Helpful Score: 8
Five stars all the way to the top!
Ive had great luck with picking books to read so far this year. Just when I thought the last book I read would be my fav of the year, along came this one.
I was totally entranced, mesmerized by this tale. Beautifully written. I love stories from WW2, and this one will stay with me for many years to come.
This books end brought tears from me in the school parking lot today. I was not at all expecting the books outcome. Once I closed the cover, I felt only a small portion of the the pain that people felt back then in whatever situation they were presented with.
Touching, memorable, harsh, real and just plain ole magnificent story.
I had never read a book about the circus in connection with WW2 and how it provided an opportunity to hide individuals from the Nazi's. Though the story is fiction, some things are true. One thing that was true and that will stay with me is the train car full of only infants..babies..shipped off to a concentration camp. This will be a tough read for anyone but delicately so.
Ive had great luck with picking books to read so far this year. Just when I thought the last book I read would be my fav of the year, along came this one.
I was totally entranced, mesmerized by this tale. Beautifully written. I love stories from WW2, and this one will stay with me for many years to come.
This books end brought tears from me in the school parking lot today. I was not at all expecting the books outcome. Once I closed the cover, I felt only a small portion of the the pain that people felt back then in whatever situation they were presented with.
Touching, memorable, harsh, real and just plain ole magnificent story.
I had never read a book about the circus in connection with WW2 and how it provided an opportunity to hide individuals from the Nazi's. Though the story is fiction, some things are true. One thing that was true and that will stay with me is the train car full of only infants..babies..shipped off to a concentration camp. This will be a tough read for anyone but delicately so.
Helpful Score: 4
Interesting story with alternating point of view chapters. The ending is a surprise, but makes sense with all the other story lines going on within the chapters. First book I have read by this author and I am going to look for some more of her stories as they have a ring of truth to them without too much drama (be sure to read notes at the end AFTER finishing the book).
Helpful Score: 1
(Review written 6/12/2019)
So many WWII novels ... just when you think there's no unique story to tell, along comes The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff.
This novel tells the story of a circus that performed throughout Nazi-occupied Europe. This was a gripping novel about family and the life-long impact of split-second decisions.
So many WWII novels ... just when you think there's no unique story to tell, along comes The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff.
This novel tells the story of a circus that performed throughout Nazi-occupied Europe. This was a gripping novel about family and the life-long impact of split-second decisions.
Helpful Score: 1
WWII in Germany & France. Noa, a young Dutch girl, is turned out by her family when they find she is pregnant - by a German no less. She is sent to a young girl's "home" where they will help her - by taking her child. Ingrid leaves her family's circus and marries a German officer - even though she's Jewish. This book explores how popular the traveling circuses were at the time and how some of them aided Jews during the occupation. Very good story that will draw you in.
Helpful Score: 1
Haunting and heartbreaking. You will learn more about the human need for kindness and doing the right thing in this beautiful story. So many unknown heroes doing the brave and humane thing to help others survive.
Yet another holocaust book, but I loved it and couldn't put it down, interesting look into to circus life,
This is the third book of Pam Jenoff I have read.The first part of the book is mostly setting up the characters. The last half is suspense of what is going to happen to them. Maybe have hankies ready. I enjoyed book as it reveals more of the places,people and stories affected by WW2 that i didn't know about.
I used to be a huge reader, I always had a book in my hand-then life got in the way. This book gave me hope again to start reading. From chapter one, I was completely engaged in reading this. I couldn't believe how often I was returning back to this book looking to read and less to watching tv or doing other things.... I enjoyed it so much, I was going to the gym earlier and earlier to get away from people and read while on the tredmill. If I talk specifically about what I liked about the book I would give it all away! I wish there were more books out there that made me love, hate, and want to be the characters.
Jenoff writes another great book. The story is set with a traveling circus during World War II. Noa becomes pregnant by a Nazi soldier, is kicked-out of her home by her father, and later to be abandoned by her husband. She was forced to give the baby up for adoption, living in a small German rail station, and works as a cleaning lady.
Noa finds a boxcar filled with dozens of Jewish babies, where she takes one to raise by herself. She is befriended by the ringmaster of a circus, given a place to live in exchange for learning the flying trapeze. Noa is trained by a brusque flying trapeze woman, Astrid. Noa and Astrid become close friends as they perform for the circus, but both must decide who is to escape to America. Is their friendship enough to save one another, or will the secrets that burn between them destroy everything? A great read from the beginning to the end.
Noa finds a boxcar filled with dozens of Jewish babies, where she takes one to raise by herself. She is befriended by the ringmaster of a circus, given a place to live in exchange for learning the flying trapeze. Noa is trained by a brusque flying trapeze woman, Astrid. Noa and Astrid become close friends as they perform for the circus, but both must decide who is to escape to America. Is their friendship enough to save one another, or will the secrets that burn between them destroy everything? A great read from the beginning to the end.
A compelling story told from the point of view of two different women during World War II.
