I am a huge fan of WWII historical fiction books. Gill Thompson does an amazing job with this genre. From page one you are drawn into the story and you are invested until you’ve closed the book. The author has obviously done a lot of research and she mentions three true aspects in the author notes. The level of courage demonstrated amidst such horrors and adversity is admirable. I loved the sudden twist three-fourths of the way in the book. One thing that would have helped was to have dates noted on the chapters. I found myself being confused because the time frame would jump ahead several years. While an emotional read, it is worth getting lost in the story of Eva, Pamela, and Hugh.

Thank you to NetGalley and Review for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Emotional and evocative. I loved that it's based on real-life stories and experiences. Highly recommended!

Oh my heart!

I am a huge fan of historical fiction novels. I find the topic of history a very important subject to learn as, without it, our lives wouldn’t have been paved the same.

‘The Child on Platform One’ is emotionally draining in the most poignant and beautiful way. I cannot even begin to fathom how heartbreaking it would have been for Eva, to send her child away to keep her safe. She knew that she may never see her little girl again, yet she still made the selfless decision to put Miriam’s safety first. Pretty much what mothers do anyway, yet the thought of sending your child into the unknown, away from your own safe and loving arms, must have absolutely broken Eva.

Inspired by true events, this book highlights just how devastating life was for Jewish people, and the lengths that they went to to protect themselves and other children around them. Like I said above, I was emotionally drained by the end of this book, yet i had also learnt valuable things from a time where the only valuables people had was their love.

Gill Thompson is an incredible, incredible author who wrote with such power and passion. I really felt the underlying emotion from the author herself, and I appreciated the fact that this wouldn’t have been an easy one to write.

‘The Child On Platform One’ is what historical fiction is all about, as authors become the voice of the people who are no longer able to tell their story. Full of emotion, devastating situations, and powerful historic notions, Thompson’s novel spoke volumes and moved me from deep within. I cannot recommend it enough.

I read this book very quickly thanks to such an engaging talented author! Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Great characters, setting and storyline. Would highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this story but felt it had some really slow pieces to it. I held on for it to pick up in the end and still wasn’t excited as it ended. It was a good story, very similar to other historical fiction books. I rate this book a 2.8

"Inspired by the real-life escape of thousands of Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Europe on the Kindertransport trains to London."

Wow! What a powerful read.

I was immersed in the stories about the families of Pamela and Hugh, from Hampstead, London, England and 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.

This is an amazing story. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book for an honest review.

This book thoroughly intrigued me before I started reading it. First, because I am a hardcover LOVER of all things historical fiction (especially WWII). The other reason I was intrigued is because I'm not all that familiar with the Kindertransport aspect surrounding the war and I was very interested in learning more.

Right from the start of this book it grabbed me. Right from the start I already had a few tears in my eyes.

This book follows the story of two different families- Pamela and Hugh who live in England and Eva and Josef (and their daughter) in Prague. Eventually, the two of these families become intertwined (which is something I love in a book, and the author did it well). Children and families escaping (or trying to) war and families trying to help those suffering.

I loved the music in this book, I love how it brought people together- even in times of heartbreak.
I loved the twist in the last 1/4 of the book, one I didn't at ALL predict.
I love books that help me understand the heartache that people went through in that time.

Kindertransport is a part of the war we don't always hear about- this book made me look into and research it more, brought it to my attention.

Highly recommend and grateful to netgalley + the publisher that I was given the opportunity.

The Child on Platform One by Gill Thompson was a good story about the horrors the Jewish people faced during World War II. It especially focused on things that happened to children, both in and out of the concentration camps. This story centers on several characters: Miriam, a young girl sent by her mother to live out the war in London; Eva, her mother and Josef, her father. Pamela and her husband Hugh take Miriam in, and they have a son named Will. There is also Hana, a young girl Eva meets at the camps. The story that unfolds is both beautiful and sad. People who want to learn more about the tragedy of the war will find it here, but they will also experience the resilience of the human spirit and the love that binds people together. I would recommend this book. I received a free copy of this story from NetGalley for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

The child on platform one is a fictional story based on real events. It follows two families during the Second World War, Pamela in London and Eva in Czechoslovakia. In order to safeguard her daughter Miriam, Eva sends her to England where Pamela takes her in.
The novel also looks at the treatment of Jewish people in concentration camps when Eva is sent away, and Pamela’s worry when her son goes missing in action while flying with the RAF.
The book highlights how everyone’s war was different and their own challenges and losses are equally relevant. A fantastic but heartbreaking read.

Wow! Where do I start. You must read this book! It has to be one of the best books I have read set in this time period. It’s well written and you will be taken on a journey of many emotions. I am a huge fan of WWII stories and this really was one of the best from 2019.

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!

This book focuses on Czech Jews, rather than Germany or further East towards France. For that alone it is worth the read. I enjoyed the book (if that is the right word) and found it very interesting. I would have loved to have read more about the Kinder Transport from Czechoslovakia and the people who risked it all to make it possible however the British perspective was also interesting, reminding us of how much effort was put in to help refugees and how much a sense of charity begins at home there was then, as there is today. The various viewpoints and timeslips were a little confusing but the different strands were there for a reason and the story was woven together nicely. It is another reminder that so many people risked their lives for others, often people they had never met. It also reminds us of the depths humanity can reach in its treatment of each other.

The Child On Platform One: by Gill Thompson was a beautifully written book with so much depth of information throughout especially as it was based on an actual story from World War 2 which made it more of a great read. But, you will need tissues and lots of them.
Books like this should be read and we should never forget what happened all those years ago.

I highly recommend this book and it will be with me for a very long time

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Publishing for the opportunity to read and review it prior to its publication date all opinions are my own.

The trials children went through in WWII such as families broken apart, young teens trying to fend for themselves and children confused by being sent to other countries for their safety are examined.

While this book is fictional, the story is full of emotion and awe. It brings the strength of people dealing with the Reich trying to annihilate their families and themselves. Dying and inhumane treatment was, of course, everywhere.

The main characters are found in a Jewish mother who sends her young daughter away to protect her; and the family that takes her in. The Child on Platform One transports the reader to Ukraine in the early 1940s. I

t would require a hardened heart not to be affected by this novel. That said, it is not written with graphic details which enhances its impact and the tragedy of the times.

This book is highly recommended. The tight writing and obvious knowledge of the author makes it a book you must read.


I received an ARC from Headline Review through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and have no obligation to do so.

A well written and interesting book set against the background of the Second World War and the concentration camps and the fate of the Jewish people. Although from the title and the publicity blurb I expected it to be more about the Kinder transport children, which I felt was a very small part rather than a key element.
Quite an emotional read which I liked but wanted more depth.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars

Such a gem of a story!! I was so invested in and loved all of the characters... getting thoroughly engrossed each of their stories. I can tell a lot of research went into this book, the events and atmosphere of the times felt authentic. Oh, and that ending! 5 stars

Thanks netgalley for giving me the advanced PDF so that I can share my opinions with y'all

I don't think I can say much that has not already been said about this heartbreaking story. I am a big fan of historical fiction especially the world war two era and this author has written one of the best books I have ever read about this harrowing time in our history. The characters are believable and the story flows so well you won't be able to put it down. The fact that it is based on true events make it a even harder to digest. I highly recommend this to anyone who historical this genre. You will not be disappointed.

Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this amazing book for my honest opinion.

This book centers on two things that (in my opinion) aren't written about enough in WWII Historical Fiction - the Terezin camp in what was then Czechoslovakia, and the Kindertransport Programs that took place in Europe during WWII. I think where the story was strongest (and unfortunately, the most sad) was in the part of the book that took place in Czechoslovakia. The conditions at the Terezin camp, and also the propaganda that it was used for, was absolutely astounding to me.

There were a lot of POVs in this one, and they were done in a style that isn't exactly my favorite - jumping from one to another mid chapter as well as every chapter, and not in any semblance of order. It was hard to keep up with some of what was happening as new POVs were introduced from already established characters sometimes as far into the story as 60-70%. There were also a couple of things that seemed of dubious historic accuracy - a group of Hitler Youth in a Prague cemetery in 1930, hanging around and then being emboldened enough (again, in 1930, outside of Germany) to attack a young Jewish girl in public? It's not completely improbable, and maybe it's a one off or based on an actual experience, but it just struck me as odd to start the story with something like that (and it becomes apparent later that the story HAD to start like that to satisfy a number of plot points at the end of the book, which makes the history all the more dubious for me). I know authors take artistic license and change things around and so on and so forth, but for whatever reason that one jumped out at me.

Ultimately, I would recommend this one to readers looking for some of the lesser told stories of WWII - the writing was good, and as the story moved on it became a lot more engrossing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Publishing for the gifted book and opportunity to read and review it prior to its publication date! This in no way affected my review, all opinions are my own.

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.

Young mum Eva has a secret from her past which she's kept hidden from her husband. When the Nazi's invade Prague she knows she must send her young daughter Miriam away to England on the Kindertransport train. Even if it heart breakingly means she'll never see her again she feels she's got to put her safety first.

Pamela who is married to Hugh, who works in the war office volunteers to help find homes for the Jewish children arriving on the trains. She befriends one little girl and brings her home. Her beloved son, Will secretly joins the RAF which while heroic means months of anguish for her.

Eva's husband Josef works as a scientist, which gives them flimsy security but when he's asked to do a special job for the Nazi's he refuses. They know it's only a matter of time before they come for them.. Life in camp is hard and Eva's parents who have spend 50 years together are heart breakingly torn apart. Life is a constant struggle. Surprisingly, music is allowed and Eva, a talented pianist joins the group where she meets truly gifted Hana, a young girl to whom she's drawn to. Eva sees someone from her past who she hopes will be able to help Hana when the time comes.

The stories are very cleverly intertwined and based on real life. I just couldn't put it down - it made me happy, angry, sad and there are also some incredibly joyful moments within the pages (it also made me cry). An incredible read which I thoroughly recommend.