5 GOLD stars
On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads
How I discovered this book: a favourite author, I was waiting for it!
In a Nutshell: WWII - perilous escape from NKVD and Nazis
After a harrowing escape from the Nazis in their home country of Poland, Zofia, twin brother Jacek and their Uncle Tata have found a home in Lithuania, along with many other Jewish refugees. Alas, here they face a new danger - the Russian army, bulldozing their way through anything they deem to be anti-communist.
Once they realise that resistance is futile, the Japanese consul is their only hope for visas to travel on the Trans-Siberian express, away from imminent danger. As well as escaping, Zofia has another mission to complete - the delivery of a secret package to officials in Tokyo. The problem is that there are others who want to put a spanner in the works; some who appear to be helpful are not what they seem.
I was delighted to find out that Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese consul in Lithuania, was a real person who, against orders from his country, issued thousands of visas to Lithuanians and Polish refugees who would have otherwise been captured by the Russians or the Nazis. Deborah Swift has written a piece about it HERE.
I loved this book from start to finish; it's utterly gripping and I could never guess what might happen next. More than anything else, it illustrates what a dark, dangerous place mainland Europe was during the first half of the 20th Century, and the bravery of so many who fought on the side of good, against the forces of evil that were intent on eliminating their existence. Highly, highly recommended - definitely my favourite of Deborah Swift's novels set in World War II.
Thank you for this fab review and for posting it everywhere, so much appreciated.
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