'a vibrant and immediate account told through personal stories of people the author met and spoke with... the words she writes convey such intense images and paint such vivid and empathetic pictures that the reader too experiences the deep, human connections she makes'

'Night Train to Odesa is beautifully and lyrically written. It is, quite frankly, a book unlike any other ... visceral, intelligent, and establishes Jen Stout as a reporter whose future is imminently bright'

'Jen Stout's great achievement is to tell the stories of ordinary people in extraordinarily difficult and dangerous circumstances. Night Train to Odesa is by turns sad and inspiring – and unfailingly fascinating'

'Relentless in its narrative fortitude, the memoir Night Train to Odesa is filled with detailed reportage from the front lines of Russia's war against Ukraine'

'Vivid, passionate and unfailingly empathetic, but doesn't shy away from historical and present complexities'

'Jen Stout is very brave. And she is a storyteller of supreme gifts. She has travelled through the war without the backup and financial support that comes with working for the big media organisations. I am in awe of her resourcefulness and courage'

'Jen Stout's book is not just a report of darkened cities and piteous survivors, but a highly personal journal of one young Scot's first experiences of war . . . moving and unforgettable'

'In evocative portraits from homes, battlefields, rattling buses and trains we see the determination, solidarity, heartache and humour of a people at war'

'With a talent for getting people to talk to her and share a glimpse of their shattered lives, Stout's highly personal informative reportage is haunting and memorable'