A Train in Winter (The Resistance #1) in Bound Together

Jan 18, 2013 Britany rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, bookriot

A Train in Winter tells the story of women of the French Resistance who were arrested and sentenced to prison and then transported to concentration camps during WWII. A non fictionalized account of the French women who endured a harrowing experience that I personally have not read about before. These women fought for communism and freedom, fighting to keep Paris alive during the Nazi invasion. Sent to Auschwitz and then onto Ravensbruck, these women endured, some perished carrying their stories ...more

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Apr 26, 2016 Lotte rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2016-read

I read this book as it was the member's choice read for May 2016.

A Train in Winter is mainly about the women of the French Resistance although some of the men were also mentioned. It speaks of their plight, the hardships and injustice they faced and the shocking cruelty and abuse they suffered. It is a story that hasn't been talked about much, with many people choosing not to face up to it, even when the truth came out. Still to this day it is largely unknown and therefore Moorehead's portrayal I read this book as it was the member's choice read for May 2016.

A Train in Winter is mainly about the women of the French Resistance although some of the men were also mentioned. It speaks of their plight, the hardships and injustice they faced and the shocking cruelty and abuse they suffered. It is a story that hasn't been talked about much, with many people choosing not to face up to it, even when the truth came out. Still to this day it is largely unknown and therefore Moorehead's portrayal of what took place sheds light on a truly dark yet heroic time for the Women of the French Resistance.

I'm afraid to say I struggled with it a bit. I appreciated the amount of research and the depth of the information that Moorehead provided but I just found it all a bit much. It was difficult to keep track of all the women, the men, the timeline as it kept jumping back and forth etc. And so I found myself zoning out at times and not being able to take it all in. It was a bit like information overload! I can understand that in order to portray the sheer enormity and complexity of the events it was necessary to do this. I just felt that it would have had more of an impact on me had it been more personalised or focused on just a few characters. I found I wanted to know more specific details, especially in terms of what they actually did during the resistance - actual play by play examples rather than just mentioning the activities. If that makes sense.

I also found the lack of dialogue really hard too. It's funny because I'd never really notice that in other books but during this I longed to know what they were saying and thinking. Again I understand that to do that the book would then have added a fictional element to it, which was obviously not the authors aim. The French phrases and words threw me a little too, so along with all the names and dates and places, I found the reading difficult and slow. But that could just be me!

I did find the whole thing fascinating though. I was completely astounded by the enormity and severity of the events that really I knew very little about. I was stunned by the treatment they endured and by the fact that their plight really is unknown and not spoken about. That is both heartbreaking and infuriating. I have to admit that during this part of the book I was much more hooked. It's also hard not to have some level of interest, awe and appreciation for what you're reading when the topic is as hard-hitting and moving as this.

So for me I have strongly mixed feelings about this book! ...more

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