El último tren a la libertad (The last train to London): A Novel

En 1936
para el quinceañero Stephan Neuman los nazis no son más que unos brutos algo
más que ruidosos. Stephan forma parte de una infl uyente familia judía de
Viena y es un incipiente dramaturgo cuyos escenarios son calles de la capital
austriaca e incluso sus intrincadas alcantarillas. Su mejor amiga es Zofi
e-Helene, una chica cristiana cuya madre es la editora de un periódico antinazi. Pero la inocencia libre de
preocupaciones de ambos adolescentes se verá rota en pedazos cuando los nazis
toman el control.

Pero hay esperanza en la oscuridad. Truss Wijsmuller, miembro de la
resistencia de origen holandés, arriesga continuamente su vida para pasar de
contrabando niños

judíos fuera de la órbita nazi hacia países dispuestos a acogerlos. Una
misión que se hace aún más complicada cuando Alemania se apodera de Austria,
el Anschluss, ya que por
toda Europa los países cierran sus fronteras ante el creciente número de
refugiados desesperados. La tía Truss, como es conocida, está decidida a salvar a tantos niños como
sea capaz. Cuando Gran Bretaña decide acoger cierto número de refugiados,
deberá atreverse a acercarse a Adolf Eichmann, el hombre que años después
estará detrás de la Solución Final, en una carrera contra reloj para salvar a
la mayor cantidad posible de niños
como Stephan, su hermano menor Walter y Helene, y para ello deberán
emprender un viaje peligroso hacia un destino desconocido en el extranjero.

From the New York Times bestselling novelist Meg Waite Clayton comes a powerful novel, set in the pre–World War II era, based on the true story of the Kindertransport rescue of ten thousand children from Nazi-occupied Europe—and of one brave woman who helped them escape.

In 1936, the Nazis are little more than brutish boors to fifteen-year-old Stephan Neuman, a budding playwright and the son of a wealthy and influential Jewish family in Vienna, Austria. Stephan’s best friend and companion is the brilliant Žofie-Helene, a Christian girl whose mother edits a progressive, anti-Nazi newspaper. But the two adolescents’ carefree innocence is shattered when Hitler’s forces advance.

There is hope in the darkness, though. Truus Wijsmuller, a childless Dutchwoman, risks her life to smuggle children out of Nazi-occupied lands to the nations that will take them. It is a mission that becomes even more dangerous as countries across Europe close their borders to the growing number of refugees desperate to escape after the Anschluss, Hitler’s annexation of Austria.

Tante Truus, as she is known, is determined to save as many children as she can. After Britain passes a measure to take in young refugees from the German Reich, she dares to approach Adolf Eichmann, the man who would later help devise the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question.” Truus then sets off in a race against time to lead hundreds of children on a perilous journey to freedom.

«Una novela fascinante, una historia de amor, pérdida y heroísmo en los días oscuros que condujeron a la Segunda Guerra Mundial bellamente escrita» - Kristin Hannah, autora de El Ruiseñor y Jardín de invierno

«Qué delicia es leer esta brillante historia sobre el Kindertransport. Una novela hilada con compasión, esperanza y amor. Gracias, Meg Waite Clayton, por recordarnos lo que ocurre cuando las buenas personas conspiran contra el mal» - Heather Morris, autora de El tatuador de Auschwitz

“The Last Train to London is painful and beautiful, absorbing and unforgettable.  A wonderful tribute to courage, to a remarkable woman, to the ones she saved, and the ones she could not.  Recommend this book to anyone who thinks no single person can make a difference.” - Karen Joy Fowler, author of the USA Today Bestseller We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

“What a delight it was to read this brilliant telling of the Kindertransport, a novel threaded with compassion, hope and love. Thank you, Meg Waite Clayton for reminding us of what can happen when good people conspire against evil.”  - Heather Morris, #1 bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

“The Last Train to London is an absolutely fascinating, beautifully rendered story of love, loss, and heroism in the dark days leading up to World War II.  Clayton perfectly captures the tension and heartbreak of the times, which feel so relevant today. It is a glowing portrait of women rising up against impossible odds to save children.” - Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of The Great Alone and The Nightingale

“This is a standout historical fiction that serves as a chilling reminder of how insidious, pervasive evil can gradually seep into everyday lives.” - Publishers Weekly

“The Last Train to London is a rare thing: intellectually provocative and emotionally moving in equal measure. What a fine tribute to the victims and survivors of the Nazis’ early terrors, and to the woman who at great personal risk and sacrifice subverted Hitler’s will. Everyone should read this timely, gorgeous novel.” - Therese Anne Fowler, bestselling author of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald

"Heartfelt and mesmerizing...takes the reader on an unforgettable journey...If you like books set in World War II featuring complex, courageous female protagonists who were ahead of their time, this book should earn a place at the top of the list." - Historical Novels Review

“Enlightening, meticulously researched ... Clayton’s story of the remarkable woman, known as Tante Truus, is enriched by a compelling cast of fictional characters.” - Booklist (starred review)

“With its well-developed characters and race-against-the-clock plot, this fantastic novel should have broad appeal, especially with fans of historical fiction and thrillers.” - Library Journal (starred review)

“Riveting … Clayton makes vivid Truus’s courage and resourcefulness in the face of growing danger as borders close throughout Europe.” - BBC

“Glimmers with hope: the heroism of everyday people putting their own comfortable lives in jeopardy to help others.” - BookPage

“An engrossing, heart-wrenching, and inspiring account of ordinary people making life-and-death choice in the darkest of times.” - Jerusalem Post

“Excellent. . . clearly the product of prodigious historical research. . . serves as a reminder that even in dangerous times, every person can make a difference. . . . Ultimately, this historical novel offers great insight into the inspiring humanity of those who opposed the Nazis; Clayton brings Tante Truus to life at a timely moment when cruelty is once again on the march.” - San Francisco Examiner