A review by jeffmauch
The Train by Georges Simenon

4.0

A different point of view. It's rare these days for me to read anything related to World War II that isn't from a perspective I've heard before, but finally I found one. This is the story of Marcel as war suddenly comes to Belgium and he and his family hop onto trains with what they can carry and head for France. Marcel is a very even keeled individual, nothing really shakes or excites him, which gives us a very unique and observant viewpoint on the events. Even after being separated from his family, he doesn't at all seem worried or distraught. He rather quickly pairs up with a recently released female prisoner and together they go on their journey on cattle cars to France. I think the companionship would be strange had he had any emotional attachment, but again, he just methodically goes about his business as they travel slowly with stops and starts through the countryside. Knowing this is a true story is what makes it most interesting, as it reads like a fiction novel, especially when it comes to the relationship with the woman. It's a short read with a nice little Afterward by the author explaining how and why he came to write this account. A very different look at how war came to a part of Europe that we have rarely seen.