begins the daunting task of reclaiming the pieces the Nazis have stolen. Both women have experienced the loss of their husbands, Amalie grieving the loss of what could have been, and Esther facing one of the hardest choices a mother can make; how to keep her son safe when nothing is certain.
Hokin's beautiful writing takes the reader on a journey through dehumanizing cruelty, unspeakable pain, and an unwavering hope that can only be found through the power of love. I appreciated how the author captured the reality of the war while weaving in a love story, a touch of mystery, and a lot of hope despite the sorrow. As a mother, I felt very connected with Esther and understood how difficult it must have been to send her son away with the hope that he would survive. Her perseverance despite her circumstances truly shows the depth of love a mother has for her child.
This is the first book I've read by Catherine Hokin, but it certainly won't be the last. Her writing style evokes a lot of emotion and allows the reader to put themselves in the shoes of the struggling characters in the story. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC copy.
Hokin's beautiful writing takes the reader on a journey through dehumanizing cruelty, unspeakable pain, and an unwavering hope that can only be found through the power of love. I appreciated how the author captured the reality of the war while weaving in a love story, a touch of mystery, and a lot of hope despite the sorrow. As a mother, I felt very connected with Esther and understood how difficult it must have been to send her son away with the hope that he would survive. Her perseverance despite her circumstances truly shows the depth of love a mother has for her child.
This is the first book I've read by Catherine Hokin, but it certainly won't be the last. Her writing style evokes a lot of emotion and allows the reader to put themselves in the shoes of the struggling characters in the story. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC copy.
December 5, 2024
3.5/5
If you have been following my reviews, you’ll know that I am often hesitant about holocaust and WWII novels told with a Jewish perspective, especially when I’m uncertain of the author’s heritage or their experience and understanding of families who were and still are impacted by the events that occurred both in Germany and the surrounding countries.
This book however, did seem pretty well researched and I like that it was a different kind of holocaust novel with the art at the center and the story of Esther searching for her son following the war.
I do feel like neither of the women, Esther or Amalie, were given enough depth. With the story taking part across so many years and countries, there’s a lot of both women’s stories that appear to skip and we loose some of who the women are, only hearing about their lives after the fact as recollections.
While this was a quick and easy read, it almost felt like there was too much going on within the story. The characters were connected by art and then the search for Esther’s son but the connection seemed kind of half built.
Without giving too much away, the romance element also felt quite cringe to me and a little unrealistic given the differences in the characters experiences during the time. Not impossible, but maybe a little out of place in the story.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
If you have been following my reviews, you’ll know that I am often hesitant about holocaust and WWII novels told with a Jewish perspective, especially when I’m uncertain of the author’s heritage or their experience and understanding of families who were and still are impacted by the events that occurred both in Germany and the surrounding countries.
This book however, did seem pretty well researched and I like that it was a different kind of holocaust novel with the art at the center and the story of Esther searching for her son following the war.
I do feel like neither of the women, Esther or Amalie, were given enough depth. With the story taking part across so many years and countries, there’s a lot of both women’s stories that appear to skip and we loose some of who the women are, only hearing about their lives after the fact as recollections.
While this was a quick and easy read, it almost felt like there was too much going on within the story. The characters were connected by art and then the search for Esther’s son but the connection seemed kind of half built.
Without giving too much away, the romance element also felt quite cringe to me and a little unrealistic given the differences in the characters experiences during the time. Not impossible, but maybe a little out of place in the story.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
January 20, 2025
THE TRAIN THAT TOOK YOU AWAY by CATHERINE HOKIN is a beautifully written WW11 novel in which the author has given us the story of two women, both working in the art scene in Berlin, who have been cruelly affected by the war.
Esther Spielman is a wealthy gallery owner, but she is Jewish! In order to save her eight year old son, Sascha’s life, she reluctantly sends him to England on the Kindertransport. The Nazis have stolen everything from her except for him. Will she ever see him again, and if so what would his reaction be to the mother who had sent him away?……..
Amalie Eden is half German and has happy memories of family holidays in Germany. Against her father’s wishes she moves to Berlin to work in the Berlin National Gallery to ply her trade as an art conservator. Both she and Esther are passionate aboit art and preserving things of beauty……
This is one of the best WW11 novels I have read recently. The charaters’ stories are told so compassionately and the physical and emotional toll experienced by them under the cruel hand of Hitler and his minions is heartbreaking.
There is incredible bravery, love and friendship shown against the bacdrop of war. It is also a story of hope and restoration.
I cant recommend this excellent and thought provoking read strongly enough.
I was given a copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own
Esther Spielman is a wealthy gallery owner, but she is Jewish! In order to save her eight year old son, Sascha’s life, she reluctantly sends him to England on the Kindertransport. The Nazis have stolen everything from her except for him. Will she ever see him again, and if so what would his reaction be to the mother who had sent him away?……..
Amalie Eden is half German and has happy memories of family holidays in Germany. Against her father’s wishes she moves to Berlin to work in the Berlin National Gallery to ply her trade as an art conservator. Both she and Esther are passionate aboit art and preserving things of beauty……
This is one of the best WW11 novels I have read recently. The charaters’ stories are told so compassionately and the physical and emotional toll experienced by them under the cruel hand of Hitler and his minions is heartbreaking.
There is incredible bravery, love and friendship shown against the bacdrop of war. It is also a story of hope and restoration.
I cant recommend this excellent and thought provoking read strongly enough.
I was given a copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own
January 22, 2025
I found this story to be very powerful and moving and a different take on a WW2 historical fiction. Hokin shows us more of the aftermath of the war and reminds us that once war was over, it wasn't just 'life back to normal' and so many people were suffering with so much pain and loss in regards to their families, partners, friends and homes. The story is heartbreaking as we follow two women in the war and how they navigate afterwards when there seems like no hope.
I think the characters and brilliant and the strength of a mother theme runs throughout the story. I felt so emotive towards the character and think they really made the whole book, especially splitting it up between different POV. The settings are harrowing and some of the situations are hard to read but I think this is what drives the story and why you feel so emotional at the end. I think the contrast of the art and art gallery descriptions against the horrors of the war was a really interesting take and helped us get through those horrifying scenes. I think it was beautiful but at times found myself a little lost in the art descriptions.
All in all, a powerful, emotional book which made me cry and smile. The writing is beautiful and easy to follow. I think it is an interesting different take on a WW2 novel and would definitely recommend to other historical fiction lovers.
Thankyou to Bookouture for the arc copy!
I think the characters and brilliant and the strength of a mother theme runs throughout the story. I felt so emotive towards the character and think they really made the whole book, especially splitting it up between different POV. The settings are harrowing and some of the situations are hard to read but I think this is what drives the story and why you feel so emotional at the end. I think the contrast of the art and art gallery descriptions against the horrors of the war was a really interesting take and helped us get through those horrifying scenes. I think it was beautiful but at times found myself a little lost in the art descriptions.
All in all, a powerful, emotional book which made me cry and smile. The writing is beautiful and easy to follow. I think it is an interesting different take on a WW2 novel and would definitely recommend to other historical fiction lovers.
Thankyou to Bookouture for the arc copy!
December 2, 2024
Open The Train That Took You Away and experience the horrors of living in Berlin as Adolph Hitler comes into power. Feel the rejection and cruelty imparted on the Jewish citizens. Grab the tissues, this story is heartbreaking.
Much of it surrounds the art world in Berlin. Esther owns a gallery where the Nazis help themselves to her paintings. That is only beginning. Desperate times mean desperate measures are needed. To save his life, she must send him away. She knows she might never see him again, but she knows he will die if he remains.
Esther's life does not get better. Follow her as she struggles to survive. Witness her suffering, her pain. Cheer her on as she has one goal--to see her son again.
The author shares another perspective through the eyes of Amalie. Against her family's wishes she is working at the National Gallery in Berlin. They want her to return to England. She refuses even after witnessing what she will never forget. The Germans make the decision for her after she can't control her opinions or actions. She will remain in England until she returns after the war.
Amalie works with others trying to find and save the great arts taken by the Germans. The reader is discovering the destruction, the continueing politics and the challenges of starting over.
Much of it surrounds the art world in Berlin. Esther owns a gallery where the Nazis help themselves to her paintings. That is only beginning. Desperate times mean desperate measures are needed. To save his life, she must send him away. She knows she might never see him again, but she knows he will die if he remains.
Esther's life does not get better. Follow her as she struggles to survive. Witness her suffering, her pain. Cheer her on as she has one goal--to see her son again.
The author shares another perspective through the eyes of Amalie. Against her family's wishes she is working at the National Gallery in Berlin. They want her to return to England. She refuses even after witnessing what she will never forget. The Germans make the decision for her after she can't control her opinions or actions. She will remain in England until she returns after the war.
Amalie works with others trying to find and save the great arts taken by the Germans. The reader is discovering the destruction, the continueing politics and the challenges of starting over.
January 18, 2025
Very well written and an interesting perspective of both the art in Berlin during WW2 and after, as well as Germany’s Jews and kinder-transport.
Esther as a character was very well done. You could feel her emotions and anxiety both about the tenuous position Jews had in Germany during the 30s and during Kristallnacht. But also with the impossible decision she had to send her son away for his safety. Hers and Sasha’s story I thought was well described and you could understand the difficult position both of them were in because of the separation.
Interestingly, I was also reading Schindler’s list at the time and it also highlights Amon Goeth and the cemetery stone pathway, so I enjoyed what felt like a timely parallel, painting a broader picture.
Amalie as a character I really loved - her confidences and boldness but the desire to understand rather than assume. However, I did feel she was not as fleshed out as I would have liked and felt like I was missing the depth she could have had. I wasn’t quite as invested in her because I felt like I just didn’t have enough to go on with her, though I wish I had.
Also, the narrator in the audio was fantastic - she did all the accents extremely well and it felt authentic in the performance.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are mine.
Esther as a character was very well done. You could feel her emotions and anxiety both about the tenuous position Jews had in Germany during the 30s and during Kristallnacht. But also with the impossible decision she had to send her son away for his safety. Hers and Sasha’s story I thought was well described and you could understand the difficult position both of them were in because of the separation.
Interestingly, I was also reading Schindler’s list at the time and it also highlights Amon Goeth and the cemetery stone pathway, so I enjoyed what felt like a timely parallel, painting a broader picture.
Amalie as a character I really loved - her confidences and boldness but the desire to understand rather than assume. However, I did feel she was not as fleshed out as I would have liked and felt like I was missing the depth she could have had. I wasn’t quite as invested in her because I felt like I just didn’t have enough to go on with her, though I wish I had.
Also, the narrator in the audio was fantastic - she did all the accents extremely well and it felt authentic in the performance.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are mine.
February 2, 2025
In this emotional and heart wrenching new World War II historical fiction novel, readers follow Esther and Sascha Spielmann, a mother and son split apart by Kristallnacht, the Kindertransport, and World War II. Following their separate lives during the war and their attempts to find each other after it ends, readers must discover if Esther’s promise to see Sascha again will be kept. Intertwined with other narratives of the Berlin art scene, the suppression of Jewish art, and the dangers of postwar Berlin, readers will be gripped by the emotional intensity and powerful relationships present throughout this novel. The characters are complex and well-written, with strong emotions and compelling backstories, and Hokin successfully navigates multiple perspectives and narratives throughout the novel. The different storylines combine very well and add a lot of nuance to the novel, while the different characters’ perspectives really develop World War II Europe and the impacts it had on families. Detailed, complex, and powerfully written, Hokin does not shy away from some of the challenges that families like the Spielmanns faced, and she handles the more challenging elements with care. A great addition to current World War II historical fiction titles, fans of similar titles will love this new release.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance copy.
January 20, 2025
It’s 1938 in Germany and the Great War has ended, but Hitler is in power and evil is simmering. Esther Spielmann is a Jewish art curator who desperately wishes to escape the horrors in Berlin and sends her son abroad to spare him the fate of the rest of her family. We go with her on this journey to survive the war and save what is left of the pieces of her life.
WWII in Europe is one of my favourite settings for historical fiction, so this story really pulled me in.
I expected to have my heart broken but there are horrors experienced during war which people in today’s world cannot fathom. I appreciated how the theme of art being so important was woven into the tale, as the characters pick up the pieces of their lives and search for beauty again. This book was beautiful in the most heart-shattering way and I actually cried.
The narration was great and it was very easy to distinguish the different characters. I can’t say I’m an expert with the accents but I could tell which was which. I also enjoyed the tone and emotion the narrator was able to convey.
Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
WWII in Europe is one of my favourite settings for historical fiction, so this story really pulled me in.
I expected to have my heart broken but there are horrors experienced during war which people in today’s world cannot fathom. I appreciated how the theme of art being so important was woven into the tale, as the characters pick up the pieces of their lives and search for beauty again. This book was beautiful in the most heart-shattering way and I actually cried.
The narration was great and it was very easy to distinguish the different characters. I can’t say I’m an expert with the accents but I could tell which was which. I also enjoyed the tone and emotion the narrator was able to convey.
Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
January 21, 2025
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I’m a BIG fan of Catherine Hokin’s books! She writes about people who lived in Germany during WWII and makes you feel like you are really there! This story is told from two women’s perspectives.
Esther- is Jewish and a mom to Sascha. She loses her husband during Kristallnacht, and sends her son to London on a kinder transport to protect him from the Nazi’s. She has to survive a work camp and the atrocities of war
Amalie- is English and German and an art conservator. She is living in Berlin until it becomes too dangerous. She is involved with “The Monument Men”, the men who recovered many of the artworks stolen from the Nazis. There’s actually a movie about this, which I need to rewatch.
I couldn’t put this book down- it’s about so many things, but mostly about love and hope. I didn’t know how the two women would connect but I lived the ending!
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheTrainThatTookYouAway #CatherineHokin #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #BooksSetDuringWWII #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks
I’m a BIG fan of Catherine Hokin’s books! She writes about people who lived in Germany during WWII and makes you feel like you are really there! This story is told from two women’s perspectives.
Esther- is Jewish and a mom to Sascha. She loses her husband during Kristallnacht, and sends her son to London on a kinder transport to protect him from the Nazi’s. She has to survive a work camp and the atrocities of war
Amalie- is English and German and an art conservator. She is living in Berlin until it becomes too dangerous. She is involved with “The Monument Men”, the men who recovered many of the artworks stolen from the Nazis. There’s actually a movie about this, which I need to rewatch.
I couldn’t put this book down- it’s about so many things, but mostly about love and hope. I didn’t know how the two women would connect but I lived the ending!
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheTrainThatTookYouAway #CatherineHokin #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #BooksSetDuringWWII #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks
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