A review by karenluvstoread
The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton

5.0

This novel is set in the 1930s during the historical event of the largest hurricane in the United States that hit the Florida Keys. It wreaked massive destruction and many lives were lost. Among the destruction was Flagler’s railroad, a rail system that linked the mainland of Florida to Key West.  After the hurricane destroyed part of the train, the railway company was not able to rebuild. Flagler’s railroad never ran again. 
 

A major issue also addressed in this novel was the veterans work camps that existed in the Florida Keys at that time. The author explores the purpose of the camps, what the living conditions were like, and what happened to them in the wake of this massive hurricane. I did not know about these veteran camps until reading this book. I did a bit of research to learn more about that. From what I read, there was great controversy surrounding these camps before the hurricane hit; and more controversy arose surrounding how the camps were handled in relation to helping evacuate these men during the hurricane. 

This novel had a fast moving plot and kept me turning the pages. I read it in a day it was that good. The author structured the novel with multiple narratives based in the three main characters. And these multiple narratives get interwoven by the end of the novel. The author also writes about the hurricane in such a vivid way. And from what I understand from talking to others who read this book that have experienced hurricanes first hand, the author was on point in her descriptions of what it was like. 

The novel also deals with a host of other issues in the lives of the three protagonists. They each have complicated lives and relationships. And the author does an excellent job of giving readers characters they can root for. All around, this is an excellent novel which I couldn’t put down.