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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

Catherine Hokin’s The Train That Took You Away is a superb historical fiction novel. Hokin creates believable characters who lived through the nightmare of WWll she does an excellent job creating loss and societal turmoil during this devasting time. This is a story about love, loss, hope, art, and resilience in the shadow of war.
Kudos to Hokin’s fabulous research, which is apparent in each detail, from the slaughtering of Jewish-owned businesses to the clandestine operations to recover stolen art.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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.

I love reading historical fiction that immerses me in the past, and The Train That Took You Away absolutely delivered. ✨ One of my favorite elements? The way art connected the characters. 🎨

This book is perfect if you're ready for a story that makes you reflect on history, family, and survival in a whole new light. 💌❤️

We follow three incredible characters as Hitler's rise to power begins:

💼 Esther Spielmann: A loving mother and successful gallery owner in Berlin. Her life is happy and full—until she faces the heart-wrenching choice to send her young son, Sascha, away on the Kindertransport to save his life.

🌍 Sascha: Sent to England, Sascha’s journey is anything but easy. Moving between families, enduring bullying, and ultimately changing his name to fit a new life, his story is one of resilience and heartbreak.

🖼️ Amalie: A British citizen working in Berlin’s National Gallery. She’s determined to protect invaluable art—and Jewish artists—from Nazi control. Forced to leave Berlin, she holds on to the secrets of what she’s hidden.

Eventually, these women’s lives intersect in deeply moving ways, creating bonds that grow stronger with every challenge.

❤️‍🔥 This book brings history to life with so much heart and depth🕊️.

This review will be on Goodreads, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest

Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me the privilege to read this remarkable book about the Nazi infiltration throughout Europe.

This book meant so much to me since less that a year ago I visited both Brugges and Ghent and saw firsthand the remarkable artwork that was saved by the monument men = along with art historians and preservationists.

This book was heartfelt, disturbing and historically accurate. I immediately connected with the two main characters - Esther and Amalie.

What I found odd is that the title of the book only relates to half of the story being told. Also, in reading the summary for the book Amalie and her vast knowledge of art work and its preservation is not mentioned either. However this did not distract from my enjoyment of the book.

This was my first historical fiction of 2025 and it was one of my favourite which I have read. I enjoyed the story line and cast of characters which the author has written about and this is something that is hard to write about being a dark side of history. Any author that writes about WW2 and the tragic stories which have came out about what people have gone though. I will be looking at the more of the authors books and read some more of them.

Hokin explores the gamut of Esther’s life. From the closing walls of a dictatorial regime, to Losing both her husband and father, and sending her son away for safety.
There’s a lot that goes on in between but the resilience of Esther is remarkable.
It’s a different prism of an era that has been written about extensively but still offers a fresh perspective about the gutting decisions she had to make and the endless hope for reunification.

i don't believe i will ever get enough of learning peoples stories from the time of the war. from the every day people at home trying to live or survive to the ones that go that one step further with extraordinary stories.
i have learnt a few bits about what happened in the art world during the war so was pleased to see it featured a bit more here. its amazing just how much is effected by this times. in places we never thought or didnt think we needed to think about! nothing seemingly was left untouched by the evil of that time.
the mothers loves in this story is told beautifully. you feel it in all its hugeness. and i was taken aback by just what these families went through. i cannot bear to think what a mother must go through to both help her child survive then be separated. and then never to know whether you will see them again...or if alive.
and for the child? what must go through children minds at that time as they are on that platform saying goodbye!? i cant fathom it. when i was their age i would not have just been standing there and letting it happen. but i suppose what we do know by now after reading many a story is that time itself dictates how you react. what you would succumb to and what you could brave. and to all at this time in our history all were brave beyond belief.
i loved this book. and once again feel hugely honored to read peoples stories be it fact or fiction from this time. and would implore anyone interested in historical fiction or ww2 to read this.

Esther Spielmann has to let her son go alone to England. In Berlin, 1948, Esther’s husband and father have been murdered, and she knows she has to get her son, Sacha out of Germany.

The Nazis take Esther’s art gallery away from her, and she eventually ends up in a concentration camp.

After the war, she tries everything to find Sacha, but no one can help her.

Amalie is an art expert, who, during the war helped to protect and hide artwork from the Nazis. She was made to return to England, but went back to Berlin once the war had ended.

Becoming friends with Esther, she is determined to do all she can to help her find her son again.

I found this to be an emotional story, as well as an informative one.

It was astonishing to read about just what happened to many pieces of art. So much art lost forever, and many hidden away.

I liked the characters of both Amalie and Esther, they were both strong women but in different ways.

It is a story that left me thinking about it long after I finished reading it.

I found this to be a story of strength and bravery, of determination and love.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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.

What a heartbreaking and powerful story. My first time reading @cathokinauthor and I really enjoyed it.
I was captivated from the start and couldn’t put it down.
A story about stolen and recovered art during and after WWII. It’s full of sorrow, hope, love, family, friendships, second chances and so much more.
It’s beautifully written and follows the story of two women, Esther and Amalie. I liked how the stories weaved together. It’s realistic and emotional with good interesting characters that had depth.
I liked the authors writing style and look forward to reading more.
Definitely recommend this emotional, entertaining thought provoking read.
With thanks to #NetGallery @bookouture for an arc of #TheTrainThatTookYouAway in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 20 January 2025.

This book begins just as Hitler was gaining force in Germany. And it finishes a.few years after the end of the war. It covers major historical facts that happened: Nazi party looting Jewish arts, Masterpieces, the Kindertransport and the Russian rule over half of Berlin.
There are two main characters: Esther, a rich Jewish lady who ends up in a Concentration Camp. This is after she sent her only son Sascha to London on the Kindertransport.
Amalie, is half British but works in the National Gallery. She comes face to face with corrupt Nazi members.
The pages go through each of the ladies struggles, mostly to fight for their rights and beliefs.
A great read, that captured me from the start. I thought using another concentration camp, was an interesting take.

An emotional WWII tale about two women - Esther and Amalie. Esther survives the camps because she's got to not only for herself but also to find her son Sascha who she sent to safety on the Kindertransport, Amalie is meant to be saving art but she saves so much more. Good characters and fine storytelling make this a very good read.

Wow what an amazing stunning book! Couldn’t put it down and have talked non stop about it! Absolutly heartbreaking

Firstly i would thank netgalley and Bookoutune and the author Catherine Hokin for an early copy of her book.

This is my first read from this author. A Historical book.Esther Speilman whos husband and father was murdered.shes concerned for her son Sasha she gets him to safety...this book is about strength..survival..heartbreak.a good read

This book will be reviewed on goodreads and Amazon.

(ad pr) Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture & Catherine Hokin

Historical fiction is hitting so good lately, I was captured from the beginning of this book, with the stories that weaved together, love & heartbreak for many in the book, and the age ranges between all was a great dynamic to see this time in life portrayed

Publication date: 20th January 2025
Read dates: 18th December 2024 – 19th December 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.

What a heartbreaking story, it tells the dealings of a Jewish family and a German-English young woman. They have to survive terribly years during the war and after that their heartache isn’t over. Now the need time and opportunity to start living a happy life again.
This story leaves me with the question what I would do in this situation. This is my first story by this author but I’m looking for more of her stories.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this, this review is my honest opinion.

Hauntingly human. Hokin's writing is captivating. This story begins in Berlin during the beginning of the dehumanization of the Jewish people in Berlin. There is a sense of optimism between the characters, all of whom are living separate lives in the artistic confines of Berlin. That optimism is quickly erodes as the intentions of the Nazis become increasingly clear. Esther makes a difficult decision to send her son off on the kindertransport after losing her husband and her father. Amalie fights against the truths her family has tried to impress upon her and eventually fights against the greater forces at work in Berlin. Laurenz moves through the book with a careful and cautious tale, reflective of his experiences as a Jewish artist, a husband, and a survivor. With careful and thoughtful movements forward for each character, Hokin manages to provide a story that is both realistic and engrossing. Hokin captures the resilience of the human condition and spirit without unnecessary gory details and overzealous optimism, leaving the reader with a feeling of hope in spite of the horrors of humanity. This story is engrossing without illogical leaps about the connection between the characters. While the ending is expected, it is not trite. It captures the complicated relationships that exist between people who must confront the difficult decisions made during exceptional times.

This story was so brilliantly written that it took my breath away. I can't stop telling people about this one.

Two different women, both facing the hardships of German life before, during and after WW2 follow the political climate surrounding art, life, love and things that are out of their hands. Its a beautiful and enriching storyline involving things that are rarely spoken about or explored.

There are tough moments that pull on your heartstrings. Especially with one of our Jewish main characters and her son who is separated from her during the war.

This is a 5 star read for me. I will now search out all of Catherine Hokin's novels. I'm so glad I received this ARC from netgalley.