ive never read this side of the war before. and each time i am shocked a new when i get someone else or different perspective of this harrowing time. and each time i am in awe of the bravery of some and disgusted at the behaviour of others. how can humans do that to humans. sadly, as we go on living in today's world, all of a sudden we are seeing right in front of us our evil people can be.
the ww2 era is one of great interest to me and i love learning both from fact and fiction.
this time we are taken to Poland at an extremely vulnerable time for the Jews. they must al decide what they have to do to survive. do they stay or do they once again seek pastures new. but so many have been running already. and where will this all end. when the opportunity to get to Japan gets issued our character Zofia thinks this might be the only answer they have left. the Germany are about to invade so their choices are being taken from them quickly. so Zofia and her brother decide they will leave. and the story then hits into on a journey where they must dodge spies and allies alike to get important information across countries. to get themsleves across countries, seeking shelter and safety in unsafe places and people. they know they also have vital information that the Japanese need before this all gets even worse. the world must know what the Nazis are really doing. this is an urgent journey not only to save themselves but also to save others.

An interesting setting as thousands of Jewish refugees flee Poland, crossing the border into Lithuania to escape the Nazi purges. They hope for safety but Operation Barbarossa means that Germany will shortly invade Russian territories and the refugees must move on again.
I very much enjoyed the begining of this story as the main character Zofia argues with her brother over whether they should leave or not. He is tempted to stay as he has a Russian girlfriend whom Zofia does not trust.
The majority of the story however, takes place on the Trans Siberian Express as Zofia, Jacek, Masha and Otto, negotiate the problems thrown at them by the Russian and German authorities while they escape to the hoped safety of Japan. Sadly, however, the adventures on the train did not ring as true to me as the earlier part with the queuing for visas and the looting by the Russians. I found Otto's metamorphosis from mummy's boy to protector less than convincing as well, and I was just plain annoyed by the rather tarty stereotype character of Masha.
So all in all I wasn't taken in by the characters but I enjoyed the historical setting and details and events and I would say I enjoyed previous novels by this author more than this one.
With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

Spellbinding: once begun it was difficult to put down. An amazing story of heartbreaking sacrifice, resilience and fortitude. The lives of the characters were woven together with the historical accuracy and brought to life by a talented storyteller.
Deborah Swift does an amazing job making the horrendous situation exciting and even manages to bring in a few romances. The story begins just as the mighty Soviet Union prepares to invade Lithuania. Many prepare to leave and seek safety elsewhere. Others who have know life as refugees wait and listen and hope that their salvation will come.
Word comes that the Japanese embassy is prepared to issue visas and travel documents to these Jewish refugees. Many begin to queue. Many have stories to tell of their escape from other places across Europe. It isn’t a good time to be Jewish. One brave man, the ambassador begins to give out visas but the recipients must pay for their own tickets and board the trans-Siberian railway which runs from Moscow to Vladivostok.
Many forces are at work in the background, the NKVD and Nazis. Both these are known for their cruel and violent methods and the wool isn’t pulled over the reader’s eyes. There agents are lurking in the guise of friends. Yet there are a few good people.
This book must be read. The evil of the time must be shared, in the hope of ensuring that these atrocities never happen again.
Thank you to Deborah Swift for writing this story; thank you to HQ Digital and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Another taut and tense story from a favourite author.

"Last Train to Freedom" opens in Lithuania in 1940. The Nazi invasion of Poland left the population, largely Jewish, in a state of terror. Now the Russians have arrived, trapping everyone in the middle. Many attempt to flee, but travel is difficult without a visa. When a Japanese diplomat, Sugihara Chiune, promises to provide these vital documents, he offers hope to brother and sister Zophia and Jacek, and many others.

The story quickly unfolds, as the pair make their way across the country, pursued by Nazi police, their escape route requiring two train journeys including the Trans Siberian Express. Here they encounter a large cast of characters, some good, some bad.

As usual, Deborah Swift manages to flawlessly blend fact with fiction, producing a horrifying, gripping and deeply moving story of hope and of the strengths people find in times of trouble. The story of Chiune is a fascinating one, a man who refused to carry out Nazi instructions, or the policies of his own country. As usual, her research is impeccable, and fans of her previous books will not be disappointed.

Heartily recommended.

In 1939, Jews who had fled to Lithuania to escape Nazi atrocities in Poland found themselves trapped in the country as Germany threatened them from the west and Stalin’s Russia was gathering to attack from the east. A Japanese diplomat decided to get them out by offering visas that allowed them to cross through Russia to take ship for Japan. Thousands were saved and Israel acknowledged him as one of ‘the Righteous Among the Nations’ in 1985.
In 1940, the Japanese foreign minister said that, despite Japan’s alliance with Germany, he would not be imposing German anti-Semitic policies in the country. A factor in his decision seems to have been an appeal by Jewish spokesmen, who revealed to the Japanese the extent of anti-Semitism in Germany and suggested that German theories of Aryan superiority meant that they considered themselves racially superior to Japanese as well as Jews.
Deborah Swift has taken these two facts and constructed a story about a young Japanese woman who obtains a visa to travel from Lithuania to Japan, carrying with her evidence of German atrocities and who eventually meets a senior Japanese officer and is instrumental in changing Japanese policy toward Jews in the country.
SOME SPOILERS AHEAD
The beginning and end of the story are both brilliant historical fiction, bringing the communist takeover of Lithuania and the precarious situation of Jews in Japan vividly to life. The spy thriller that links the two is set on the trans-Siberian express as it makes its long, slow journey of almost 6,000 miles between Moscow and Vladivostok. Zofia, our heroine, is pursued by German and Russian agents, both desperate to get their hands on the evidence of Nazi crimes against humanity. (It's not an entirely original idea: much of Robert Harris’s Fatherland centres on a journalist trying to escape German agents desperate to conceal the truth about the Holocaust.) Fortunately for her, all the agents sent to intercept her seem remarkably incompetent.
Zofia is a girl who has an extraordinary effect on the men she meets. The Japanese diplomat issuing visas writes out extra permits for her and her brother to escape in exchange for her promising to carry news of the Holocaust to Tokyo. The German agent pursuing her falls in love with her, as does another Japanese diplomat on the train. Even when she finally presents the evidence of crimes against humanity to a Japanese general, he tells her it is “your passion and your heart” that convince him that “there will continue to be a place for Jews in Japan”.
Sadly, for me, Zofia was not an entirely credible character and her unlikely adventures on the train did not hold me, which is a shame, because the beginning and end of the book are well worth reading.

Uneasy alliances and a most dangerous journey.

This novel is set in 1940, when Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia were still allies and the Empire of Japan also had a non-aggression pact with Russia. (Which Stalin did not actually break until 1945.) Poland was invaded the previous year (this was a joint exercise between Hitler and Stalin) causing Jews in particular to flee to the recently (and only temporarily) independent Baltic States. This novel does not even touch on the invasions of Denmark, Norway and Finland which were also enabled by agreement between Hitler and Stalin in the same period. (Perhaps the present day rapprochement between Russia and the United States might be evaluated in the light of this?)

Zofia, her twin brother Jacek and their uncle Tata are Polish Jews who have found refuge and even jobs, in Lithuania. Their escape from the NAZI-occupied half of Poland was a nightmare, both in terms of the violence directed at them and the violence which Jacek is compelled to commit to keep them all alive. Zofia now works in a library, Jacek is a journalist at a Lithuanian newspaper and Tata teaches at a school. The Red Army invades, suddenly and with rather more force directed at civilians than at the tiny Lithuanian Army. Instead of being at risk of summary execution by the NAZIs for being Jewish, they are now at risk of summary execution by the Red Army and NKVD for being “intellectuals” and Zofia finds her gentile, female librarian employer hanging from a tree and swarming with flies. This makes her more aware of the dangers than her brother seems to be, and it takes quite a while for Jacek to get his head around the fact that the Soviets are at least as murderous as the NAZIs and somewhat less fussy about protocol. Tata is seized by the Russians, supposedly for forced labour but it soon transpires that the Russians couldn’t be bothered to actually send everyone to labour camps so older detainees were killed out of hand and only just out of sight. All this sets the scene for Zofia and Jacek’s escape, and an important mission.

The Japanese Consul in Lithuania, Sugihara (this is a character taken from real life and treated with proper respect by the author) finds his consulate besieged by Jewish refugees who believe there might be a legal loophole which would allow them to travel, legally, right across Russia to Japan and onwards from there to the Dutch East Indies. This turns out to be technically feasible, but the Japanese Government, trying to satisfy both the Soviets and the NAZIs, forbids Sugihara to issue the necessary papers. But he also comes across evidence of systematic mass killings by the NAZIs, both of Jews and of Polish officers. He cannot convey this evidence to his nearest superiors in Berlin over the phone, nor to Tokyo by cable. Realising that he will be recalled and probably sacked, and realising also that the Russians will almost certainly kick him out of Lithuania anyway now the country is controlled from Moscow where there is already a Japanese full ambassador, he starts to issue as many transit visas as he thinks he will be able to sign in the time he has left. It is not enough, and Zofia and Jacek, plus one other, only get transit visas because Sugihara offers them the job of taking a sealed packet to his ultimate superior in Tokyo. They leave the consulate even as Russian troops are barging their way in to evict Sugihara.

The escape route involves two local trains to reach Moscow and an enforced stay in a hotel before refugees are allowed to board the Trans Siberian Express. It remains legal, because the Russians intend to extort money from every refugee at every stop on the fifteen-day journey across the world’s biggest country. It is an ordeal even for those refugees not carrying a packet of secret papers.
The NAZIs and the NKVD both know that Zofia and Jacek have a packet of evidence, which the NAZIs are determined to destroy and which the NKVD intend to exploit for propaganda purposes in the case of a German onslaught against Russia, which they know will come at some point. Either outcome would cost countless Jewish lives, by closing Japan’s borders to Jews seeking refuge or onwards transit.

The danger escalates every time the Trans Siberian Express stops and there are both noble sacrifices and bitter betrayals, and during the final stops of the train on Russian territory, the refugees who have seen their money taken from them along the way until they only have their spare clothes in their luggage, are robbed even of that by Russian soldiers. (Who are working at cross-purposes to both the NKVD and the SS.)

Even when the packet reaches Tokyo and Sugihara’s superior, the suspense persists because how can its contents be acted on without exposing Japan to a diplomatic rift with either Germany or Russia, or, worse, both countries at once? Japan still hopes to preserve its trade with the British Empire, too. The interesting and very Japanese denouement is based on historical fact.

I like the fact that this novel deals with the impact on the Baltic states from Russian incursion at the start of WW2. It seems these states were caught in the middle of a power struggle between Germany and Russia, and in particular if you were Jewish, your life became very vulnerable indeed. It seems this episode in history is little known in the West. The book also highlights the diplomatic efforts of a Japanese ambassador to use his privileges to secure safe passage for refugees from Lithuania to Japan and then onwards to places like the USA. The book brought to life the resourcefulness and inner strength of a person when threatened, making this an absorbing, worthwhile read.

This is an epic journey across the Siberian wilderness that will keep you guessing until the end. I've read most of Deborah Swift's books but Zofia is one of her most compelling characters. Tough and resourceful, Zofia's difficult past has made her stronger - which is just as well as she has to contend with harrowing challenges every day.

I particularly liked the way we discover new sides to her fellow travellers through Zofia's eyes, and how this develops into a tale of suspense, courage, and desperation against the backdrop of a world on the brink of collapse. The novel is rich in historical detail, vividly depicting the perilous conditions and the constant fear of the war.

Last Train to Freedom is a compelling narrative that combines elements of a thriller with the poignant reality of wartime struggle and sacrifice. It's a story of resilience, the fight for truth, and the lengths people will go to protect what they hold dear. Readers interested in the less well known events of World War II will find this book captivating and unforgettable.

This is the third novel I have read by this author and it definitely lived up to my expectations. Ms Swift is a talented writer and had I not known the author, the context of this book and the style were more akin to some of the very best historical fiction writers. It was captivating and compulsive reading, being transported from Lithuania to Russia on the Trans Siberian Rail train with five very finely portrayed people. Spies and double agents lie beneath the surface and it falls upon our heroine to seek them out in her quest to deliver evidence to the Japanese Naval chief in Tokyo of German atrocities.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my independent review.

Wow, what a fantastic read this was. I was so hooked reading to see if the end goal would be achieved given all the hurdles she encountered. Great characters that you got into, some you’re glad ended up dead! I know this book is fiction , but It does really make you think what went on back then to the Jews. Definitely a book to be read!

Last Train to Freedom is another stunning achievement in historical fiction from Deborah Swift. In this book, she explores the plight of thousands of Polish Jews who escaped to Lithuania seeking safe haven from the Nazis, only to lose it to the Soviets in a year's time. Setting the majority of the story on the Trans-Siberian Express, a 15-day journey from Moscow to Vladivostok, heightens the tension of the pursuit by both the Nazis and the NKVD while giving the reader a spectacular view of the wide expanse of Russia.

The author bookends this novel with two quotes that have long been favorites of mine and are perfect for this book. The first is:
"There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen." Vladimir Lenin

The second quote is:
"The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for." Fyodor Dostoevsky

If like me you enjoy historical fiction because it allows you to painlessly absorb new information while allowing you to feel the impact, I highly recommend this book. If you prefer action, mysteries, or a bit of romance in a plot that moves at the speed of light, you too will love this book.

My thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. The review and all opinions are entirely my own.

This was my first book by this author and I am so glad to have had this opportunity to read this book. Whilst based in fiction, the book truly encapsulated some of the true horrors of WW2 particularly for the Jewish population. You can tell the care the author put into writing this book particularly as it is largely based entirely on fiction.

The characters were well rounded and you can see how the author tries to encapsulate a variety of experiences through those characters. You can sympathise with most of them but are reminded of their part in the atrocities explored in the boom. One particular character I was particularly enamoured with was Masha who's arc did not fall into any of common tropes surrounding her arc which was refreshing.. The protagonist, Zofia, makes you want to fight for her throughout and it is never a sure bet how things will play out and she is not infallible often relying on luck or allies when things do not play out how she wishes they would.

I appreciated the context at the end to signpost both historical accuracies and fictional liberties as well as the resources listed for further study. As someone with a keen interest in WW2 this was a great addition.

I will definitely be checking out other works by this author and can wholeheartedly recommend the book.

A gripping and unforgettable novel and brilliant story and characters. Zofia is the leading character, but Otto, Haru, Masha and Jacek are important as well. I am not going to relate the story because that would spoil a fantastic tale. But I can say that the reader is unlikely to be sorry that they read this novel, it grips you from the beginning and does not let go until the end. Highly recommended .

Such an interesting and original book. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. It also informed me about the situation between Japan and Russia pre WW2. Informative, full of suspense and thrills. Recommended.