What do you think?
Rate this book
La niña del andén
Inspired by the real-life escape of thousands of Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Europe on the Kindertransport trains to London, the new novel from the author of The Oceans Between Us Gill Thompson. For readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz Heather Morris, The Choice Edith Eger and Lilac Girls Martha Hall Kelly.
Prague 1939. Young mother Eva has a secret from her past. When the Nazis invade, Eva knows the only way to keep her daughter Miriam safe is to send her away - even if it means never seeing her again. But when Eva is taken to a concentration camp, her secret is at risk of being exposed.
In London, Pamela volunteers to help find places for the Jewish children arrived from Europe. Befriending one unclaimed little girl, Pamela brings her home. It is only when her young son enlists in the RAF that Pamela realises how easily her own world could come crashing down.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2019
3590 people are currently reading
6080 people want to read
About the author
Gill Thompson
5 books187 followersI taught English for 41 years, mainly at sixth form level. I'm now delighted to have a new career as a writer, with four historical fiction novels to my name. I'm a former Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the University of Chichester, where I studied for my Creative Writing M.A. My new novel, 'The Child at the Window', comes out in April 2026. Do check out my creative writing blog: www.wordkindling.co.uk I'd love to hear from you!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 435 reviews
September 27, 2020
Thank you, Mobius Books, for the gifted copy.
Set during the Nazi occupation, The Child on Platform One is about the escape by train of thousands of Jewish children to London. As one can imagine, this story is harrowing and tense, but also filled with love, hope, and inspiration. This is the first novel I’ve read by Gill Thompson, and I’m now a huge fan. I was riveted by this story and Thompson’s manner of telling it. I’ve read other books centered on the children and the trains, but this story and angle felt fresh entirely.
Overall, it’s a strong, well-written, and heartwarming story.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Set during the Nazi occupation, The Child on Platform One is about the escape by train of thousands of Jewish children to London. As one can imagine, this story is harrowing and tense, but also filled with love, hope, and inspiration. This is the first novel I’ve read by Gill Thompson, and I’m now a huge fan. I was riveted by this story and Thompson’s manner of telling it. I’ve read other books centered on the children and the trains, but this story and angle felt fresh entirely.
Overall, it’s a strong, well-written, and heartwarming story.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
April 27, 2021
La niña del andén, novela de ficción histórica que tal y como nos cuenta la autora al final del libro es la nota, esta inspirada en hechos reales, y además unos hechos que descubrió investigando la historia de Nicholas Winton que se dedicaba a rescatar a niños checos de los nazis.
Investigando, también descubrió que en el campo de concentración conocido como Terezin, que se encuentra en Checoslovaquia, se les permitía a los presos, realizar actividades artísticas, como escuchar y tocar música, incluso dar conferencias sobre temas científicos…
Asique la autora se inspiro para escribir esta novela, en estos hechos y alguno más, una novela entrañable y sobretodo donde destacan las mujeres, algo que me encanta que cada vez más haya en las novelas. Mujeres muy diferentes, de distintos sitios y religiones.
Por un lado tendremos a Eva, en Praga y judía, madre de Miriam, y por el otro tendremos a Pamela, en Londres y cuáquera. Los capítulos van alternando las historias, hasta que llega un momento en que ambas se unen y todo se relaciona.
La novela comienza con un prologo que la verdad, promete mucho para la historia, Eva con tan solo 16 años, regresa a su casa después de su clase de piano, decide tomar un atajo y allí tendré un encontronazo con un grupo de chicos que pertenecen a las Juventudes Hitlerianas, un encontronazo que marcara su vida para siempre.
A partir de ahí iremos conociendo a las dos protagonistas y sus familias, sus historias, como por un lado Eva y su familia lucharan por evitar a los nazis y como tiene que pensar fríamente y poner a salvo a su hija, de la peor forma para una madre… y por otro lado, tendremos la lucha de Pamela, una lucha diferente, ayudando a niños y a familias que llegan a Londres…
Una novela donde se ve la crueldad de los campos de concentración, el amor de una madre por sus hijos tras tener que renunciar a ellos para salvarlos, la pasión por algo que habías dejado apartado. Como ya he dicho aunque es ficción, se basa en hechos reales, la autora esta documentada y ha creado esta historia de una forma muy sensible.
Recomiendo esta novela a todos los que nos apasiona este tema, y para aquellos que quieran leer algo sobre esta temática que tanta variedad tiene, una historia muy sensible y conmovedora.
Por poner alguna pega, hay algunas cosas que me han podido fallar en el final, y algo que echaba de menos era saber más sobre el tiempo, no sabia el tiempo que pasaba o e nque año estábamos exactamente cuando se contaba la historia.
Muy recomendable y otra historia sobre esta época que se quedara en mi memoria como un gran libro.
Investigando, también descubrió que en el campo de concentración conocido como Terezin, que se encuentra en Checoslovaquia, se les permitía a los presos, realizar actividades artísticas, como escuchar y tocar música, incluso dar conferencias sobre temas científicos…
Asique la autora se inspiro para escribir esta novela, en estos hechos y alguno más, una novela entrañable y sobretodo donde destacan las mujeres, algo que me encanta que cada vez más haya en las novelas. Mujeres muy diferentes, de distintos sitios y religiones.
Por un lado tendremos a Eva, en Praga y judía, madre de Miriam, y por el otro tendremos a Pamela, en Londres y cuáquera. Los capítulos van alternando las historias, hasta que llega un momento en que ambas se unen y todo se relaciona.
La novela comienza con un prologo que la verdad, promete mucho para la historia, Eva con tan solo 16 años, regresa a su casa después de su clase de piano, decide tomar un atajo y allí tendré un encontronazo con un grupo de chicos que pertenecen a las Juventudes Hitlerianas, un encontronazo que marcara su vida para siempre.
A partir de ahí iremos conociendo a las dos protagonistas y sus familias, sus historias, como por un lado Eva y su familia lucharan por evitar a los nazis y como tiene que pensar fríamente y poner a salvo a su hija, de la peor forma para una madre… y por otro lado, tendremos la lucha de Pamela, una lucha diferente, ayudando a niños y a familias que llegan a Londres…
Una novela donde se ve la crueldad de los campos de concentración, el amor de una madre por sus hijos tras tener que renunciar a ellos para salvarlos, la pasión por algo que habías dejado apartado. Como ya he dicho aunque es ficción, se basa en hechos reales, la autora esta documentada y ha creado esta historia de una forma muy sensible.
Recomiendo esta novela a todos los que nos apasiona este tema, y para aquellos que quieran leer algo sobre esta temática que tanta variedad tiene, una historia muy sensible y conmovedora.
Por poner alguna pega, hay algunas cosas que me han podido fallar en el final, y algo que echaba de menos era saber más sobre el tiempo, no sabia el tiempo que pasaba o e nque año estábamos exactamente cuando se contaba la historia.
Muy recomendable y otra historia sobre esta época que se quedara en mi memoria como un gran libro.
November 19, 2019
Books like this one are so important to read. It may be fiction but sadly the camps and and the horrific treatment of human beings, is very real. It’s a reminder of what people went through and how we should never let history repeat itself.
Pamela and Eva have very different lives. What they do have in common, is the love for their children. Eva, to be able to send her child to a strange country knowing no one, was incredibly brave. Pamela on the other hand, has just as much cause for concern when her son Will enlists with the RAF. My heart went out to both women.
Whilst the story is set during war time, we do get to see a certain part of camp life and the horrific treatment to Jewish people. The story though focuses more on what life is like outside it. For Miriam a young girl, living with strangers and adapting to life without her family. For Pamela, opening her home to a Jewish child and wanting to do more in the war effort.
I loved how music for Eva, helped with her time in the camps as well as for many other prisoners. In such a dire environment, it gave them comfort and hope. Parts of the story do make for some uncomfortable reading due to the nature of the story but overall it gives hope and I loved seeing people coming together and the relationships and bonds that are formed.
The Child On Platfrom One is an inspirational, harrowing and emotional read. My heart went out to the characters in this novel and I thought I had held my emotions quite well through out but the epilogue literally broke me. The impact of what the characters had been through, hit me full force at this moment whilst I refelected on all I had read. A powerful and moving novel.
My thanks to Anne Cater, Headline Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Pamela and Eva have very different lives. What they do have in common, is the love for their children. Eva, to be able to send her child to a strange country knowing no one, was incredibly brave. Pamela on the other hand, has just as much cause for concern when her son Will enlists with the RAF. My heart went out to both women.
Whilst the story is set during war time, we do get to see a certain part of camp life and the horrific treatment to Jewish people. The story though focuses more on what life is like outside it. For Miriam a young girl, living with strangers and adapting to life without her family. For Pamela, opening her home to a Jewish child and wanting to do more in the war effort.
I loved how music for Eva, helped with her time in the camps as well as for many other prisoners. In such a dire environment, it gave them comfort and hope. Parts of the story do make for some uncomfortable reading due to the nature of the story but overall it gives hope and I loved seeing people coming together and the relationships and bonds that are formed.
The Child On Platfrom One is an inspirational, harrowing and emotional read. My heart went out to the characters in this novel and I thought I had held my emotions quite well through out but the epilogue literally broke me. The impact of what the characters had been through, hit me full force at this moment whilst I refelected on all I had read. A powerful and moving novel.
My thanks to Anne Cater, Headline Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
June 14, 2021
Una emocionante historia en la Checoslovaquia y en la Inglaterra de los años previos y durante la Segunda Guerra mundial y posteriores en la era comunista .
Basada en la historia de los trenes del Kindertransport que ayudaron a escapar de Checoslovaquia a cientos de niños del Holocausto .
La historia de Eva , Pamela y sus familias.
Desde dos diferentes puntos de vista .
¡Muy bien narrada !
Con la música como parte protagonista.
Te habla de la valentía de hombres y mujeres que lucharon por lo que era correcto y también de los horrores de la guerra .
Pero narrado con una gran respeto .
Una historia de valentía , generosidad y amor .
Basada en la historia de los trenes del Kindertransport que ayudaron a escapar de Checoslovaquia a cientos de niños del Holocausto .
La historia de Eva , Pamela y sus familias.
Desde dos diferentes puntos de vista .
¡Muy bien narrada !
Con la música como parte protagonista.
Te habla de la valentía de hombres y mujeres que lucharon por lo que era correcto y también de los horrores de la guerra .
Pero narrado con una gran respeto .
Una historia de valentía , generosidad y amor .
February 25, 2022
4.5 🚂🚂🚂🚂🚉
Escuchado en formato audiolibro por una narradora excepcional.
Desgarrador, abrumador, muy triste pero a la vez muy esperanzador, siempre hay gente buena dispuesta a ayudar en los momentos más difíciles. Una bonita historia que merece ser leida.
Escuchado en formato audiolibro por una narradora excepcional.
Desgarrador, abrumador, muy triste pero a la vez muy esperanzador, siempre hay gente buena dispuesta a ayudar en los momentos más difíciles. Una bonita historia que merece ser leida.
November 11, 2020
This book abounds with far- fetched improbable coincidences and I still enjoyed the story.
It was slow in parts that seemed to drag but I enjoyed it anyway.
I did not immediately like the characters to begin with but I came to be interested in them after all.
The reader meets a Quaker family (Hugh & Pamela, son Will) in England and a Jewish family (Eva & Josef, daughter Miriam) in Prague whose lives intertwine in a most improbable manner.
The story begins in 1930 and ends in 1968, revealing the story from both sides. A surprise twist comes to light later on.
The story of Nicholas Winton Kindertransport is a major reason these families’ lives intertwine and who inspired this story.
I would urge anyone interested to view this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd-U0...
I do have some questions, so if anyone on GR can help I’d be grateful:
On page 19 there is mention of the name Felix but it never appears again – who is Felix?
Just before the war while on a ski holiday in Czechoslovakia Pamela suffers a broken leg. While in hospital she meets Ada and Ada’s two children Agata and Tomas. We meet Tomas again later in the story but no mention of Agata. What happened to her?
Tomas appears and then disappears again. What happened to him?
The story ends without a proper resolution as to how Will, Miriam and Hanna’s relationship develops. Maybe the author has another book in mind.
Having said all of that which may seem a bit negative I still feel this was a 5* book. Furthermore anyone who mentions the name Varian Fry already has one star just for that!
It was slow in parts that seemed to drag but I enjoyed it anyway.
I did not immediately like the characters to begin with but I came to be interested in them after all.
The reader meets a Quaker family (Hugh & Pamela, son Will) in England and a Jewish family (Eva & Josef, daughter Miriam) in Prague whose lives intertwine in a most improbable manner.
The story begins in 1930 and ends in 1968, revealing the story from both sides. A surprise twist comes to light later on.
The story of Nicholas Winton Kindertransport is a major reason these families’ lives intertwine and who inspired this story.
I would urge anyone interested to view this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd-U0...
I do have some questions, so if anyone on GR can help I’d be grateful:
On page 19 there is mention of the name Felix but it never appears again – who is Felix?
Just before the war while on a ski holiday in Czechoslovakia Pamela suffers a broken leg. While in hospital she meets Ada and Ada’s two children Agata and Tomas. We meet Tomas again later in the story but no mention of Agata. What happened to her?
Tomas appears and then disappears again. What happened to him?
The story ends without a proper resolution as to how Will, Miriam and Hanna’s relationship develops. Maybe the author has another book in mind.
Having said all of that which may seem a bit negative I still feel this was a 5* book. Furthermore anyone who mentions the name Varian Fry already has one star just for that!
January 24, 2021
No conocía la labor que hizo un hombre inglés para salvar a cientos de niños. Una novela muy interesante para los que disfrutan leyendo sobre este periodo tan duro de la historia.
November 6, 2021
Quem lê livros baseados em factos verídicos de vivências durante a 2ª Guerra Mundial já sabe à partida que está a lidar com histórias duras.
Mas esta é uma história super bem escrita, sobre amor e esperança, que nos aquece o coração.
O Comboio da Esperança traz-nos um tema pouco abordado dentro do universo de temas que a 2ªGM possibilita, mais concretamente a operação de resgate de milhares de crianças judias de comboio para Londres, o chamado Kindertransport.
Que história bonita!
Mas esta é uma história super bem escrita, sobre amor e esperança, que nos aquece o coração.
O Comboio da Esperança traz-nos um tema pouco abordado dentro do universo de temas que a 2ªGM possibilita, mais concretamente a operação de resgate de milhares de crianças judias de comboio para Londres, o chamado Kindertransport.
Que história bonita!
September 29, 2019
“The Child on Platform One” by Gill Thompson is a story based on actual events. The story begins in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1930. Based on true events that actually happened, Ms. Thompson has woven a truly incredible story. She has taken characters and woven their lives in and around tragic and true events that occurred during W.W.II.
I was intrigued as I read about the families of Pamela and Hugh, from Hampstead, London, England, Eva and Josef from Prague. These two families became intertwined as the story of some Jewish children who were able to escape the Holocaust unfolded.
Tragic events brought these two families together and inevitably their stories together made up the fascinating and lovely novel. I was riveted to the development of historical events and the various ways the ordinary citizens had to deal with them.
I loved the book and the way it was written. I will be reading more novels by Gill Thompson in the future as her interweaving of events with fictional characters is remarkable.
I downloaded a Kindle copy of this book from NetGalley.com in return for my personal review.
You can find this review on my blog at https://wp.me/p2pjIt-z3. Reviews of other books can be found at http://imhookedonbooks.wordpress.com.
I was intrigued as I read about the families of Pamela and Hugh, from Hampstead, London, England, Eva and Josef from Prague. These two families became intertwined as the story of some Jewish children who were able to escape the Holocaust unfolded.
Tragic events brought these two families together and inevitably their stories together made up the fascinating and lovely novel. I was riveted to the development of historical events and the various ways the ordinary citizens had to deal with them.
I loved the book and the way it was written. I will be reading more novels by Gill Thompson in the future as her interweaving of events with fictional characters is remarkable.
I downloaded a Kindle copy of this book from NetGalley.com in return for my personal review.
You can find this review on my blog at https://wp.me/p2pjIt-z3. Reviews of other books can be found at http://imhookedonbooks.wordpress.com.
November 22, 2021
Inspirado na história verídica dos comboios que resgataram milhares de crianças judias da Europa para Londres, é um romance sobre duas mães e uma menina que têm de salvar.
Mas, não é só sobre isto, é sobre muito mais, é sobre milhares de famílias em sofrimento, sobre separação, sobre resiliência, coragem, esforço, dedicação, ajuda e solidariedade, sobre dons, sobre perda.
É também sobre um campo de concentração onde se deixava que os judeus pintassem, cantassem, tocassem instrumentos, proferissem palestras e representassem. Um bocadinho de esperança e alegria onde tudo o resto era terrível.
Vários factos reais que a autora juntou de forma harmoniosa numa história triste mas muito bonita.
Esta temática já é recorrente e não é fácil encontrar histórias com final feliz, mas, nunca nos cansamos de ler sobre tantas realidades e tantas e tantas pessoas que foram afectadas de forma diferente. É mais uma destas histórias infelizmente entre milhares.
Mas, não é só sobre isto, é sobre muito mais, é sobre milhares de famílias em sofrimento, sobre separação, sobre resiliência, coragem, esforço, dedicação, ajuda e solidariedade, sobre dons, sobre perda.
É também sobre um campo de concentração onde se deixava que os judeus pintassem, cantassem, tocassem instrumentos, proferissem palestras e representassem. Um bocadinho de esperança e alegria onde tudo o resto era terrível.
Vários factos reais que a autora juntou de forma harmoniosa numa história triste mas muito bonita.
Esta temática já é recorrente e não é fácil encontrar histórias com final feliz, mas, nunca nos cansamos de ler sobre tantas realidades e tantas e tantas pessoas que foram afectadas de forma diferente. É mais uma destas histórias infelizmente entre milhares.
January 11, 2020
Gill Thompson’s second novel tackles the subject matter of refugees and Jewish ghettoes during Nazi era Czechoslovakia with gentle, beautiful prose. Starting the book with a horrific event, I was hooked from page one until the thrilling last few chapters. Detailed and well researched, I really enjoyed this, at times, painful but also heartwarming book. I’m looking forward to this author’s next novel.
February 11, 2020
Such a brilliant read.
A brilliant, but at times a heartwrenching story about life for the Jewish community in Czechoslovakia prior to, during and following World War II.
Hundreds of children were evacuated, not knowing if they would ever see their families again. This story is centred around one of them, and her family.
So well written and researched, this is a book I would highly recommend.
A brilliant, but at times a heartwrenching story about life for the Jewish community in Czechoslovakia prior to, during and following World War II.
Hundreds of children were evacuated, not knowing if they would ever see their families again. This story is centred around one of them, and her family.
So well written and researched, this is a book I would highly recommend.
March 12, 2021
Ha sido una historia preciosa y muy recomendable.
Comienza con un hecho bastante impactante que hará que quieras seguir leyendo y averiguando que fue lo que pasó. Pero la autora juega con el lector, y deja esto en un segundo plano y comienza a centrar la trama en otros aspectos... El más importante, el hecho de como Nicholas Winton llevaba niños judíos con plena Segunda Guerra Mundial con familias inglesas...Esto ocurrió así, y este libro está basado en este hecho rral.
En nuestra historia vamos a conocer la vida de dos familias, y como van a estar enlazadas.
El único "pero" que quizá le pongo a la historia, ea que no me ha emocionado tanto como otros libros que he leído de esta época y con esta ambientación. Pero aún así, no puedo dejar de recomendarlo. Porque me ha parecido una historia diferente, y de la que he aprendido de un hecho de la historia que desconocía.
Comienza con un hecho bastante impactante que hará que quieras seguir leyendo y averiguando que fue lo que pasó. Pero la autora juega con el lector, y deja esto en un segundo plano y comienza a centrar la trama en otros aspectos... El más importante, el hecho de como Nicholas Winton llevaba niños judíos con plena Segunda Guerra Mundial con familias inglesas...Esto ocurrió así, y este libro está basado en este hecho rral.
En nuestra historia vamos a conocer la vida de dos familias, y como van a estar enlazadas.
El único "pero" que quizá le pongo a la historia, ea que no me ha emocionado tanto como otros libros que he leído de esta época y con esta ambientación. Pero aún así, no puedo dejar de recomendarlo. Porque me ha parecido una historia diferente, y de la que he aprendido de un hecho de la historia que desconocía.
February 10, 2022
A minha opinião em vídeo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHbAl...
September 7, 2025
The Child on Platform One was so well written while covering a most difficult topic. I was able to read the parts on the treatment of the Jews at concentration camps and not be sick to my stomach. I loved the ending of this story.
December 12, 2020
Una historia emotiva, emocionante, que te atrapa desde la primera página.
La historia está narrada desde varios puntos de vista, pero principalmente desde el punto de vista de dos mujeres. Por un lado, Eva una joven judía checa que conoce demasiado joven los primeros horrores nazis en la piel de unos jóvenes de las Juventudes Hitlerianas. Por otro lado, Pamela una joven cuáquera inglesa que en su afán de contribuir a la paz se involucra en la ayuda a refugiados que huyen de la opresión nazi.
A través de sus historias personales, conocemos una parte de la historia que aunque conocida en su conjunto (¿Quién no ha oído hablar de Terezin?), no lo es en detalles y hechos tan importantes como "insignificantes" eran sus protagonistas: el rescate de cientos de niños checos por un corredor de bolsa inglés.
La historia está narrada desde varios puntos de vista, pero principalmente desde el punto de vista de dos mujeres. Por un lado, Eva una joven judía checa que conoce demasiado joven los primeros horrores nazis en la piel de unos jóvenes de las Juventudes Hitlerianas. Por otro lado, Pamela una joven cuáquera inglesa que en su afán de contribuir a la paz se involucra en la ayuda a refugiados que huyen de la opresión nazi.
A través de sus historias personales, conocemos una parte de la historia que aunque conocida en su conjunto (¿Quién no ha oído hablar de Terezin?), no lo es en detalles y hechos tan importantes como "insignificantes" eran sus protagonistas: el rescate de cientos de niños checos por un corredor de bolsa inglés.
June 9, 2025
This is a well written book. It kept my interest from beginning to end. I don’t “enjoy” reading books about any war but I do enjoy reading about how people survive the atrocities of a war. For several members of this family it was music. I could relate to the characters and sympathize with the story. I will recommend the book to all.
February 17, 2021
Otra historia del holocausto. Este libro aparte de tocar el tema de los campos de concentración, habla sobre la música, que siempre está presente en todos los momentos de la vida de una persona.
A pesar de explicar el horror que pasaron los judíos, este libro también encierra una historia hermosa. Lo recomiendo totalmente.
A pesar de explicar el horror que pasaron los judíos, este libro también encierra una historia hermosa. Lo recomiendo totalmente.
February 5, 2021
¡MARAVILLOSO! Es uno de los libros sobre la temática que más me ha sorprendido sin duda. Es muy diferente a lo que había leído. Y es que el libro se centra en las vidas de dos contextos diferentes, una familia en Londres y otra en Praga, dónde vamos a ir viendo su día a día, antes, durante y después de la 2ª Guerra Mundial.
Y esto lo hace muy especial, ya que vamos a sentir la incertidumbre, el miedo, la incredulidad y todo lo que ellos fueron sintiendo conforme se acercaba algo que no podían llegar ni a imaginar. El centrarse en estas emociones de los protagonistas es para mí el punto fuerte del libro.
Además, perfectamente documentado, con hechos verídicos a raíz de los que crea toda la trama, que te hará disfrutar y aprender. Y todo dentro de una trama adictiva, llena de amor y amistad, pero también de dolor y sufrimiento, y, en definitiva, llena de vida. Conforme avanza las páginas, ambas familias se irán relacionando y nos llevará a adentrarnos de lleno en cada una.
En conclusión, libro muy recomendado para amantes del género, ya que se sale de lo normal.
Y esto lo hace muy especial, ya que vamos a sentir la incertidumbre, el miedo, la incredulidad y todo lo que ellos fueron sintiendo conforme se acercaba algo que no podían llegar ni a imaginar. El centrarse en estas emociones de los protagonistas es para mí el punto fuerte del libro.
Además, perfectamente documentado, con hechos verídicos a raíz de los que crea toda la trama, que te hará disfrutar y aprender. Y todo dentro de una trama adictiva, llena de amor y amistad, pero también de dolor y sufrimiento, y, en definitiva, llena de vida. Conforme avanza las páginas, ambas familias se irán relacionando y nos llevará a adentrarnos de lleno en cada una.
En conclusión, libro muy recomendado para amantes del género, ya que se sale de lo normal.
February 8, 2020
Wow! Gill captivates you right away with her wonderful prose (what a prologue!). A story about two women with very different lives and how they come together during a time of war. I loved the stories of both women (Eva and Pamela), and was equally engrossed. This story is tragic, and sad, but also uplifting and heartwarming. Highly recommended!
December 1, 2019
Gill Thompson's second novel The Child on Platform One has certainly cemented her as one of my favourite historical fiction authors. Her début The Oceans Between Us was a stunning read and this second story proved to be no different. At times this is a very difficult and heartbreaking read given the subject matter but I am glad the author did not spare the painful and devastating details and experiences the main characters were going through. This is truly an eye opening and powerful read that gives food for thought.
We have all read and heard lots of details surrounding the events of World War Two but Gill Thompson takes the reader even further and delves deep into just what Jewish families were forced to endure all because of the insane actions of one man hell bent on domination, destruction and devastation which still has such an impact on so many even to this day. I found myself flying through the chapters because I became so engrossed in the characters and the various strands of the story unfolding before my eyes. The writing was so vivid and realistic that I could picture each setting quite clearly and as the tension, unease and danger was amplified with each chapter the further I progressed through the book, I questioned could there ever be some form of happy ending given all the cruelty and hardship that was unfolding.
If the intriguing title doesn't make you sit up and take notice then the extremely hard-hitting prologue will certainly do that. In the city of Prague in 1930, Eva is late returning home from her music lesson. Music is her passion and she hopes she will be able to turn it into something that will fulfil her life when she is older. As she races through the streets to be back before the curfew she takes a short cut through the cemetery which proves to be a very bad idea. Eva is Jewish and her religion proves to be a target on her back. What follows is upsetting to read but it's only as the book progresses that you come to understand how crucial this event was as it forms the basis from which many strands of the story develop and how connections are formed later on.
We then move forward to part one which focused on the years 1933-1939 and subsequently there are a further two parts. I would have loved within each part for specific years or dates to be mentioned as I found in the beginning as I settled into the rhythm and flow of the story that chapters could jump forward a year or two without you even realising it and you would have only become familiar with the characters and what they were doing and then within a turn of a page their situation had changed and the time frame had significantly moved forward. Apart from this issue, which I did become accustomed to, I thought this was an excellent read and a real worthwhile inclusion to the genre where the subject matter has already been extensively written about.
In 1933 things have changed for Eva and she is married to Josef, a widower significantly older than her. He is a scientist with a good job working at the university and Eva looks after the house. I instantly wondered what had happened to Eva in the intervening years that the young girl with such promise and hopes and dreams with regards to her music now seemed to be stuck in not a loveless marriage as such but one which perhaps was not what she had wished for her if that had been her first choice of direction for her life. Josef is kind and was willing to take her in but most of the time she feels lifeless and numb and she has suppressed painful and disturbing memories. The extent and ramifications of these memories will be exposed and felt much later in the novel and as I came to understand why Eva felt the way she did things really made sense and I came to understand what a truly remarkable, resilient and self sacrificing woman she truly was.
There are rumblings of discontent in Czechoslovakia as Hitler, the new German chancellor, begins to express his feelings about Jews and with the introduction of the Nuremberg Laws life will never be the same again When Eva gives birth to a daughter, Miriam, little does she realise the huge sacrifice she will have to make and the consequences it will have.What follows over the course of several years as the country is invaded and war declared is a harrowing and heartbreaking story but at the same time it is one of great courage in the face of adversity. Hope always lingers in the most sad, hard and upsetting of times and as you come to view Eva as a friend you cross your fingers that something positive will occur.
Eva is soon faced with a choice and one she must make on her own even though her mother is in on the secret. Josef refuses to believe that anything bad can happen to them given his high position in the university but Eva is wise and can see the bigger picture. She knows once the Germans cement their mark that really all bets are off. OK she didn't know what horrors would be inflicted upon masses of innocent people but she did understand that Miriam needed to be kept safe and as a mother she made the ultimate decision. She heard of a man helping to transport people out of Prague to safety in England and she knew given the daily news of atrocities and rules being enforced that her daughter was her priority and that she needed to leave. I can't imagine what it must have been like to have to say goodbye to your own flesh and blood never knowing would that be the last time you held them in your arms as you tried to imprint their face on your mind. Eva without doubt was brave and courageous always putting others including her mother and father as well as Miriam before her own needs.
Told concurrently alongside Eva's story is the story of Pamela who is married to Hugh who works in the Foreign Office. They have a son, Will, who is away at boarding school so Pamela occupies her days volunteering organising clothes for those children sent to England due to increasing hostilities on the continent. There is a restlessness about Pamela as if she is not quite sure what she needs to be doing in life given the day to day care of Will is no longer there. But similar to Eva I felt there was a kind, brave and determined woman waiting to emerge and given the circumstances that unfold when war breaks out, it seems this is her opportunity to show that she is more than just a housewife. She helps with the Jewish Kindertransport and through some sort of fate, Pamela and Hugh take in Miriam.
Over the period of the war they treat her like one of their own and give her the best opportunities possible but as news emerges of what has gone on behind closed doors in Poland and Czechoslovakia everyone wonders will Miriam ever be able to return to some sort of normality. As much as I liked reading about Pamela and her perspective of the story I felt at times that some of her chapters did seem a like a bit of filling in as there was some repetition or else not much was happening from her end. I found myself more eager to get back to what Eva and her family were experiencing once the Germans invaded. When I reached the conclusion of the novel it only really made sense to me why Pamela had to be there as such a big part of the overall book because without her we firstly would not have had the take on war from the English perspective and secondly connections that emerged in the later chapters would not have been able to occur only for the fact that Pamela did feature in the book.
But really it was Eva and her experiences right from the prologue that thoroughly captured my attention and had my heart in my mouth on more than one occasion. The sheer terror, guilt, fear, hunger, horror and danger felt by her oozed from almost every page. All the familiarity, love and support she had ever felt was whipped from underneath her not to mention her beloved daughter was gone to a different country. It was difficult to read of the daily struggle just to keep going given the rampant illness, infections and appalling conditions she and so many others were forced to endure. But her love for music and her strength of character and spirit always shone through.
There was a very very surprising turn of events at about the three quarter way mark that made me reassess the whole book and in a way given how certain things turned out I am glad that this twist did occur because other elements were just too heartbreaking to fully comprehend. Gill Thompson kept me in suspense throughout and showed how through such suffering, misery, misfortune, torture and distress that there can be a ray of hope and happiness in the murkiest of times and that hardship can produce all kinds of courage. There are three true/real life strands that feature throughout the story as mentioned in the end notes and I was surprised to read they were actual fact as I had never heard about them before which only goes to prove the extensive research undertaken by Gill Thompson in order to write this excellent book which deserves huge success. You will be easily taken in by the story and amazed at the depths of courage displayed. It's definitely well worth a read.
We have all read and heard lots of details surrounding the events of World War Two but Gill Thompson takes the reader even further and delves deep into just what Jewish families were forced to endure all because of the insane actions of one man hell bent on domination, destruction and devastation which still has such an impact on so many even to this day. I found myself flying through the chapters because I became so engrossed in the characters and the various strands of the story unfolding before my eyes. The writing was so vivid and realistic that I could picture each setting quite clearly and as the tension, unease and danger was amplified with each chapter the further I progressed through the book, I questioned could there ever be some form of happy ending given all the cruelty and hardship that was unfolding.
If the intriguing title doesn't make you sit up and take notice then the extremely hard-hitting prologue will certainly do that. In the city of Prague in 1930, Eva is late returning home from her music lesson. Music is her passion and she hopes she will be able to turn it into something that will fulfil her life when she is older. As she races through the streets to be back before the curfew she takes a short cut through the cemetery which proves to be a very bad idea. Eva is Jewish and her religion proves to be a target on her back. What follows is upsetting to read but it's only as the book progresses that you come to understand how crucial this event was as it forms the basis from which many strands of the story develop and how connections are formed later on.
We then move forward to part one which focused on the years 1933-1939 and subsequently there are a further two parts. I would have loved within each part for specific years or dates to be mentioned as I found in the beginning as I settled into the rhythm and flow of the story that chapters could jump forward a year or two without you even realising it and you would have only become familiar with the characters and what they were doing and then within a turn of a page their situation had changed and the time frame had significantly moved forward. Apart from this issue, which I did become accustomed to, I thought this was an excellent read and a real worthwhile inclusion to the genre where the subject matter has already been extensively written about.
In 1933 things have changed for Eva and she is married to Josef, a widower significantly older than her. He is a scientist with a good job working at the university and Eva looks after the house. I instantly wondered what had happened to Eva in the intervening years that the young girl with such promise and hopes and dreams with regards to her music now seemed to be stuck in not a loveless marriage as such but one which perhaps was not what she had wished for her if that had been her first choice of direction for her life. Josef is kind and was willing to take her in but most of the time she feels lifeless and numb and she has suppressed painful and disturbing memories. The extent and ramifications of these memories will be exposed and felt much later in the novel and as I came to understand why Eva felt the way she did things really made sense and I came to understand what a truly remarkable, resilient and self sacrificing woman she truly was.
There are rumblings of discontent in Czechoslovakia as Hitler, the new German chancellor, begins to express his feelings about Jews and with the introduction of the Nuremberg Laws life will never be the same again When Eva gives birth to a daughter, Miriam, little does she realise the huge sacrifice she will have to make and the consequences it will have.What follows over the course of several years as the country is invaded and war declared is a harrowing and heartbreaking story but at the same time it is one of great courage in the face of adversity. Hope always lingers in the most sad, hard and upsetting of times and as you come to view Eva as a friend you cross your fingers that something positive will occur.
Eva is soon faced with a choice and one she must make on her own even though her mother is in on the secret. Josef refuses to believe that anything bad can happen to them given his high position in the university but Eva is wise and can see the bigger picture. She knows once the Germans cement their mark that really all bets are off. OK she didn't know what horrors would be inflicted upon masses of innocent people but she did understand that Miriam needed to be kept safe and as a mother she made the ultimate decision. She heard of a man helping to transport people out of Prague to safety in England and she knew given the daily news of atrocities and rules being enforced that her daughter was her priority and that she needed to leave. I can't imagine what it must have been like to have to say goodbye to your own flesh and blood never knowing would that be the last time you held them in your arms as you tried to imprint their face on your mind. Eva without doubt was brave and courageous always putting others including her mother and father as well as Miriam before her own needs.
Told concurrently alongside Eva's story is the story of Pamela who is married to Hugh who works in the Foreign Office. They have a son, Will, who is away at boarding school so Pamela occupies her days volunteering organising clothes for those children sent to England due to increasing hostilities on the continent. There is a restlessness about Pamela as if she is not quite sure what she needs to be doing in life given the day to day care of Will is no longer there. But similar to Eva I felt there was a kind, brave and determined woman waiting to emerge and given the circumstances that unfold when war breaks out, it seems this is her opportunity to show that she is more than just a housewife. She helps with the Jewish Kindertransport and through some sort of fate, Pamela and Hugh take in Miriam.
Over the period of the war they treat her like one of their own and give her the best opportunities possible but as news emerges of what has gone on behind closed doors in Poland and Czechoslovakia everyone wonders will Miriam ever be able to return to some sort of normality. As much as I liked reading about Pamela and her perspective of the story I felt at times that some of her chapters did seem a like a bit of filling in as there was some repetition or else not much was happening from her end. I found myself more eager to get back to what Eva and her family were experiencing once the Germans invaded. When I reached the conclusion of the novel it only really made sense to me why Pamela had to be there as such a big part of the overall book because without her we firstly would not have had the take on war from the English perspective and secondly connections that emerged in the later chapters would not have been able to occur only for the fact that Pamela did feature in the book.
But really it was Eva and her experiences right from the prologue that thoroughly captured my attention and had my heart in my mouth on more than one occasion. The sheer terror, guilt, fear, hunger, horror and danger felt by her oozed from almost every page. All the familiarity, love and support she had ever felt was whipped from underneath her not to mention her beloved daughter was gone to a different country. It was difficult to read of the daily struggle just to keep going given the rampant illness, infections and appalling conditions she and so many others were forced to endure. But her love for music and her strength of character and spirit always shone through.
There was a very very surprising turn of events at about the three quarter way mark that made me reassess the whole book and in a way given how certain things turned out I am glad that this twist did occur because other elements were just too heartbreaking to fully comprehend. Gill Thompson kept me in suspense throughout and showed how through such suffering, misery, misfortune, torture and distress that there can be a ray of hope and happiness in the murkiest of times and that hardship can produce all kinds of courage. There are three true/real life strands that feature throughout the story as mentioned in the end notes and I was surprised to read they were actual fact as I had never heard about them before which only goes to prove the extensive research undertaken by Gill Thompson in order to write this excellent book which deserves huge success. You will be easily taken in by the story and amazed at the depths of courage displayed. It's definitely well worth a read.
January 5, 2023
To save her child, a mother must make an impossible choice.
Two mothers must ask an unthinkable question: will they ever be reunited with their beloved children?
A beautiful well-told story, it made me laugh, it made me cry, and it certainly pulled at my heartstrings. Definitely well worth the read.
Two mothers must ask an unthinkable question: will they ever be reunited with their beloved children?
A beautiful well-told story, it made me laugh, it made me cry, and it certainly pulled at my heartstrings. Definitely well worth the read.
May 30, 2025
"If understanding is impossible, knowing is imperative, because what happened could happen again." - Primo Levi
I couldn't imagine sending a child, alone, to another country that doesn't even speak the same language. Not knowing if you would ever see them again.
The Child On Platform One, is inspired by the real-life escape of thousands of Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Europe on the Kindertransport trains to London.
I couldn't imagine sending a child, alone, to another country that doesn't even speak the same language. Not knowing if you would ever see them again.
The Child On Platform One, is inspired by the real-life escape of thousands of Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Europe on the Kindertransport trains to London.
September 22, 2024
Eye opener
I had no idea this was how people were taken to the gas chambers. It was an eye opener for me.
I had no idea this was how people were taken to the gas chambers. It was an eye opener for me.
January 31, 2020
This is such a good story. It was written very well. I can tell a lot of research went
into it. A great development in the characters made you feel for them even more.
I highly recommend this Historical Fiction.
Thank you so much, Gill Thompson, the publisher, and NetGalley, for giving me the
chance to read and review this amazing book!
into it. A great development in the characters made you feel for them even more.
I highly recommend this Historical Fiction.
Thank you so much, Gill Thompson, the publisher, and NetGalley, for giving me the
chance to read and review this amazing book!
April 27, 2020
Very good historical fiction loosely based on actual events. Especially recommended to those who are intrigued by Holocaust survivors and their stories.
January 1, 2021
So powerful and heartbreaking. I loved learning about real life WWII heroes and the fictional story was captivating. I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend.
February 7, 2021
4,5/5
"La niña del andén" es una novela histórica que ofrece perspectivas diferentes y novedosas sobre el Holocausto, una historia de familia y pérdida, pero también con algo de esperanza.
Abarcando desde 1930 hasta 1968, esta historia nos cuenta como se vivió el auge del nacismo, el Holocausto y la Segunda Guerra Mundial desde diferentes puntos de vista. En Checoslovaquia tenemos a Eva y su familia, judíos, y en Londres tenemos a Pamela y su familia, cuáqueros.
Empezamos con Eva, una joven checa con un futuro prometedor en el mundo de la música, en 1930 cuando un suceso hará que su vida cambie por completo. Tras un salto temporal, volvemos a encontrarnos con Eva y su familia en Praga, y vemos como van llegando rumores del líder alemán que odia a los judíos.
Mientras tanto, en Londres Pamela hace todo lo posible para ayudar a los más necesitados. Ser cuáquero implica dar todo de uno mismo para ayudar a los demás y fomentar la paz. Pamela ayudará en la labor de Nicholas Winton para sacar a niños checos del continente y ponerlos a salvo con familias inglesas.
Eva, temiendo por la vida de su hija Miriam, decide mandarla a Inglaterra en uno de esos trenes. Y así es como la pequeña Miriam acaba viviendo con Pamela y su familia.
No quiero desvelar nada más de la trama, pero viendo los años que recorre ya os lo podéis imaginar. La crudeza de la guerra, los horrores de los campos de concentración, los crímenes contra los judíos...
El punto original que tiene esta novela es que no está centrada en Alemania, sino que ofrece puntos de vista desde Chequia y desde Inglaterra. Estos diversos puntos de vista son sus mayores logros, ofrece una visión original que consigue enganchar y estremecer.
Porque si, con este libro se sufre. Habla de unos hechos históricos realmente horribles, y la autora consigue transmitir unos momentos tan duros que es inevitable no dejar caer las lágrimas. Aunque no se explaya en los peores detalles, las pérdidas se sufren igual.
Además de esos momentos dolorosos, también nos encontramos con reflexiones muy interesantes. Que estarías dispuesto a hacer por sobrevivir? Cuál es el límite por defender la paz? Y la decisión más dura, te separarías de tus hijos si con eso les salvaras pero quizá no les volvieras a ver?
Personalmente, ha sido una novela que me ha conmovido y me ha tenido enganchada a sus páginas. También esconde bastantes sorpresas tras algunas coincidencias inverosímiles, pero que se perdonan por su valor dentro de la historia.
"La niña del andén" es una novela histórica que ofrece perspectivas diferentes y novedosas sobre el Holocausto, una historia de familia y pérdida, pero también con algo de esperanza.
Abarcando desde 1930 hasta 1968, esta historia nos cuenta como se vivió el auge del nacismo, el Holocausto y la Segunda Guerra Mundial desde diferentes puntos de vista. En Checoslovaquia tenemos a Eva y su familia, judíos, y en Londres tenemos a Pamela y su familia, cuáqueros.
Empezamos con Eva, una joven checa con un futuro prometedor en el mundo de la música, en 1930 cuando un suceso hará que su vida cambie por completo. Tras un salto temporal, volvemos a encontrarnos con Eva y su familia en Praga, y vemos como van llegando rumores del líder alemán que odia a los judíos.
Mientras tanto, en Londres Pamela hace todo lo posible para ayudar a los más necesitados. Ser cuáquero implica dar todo de uno mismo para ayudar a los demás y fomentar la paz. Pamela ayudará en la labor de Nicholas Winton para sacar a niños checos del continente y ponerlos a salvo con familias inglesas.
Eva, temiendo por la vida de su hija Miriam, decide mandarla a Inglaterra en uno de esos trenes. Y así es como la pequeña Miriam acaba viviendo con Pamela y su familia.
No quiero desvelar nada más de la trama, pero viendo los años que recorre ya os lo podéis imaginar. La crudeza de la guerra, los horrores de los campos de concentración, los crímenes contra los judíos...
El punto original que tiene esta novela es que no está centrada en Alemania, sino que ofrece puntos de vista desde Chequia y desde Inglaterra. Estos diversos puntos de vista son sus mayores logros, ofrece una visión original que consigue enganchar y estremecer.
Porque si, con este libro se sufre. Habla de unos hechos históricos realmente horribles, y la autora consigue transmitir unos momentos tan duros que es inevitable no dejar caer las lágrimas. Aunque no se explaya en los peores detalles, las pérdidas se sufren igual.
Además de esos momentos dolorosos, también nos encontramos con reflexiones muy interesantes. Que estarías dispuesto a hacer por sobrevivir? Cuál es el límite por defender la paz? Y la decisión más dura, te separarías de tus hijos si con eso les salvaras pero quizá no les volvieras a ver?
Personalmente, ha sido una novela que me ha conmovido y me ha tenido enganchada a sus páginas. También esconde bastantes sorpresas tras algunas coincidencias inverosímiles, pero que se perdonan por su valor dentro de la historia.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 435 reviews