I’ve read the earlier books in this excellent series which traces the lives of 5 children who came together in France during world War 2. Each one had their own story which is explored in the previous books and this, the final one, brings them together and reveals what happened on the train they were escaping on and how they became separated.
This information is revealed as the children, now elderly survivors, meet up for the first time since the 1940s - they take part in a retreat supervised by a an expert in traumatic memories.
As the story is gradually revealed, the reader cannot help but be moved by what happened to the children and those looking after them, Charlotte and Luc. I must admit my eyes did become damp several times as I read on.
Charlotte is taking the 5 children on a train from Paris to escape the Nazis, hoping to shelter them with her aunt in the countryside. However when a soldier checks their papers, Kurt drops his Jewish prayer book and they are in trouble.
Charlotte and Kurt are dragged off the train and the other 4 leave on the train alone…….
I cannot help but admire the bravery of Charlotte and Luc as well as the other ordinary people who risked their lives for the children. They all deserve medals for what they did.
The conclusion of the story when all the shared memories are collated and the truth of what happened is revealed, was extremely moving, finally the children, now elderly adults can live their lives but not forgetting their shared past.
This final book concentrated on Charlotte and Luc so it didn’t matter that I’d slightly forgotten the contents of the earlier books and which younger relative belonged to which older person!
The conclusion was satisfying but also heartbreaking and incredibly sad.
I will definitely look out for other books by Suzanne Kelman and highly recommend “The Last Train from Paris” and its predecessors.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.