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The Women on Platform Two: A Novel

Laura Anthony
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The Women on Platform Two: A Novel

Laura Anthony
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368 PAGESENGLISH
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Overall rating: 5.0 / 5 from 8 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

Summary topics

Review topics: [choice, story, book, perspective, characters, novel, maura, right, read, fiction].

Review highlights

Reviews

Beautiful story of Women taking power for their lives

"I enjoyed this book because it touches on a subject that was important to me 60 years ago. Well written with believable characters based on real women. Thought provoking"

— Judi (5/5)

A Must Read!

"I absolutely loved this book - what an incredible story! 10/10 recommend!"

— Amber W. (5/5)

Captivating read

"The Women on Platform 2 is both a compelling and captivating read. The book is based on the true story taking place in Dublin in the 1970's where all form of contraception is illegal. It takes a group of courageous women to standup to the law and protest . They put a lot on the line to do this. Flash foreward to 2023 when we meet Saorise who is engaged to Maurice. He wants children and she does not. Saorise ends up on the train from Dublin to Belfast where we meet Maura on her annual pilgrimage to Belfast on the anniversary of the now well known protest. Maura goes back in time and tells her story of her marriage, her friendship with Bernie and so much more. The characters are well written and I felt like I was sitting beside these ladies and listening in on Maura's tale. The Women on Platform Two is so much more. It is the story of courage, friendship, love, family , strength and togetherness. I was totally immersed in the book from the first to the last page. The Women on Platform Two would make an excellent Book Club choice. Don't miss it."

— Judy1 (5/5)

5⭐️

"I was very excited to read this and it did not disappoint. A very touching historical fiction novel with inspiring characters and beautiful writing. Very relevant topic considering recent events in the US and the importance of supporting reproductive choice."

— Samantha (5/5)

MUST READ

"This is a must read. Great historical fiction. Relevant even today!"

— Rose (5/5)

A must-read about the Women's Liberation Movement

"This was a captivatingly engrossing historical fiction about the Women's Liberation Movement in Ireland. This book starts with Saoirse in 2023 who knows that she doesn't want to have kids despite her fiancé's insistence that she'll love her own child and would be a great mother. Needing space after a close call/pregnancy scare, she ends up on a train and meets Maura who proceeds to tell Saoirse her life story (from 1968-1970). Little does Saoirse know, her rights to bodily autonomy and her right to continue working once she gets married is all thanks to Maura and her friends who fought for women's rights in the 1970's. This book is about bodily autonomy but it also covers themes of friendship, womanhood, bravery, and breaking the cycle of abuse and inequality. Reading this book made me realize how easy it is to take for granted the relative ease of obtaining contraceptives today - most colleges, universities and health centres hand out condoms for free, and most methods of birth control (in Canada and most parts of the world) are easy to obtain and fairly affordable. So it's hard to imagine that 55 years ago, during my parents' and grandparents' lifetime, condoms were illegal in Ireland (and Canada too, up until 1969) and even mentioning birth control, saying the word 'condom' or even hinting at not wanting kids was considered blasphemous. It's also easy to take for granted the fact that married women are now allowed to work, whereas the marriage bar during that time made it illegal to do so. I now have a newfound appreciation of the courage women had back in the day to fight for the rights we take for granted today. Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!"

— Melhara (5/5)

A Timely and Important Book

"The Women on Platform Two by Laura Anthony is a timely and important book about a group of women in the Republic of Ireland in the early 70s who started a movement to fight for the right of every woman in their country to obtain contraception. While this is fiction, it is based on historical facts, and I thought the author did an admirable job of showing the importance of the issue to so many women, no matter their marital status or station in life. It’s about their right to make decisions about their own bodies, to continue to work after marriage and to have some control over their finances and families. I loved the characters of Maura and Bernie, how their friendship blossomed in spite of how different their lives were, how they were there for each other and gave each other the strength to get through devastating situations. I thought it was a nice touch how we were introduced to a young woman in modern-day Ireland, Saoirse, who has a chance meeting with Maura on a train. Maura and Bernie’s story unfolds as the two of them spend the day together on the train, Maura sharing the part she played in the movement and revealing to Saoirse how their actions paved the way for her to be free to make her own choices now. The Irish Women’s Liberation Movement played a big part in women in Ireland eventually winning the right to use contraception, and this book shows how devastating it can be when church and government have too much power over individuals and reminds us that sadly the world still has a ways to go when it comes to gender equality and reproductive rights for women. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review."

— TinaLynne77 (5/5)

This should be required reading 👏

"✦POV: Multiple, first-person In 1970s Dublin, all forms of contraception are strictly forbidden, but an intrepid group of women will risk everything to change that in this sweeping, timely novel inspired by a remarkable and little-known true story. » I was hooked by The Women on Platform Two from the moment Saoirse climbed aboard the train and started speaking to Maura. The story was gripping: equally heartbreaking in some moments as triumphant in others. » I liked the dual timelines between present day and the late 1960’s - early 70’s. Despite the dual timelines, the linear chronology made sense and was easy to follow. » Maura’s transformation from meek to outspoken advocate at the risk of personal danger was impressive. Bernie was exactly the friend she needed to realize her worth, and their relationship was the stuff of #FriendGoals. They were lovable and I was thrilled by Bernie’s husband and what would surely have been extremely progressive insight and perspective for the time. ✩ The Women on Platform Two should be required reading for every human who wants to understand why reproductive choice is a human right. Female or male-identifying, it doesn’t matter. Stories like this are critical to understanding and appreciating how far we’ve come and why there is still more work to be done. ❝I should regret boarding the train. I should regret the laughs and moments of honest-to-God happiness I felt as I walked the streets of Belfast next to my best friend. But I do not. I do not regret a single moment of this journey. And if I had my chance, I would do it all over again. ❞ ♡ I loved this story, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is or has a woman in their life they care about. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ✨ Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review."

— Nicole. C. (5/5)

Q&A

  • Published date: Jan 06, 2026
  • Language: English
  • No. of Pages: 368
  • Publisher: Gallery Books
  • ISBN: 9781668047392
  • Dimensions: 5.313" W x 1.0" L x 8.25" H
“An exciting and tender coming-of-age story about friendship, family, and the forces that shaped Irish women’s reproductive rights . . . An inspiring novel about the liberating paths blazed by Irish women.” —Kirkus
Laura Anthony is a pseudonym for a published author of emotional women’s fiction. She lives in Kildare, Ireland, with her husband and children.

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